The slide summarizes some outcomes from two separate longitudinal studies that have been published, one investigating the long-term clinical course of bipolar disorder-I, and the other one bipolar disorder-II.1,2 Many of the patients in these studies spent a considerable proportion of their time without symptoms, and when mood episodes do occur, people with bipolar disorder typically spend more time in depressive states than (hypo)manic states.1,2
References:
1. Judd LL, Akiskal HS, Schettler PJ, et al. The long-term natural history of the weekly symptomatic status of bipolar I disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2002; 59 (6): 530–537.
2. Judd LL, Akiskal HS, Schettler PJ, et al. A prospective investigation of the natural history of the long-term weekly symptomatic status of bipolar II disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2003; 60 (3): 261–269.