Bipolar disorder and gender: what are the news?

Authors

  • Amaury Cantilino Professor adjunto
  • Joel Rennó Junior Diretor do Programa de Saúde Mental da Mulher (Pro-Mulher) do Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo
  • Hewdy Lobo Ribeiro Psiquiatra, Pro-Mulher, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP.
  • Juliana Pires Calvasan Psiquiatra, Pro-Mulher, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP.
  • Renata Demarque Psiquiatra, Pro-Mulher, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP.
  • Jerônimo de A. Mendes Ribeiro Especialista em Psiquiatria pela ABP. Pesquisador, Grupo de Psiquiatria – Transtornos Relacionados ao Puerpério, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS.
  • Gislene Valadares Membro fundadora, Serviço de Saúde Mental da Mulher, Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG; Seção de Saúde Mental da Mulher, WPA; e International Association of Women’s Mental Health.
  • Renan Rocha Coordenador, Serviço de Saúde Mental da Mulher, Clínicas Integradas da Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma, SC. 7 Diretor científico, PROPSIQ. Presidente, ABP.
  • Antônio Geraldo da Silva Diretor científico, PROPSIQ. Presidente, ABP. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3423-7076

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25118/2236-918X-6-5-2

Keywords:

Bipolar disorder, gender, differences, women

Abstract

This article summarizes research published between 2014 and 2016 focusing on differences in clinical care and neurobiology in women and men with bipolar disorder (BD). In BD, female sex correlates with more depressive symptoms and with different comorbidities. Women also present a higher degree of mixed episodes and rapid cycling presentation. Comorbidities, particularly thyroiddisease, obesity, and anxiety disorders occur more frequently in women, while substance use disorders are more common in men. Exercise increases the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in women with BD, but not in men. Male and female patients have distinct biomarkers for BD. Menstrually entrained mood fluctuation is more strongly present in women treated for BD than in healthy controls. Lamotrigine may be of use in mitigating this fluctuation. Lithium-associated thyroid dysregulation occurs more frequently in female patients. Men and women with BD receive different treatments in routine clinical settings. Clinicians’ treatment decisions are, to some extent, unduly influenced by the patient’s gender.

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Published

2016-10-31

How to Cite

1.
Cantilino A, Rennó Junior J, Ribeiro HL, Calvasan JP, Demarque R, Ribeiro J de AM, et al. Bipolar disorder and gender: what are the news?. Debates em Psiquiatria [Internet]. 2016 Oct. 31 [cited 2025 Oct. 3];6(5):10-7. Available from: https://revistardp.org.br/revista/article/view/117

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 5 (2016)

Section

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