The study aimed to evaluate the impact of psychotropic drugs on the clinical course of mood disorders, by analyzing three different periods: before 1940 when no drug was available, between 1940 and 1960, the so-called "ECT era", and after the sixties, following the introduction into the clinical practice of psychopharmacological compounds. The comparisons of these three different periods showed that the length of mood episode has decreased significantly, from one year before 1940 to about one month, the mortality has almost been totally eliminated, the quality of life of the free intervals is practically the same, while the number of the episodes has dramatically increased. Therefore, it would seem that the currently available psychotropic drugs are effective in the treatment of the episodes, but have a lower impact on quality of life
How is treatment helpful in the prophilaxis of bipolar disorders ? Comparison amongst different treatment era
LENZI, ALESSANDRO;
2008-01-01
Abstract
The study aimed to evaluate the impact of psychotropic drugs on the clinical course of mood disorders, by analyzing three different periods: before 1940 when no drug was available, between 1940 and 1960, the so-called "ECT era", and after the sixties, following the introduction into the clinical practice of psychopharmacological compounds. The comparisons of these three different periods showed that the length of mood episode has decreased significantly, from one year before 1940 to about one month, the mortality has almost been totally eliminated, the quality of life of the free intervals is practically the same, while the number of the episodes has dramatically increased. Therefore, it would seem that the currently available psychotropic drugs are effective in the treatment of the episodes, but have a lower impact on quality of lifeI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
