The concept of distinct but voluminous groups of bipolar and unipolar diseases. III. Bipolar and unipolar comparison.

Comparing unipolar diseases (n = 121) as one group with bipolar diseases (n = 86) as another group (both groups including affective and schizoaffective disorders) relevant differences were found in sex distribution, age at onset, premorbid personality, long-term course and some aspects of long-term outcome. Although building two voluminous groups of "unipolar diseases" and "bipolar diseases" runs some risk of inhomogeneity, this danger could perhaps be limited by referring to the "affective subtype" and the "schizoaffective subtype".