The burden of cyclothymia on alcohol dependence

Cyclothymia reloaded: A reappraisal of the most misconceived affective disorder

“…Cyclothymic temperament has been shown to be a factor that predisposes to substance and alcohol abuse in the general population (Maremmani et al, 2006;Unseld et al, 2012). In clinical populations of alcohol dependents (Pombo et al, 2013;Schaller et al, 2010;Vyssoki et al, 2011), heroin-addicted subjects (Maremmani et al, 2009), cocaine users (Maremmani et al, 2008) and substance use disorders (Unseld et al, 2012), cyclothymic temperament and, more generally, a bipolar spectrum diathesis showed prevalence rates higher than in general population. The presence of cyclothymic temperament has also been associated with the risk of unmasking a full-blown bipolar syndrome (Maremmani et al, 2008); it predicted: early age at onset, polydrug abuse, greatest level of psychosocial burden and dysfunction, and worse outcome both of substance use and mood disorders.…”

“…Antidepressant-induced (hypo)manic symptoms have been reported to occur in the course of treating virtually all anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive, panic disorder/agoraphobia and social phobia (Himmelhoch, 1998;Sholomskas, 1990;Steiner, 1991). Lastly, comorbid ADHD may require a combination of mood stabilizers with stimulants (Asherson, 2005;Ceraudo et al, 2012), although the risk of developing addictive behaviors may be increased by the presence of a cyclothymic background especially if there is concomitant alcohol or drug abuse (Bacciardi et al, 2013;Maremmani et al, 2006Maremmani et al, , 2009Pombo et al, 2013).…”

Are the binary typology models of alcoholism valid in polydrug abusers ?

“…An alternative explanation implicates a particular cluster of personality traits that generally characterize these patients, particularly type II patients: high novelty seeking, low harm avoidance, and cyclothymic affective temperament. 2 These traits reflecting impulsivity and disinhibition make these patients more vulnerable to pharmacological benefits from alcohol. Although studies have shown that alcohol craving might be related to alcoholism subtype, 2,7,34 this hypothesis was not confirmed in our study.…”

“…2 These traits reflecting impulsivity and disinhibition make these patients more vulnerable to pharmacological benefits from alcohol. Although studies have shown that alcohol craving might be related to alcoholism subtype, 2,7,34 this hypothesis was not confirmed in our study. This fact might be explained by several factors, such as the heterogeneity of the sample and the timing of craving assessment.…”

“…1 Disorders related to alcohol abuse contribute significantly to the global burden of disease in Western European society. 2 Polysubstance (ab)use is also becoming quite prevalent in mental health institutions. 3 Alcohol and drug abuse phenotypes are complex, multidimensional, and heterogeneous.…”