Adolescent bipolar illness and personality disorder.

The relationship between adolescent bipolar illness and personality disorder has not been explored. Studies of adult bipolars suggest a bipolar illness/borderline personality disorder (BPD) association. Twenty euthymic bipolar teens were assessed using the Personality Disorders Examination. Thirty-five percent met DSM-III-R criteria for at least one personality disorder. Three of the 20 (15%) had a borderline personality disorder diagnosis. The bipolar illness with personality disorder group differed significantly from the bipolar illness without personality disorder group in terms of increased lithium unresponsiveness (p less than 0.05) and neuroleptic treatment at time of personality assessment (p less than 0.01), but not in terms of age, sex, age of illness onset, serum lithium level, rapid cycling, substance abuse history, alcohol abuse history, or number of suicide attempts. Issues regarding the study of personality disorder in adolescent bipolars are discussed.