Søren Dalsgaard, Maj-Britt Posserud, Kamilla W. Miskowiak, Kenneth K. C. Man
<p>In a recent epidemiological study, Grøntved et al. present important results on the temporal changes of the rates in prevalence and incidence of ADHD diagnosis and use of ADHD medication in Denmark over the past two decades [<span>1</span>]. The authors have applied stringent, robust, and sound methods in analyzing individual-level data available from the Danish nationwide registers. Their main findings include consistent increases in the prevalence and incidence of diagnosis of ADHD and corresponding increases in pharmacological treatment across sex and age groups from 2000 to 2022. The most notable increase in recent years is observed in young adult women. They found that 3.03% of the total population living in Denmark was given a clinical diagnosis of ADHD or had received treatment with ADHD medication in 2022. Among children and adolescents aged 6–18 years, it was 4.0%; in adults aged 18–27 years, it was 7.1%; in adults aged 27–35 years, it was 6.1%; and in adults aged 35–50 years, it was 3.5%, all as observed in 2022.</p><p>The study offers valid and precise estimates of the number of individuals diagnosed with ADHD or treated with ADHD medications within the entire Danish population and of the increases in those rates over a 20-year period. Such high-quality population-based estimates of the yearly prevalence and incidence of ADHD are much needed, as these measures of occurrence focus on the absolute risk, answering the question “What is the actual percentage?” Many articles in news media [<span>2, 3</span>] and also some scientific studies [<span>4</span>] only focus on the relative increase in number of diagnosed or treated over a certain time period, not on the prevalence rate. Similarly, a former Minister of Health in Denmark [<span>5</span>], and some governmental reports from authorities have raised concerns about the relative increase in the use of ADHD medication, while others have reported incorrect prevalence rates of clinical diagnoses of ADHD, as they have relied on too simplistic methodologies [<span>6</span>]. The study by Grøntved et al. overcomes such methodological limitations and reports valid and less biased estimates of the rates of prevalence and incidence of ADHD diagnosis and treatment. This is important, because in order to evaluate whether there is reason for concerns about over-diagnosing or overtreatment of ADHD, one needs to compare the rates of diagnoses and use of ADHD medication with the expected occurrence of the disorder.</p><p>Studies on the underlying occurrence of ADHD in the population suggest that 6%–7% of all children and adolescents fulfill diagnostic criteria for the disorder [<span>7</span>], and the occurrence in the population seems to have been stable for several decades [<span>8, 9</span>]. In adults, 4%–5% of the population fulfill diagnostic criteria for ADHD [<span>10</span>]. These studies also show that children and adolescents fulfilling diagnostic criteria for ADHD are less common in g
{"title":"Reaching ADHD Treatment Targets?","authors":"Søren Dalsgaard, Maj-Britt Posserud, Kamilla W. Miskowiak, Kenneth K. C. Man","doi":"10.1111/acps.13815","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13815","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In a recent epidemiological study, Grøntved et al. present important results on the temporal changes of the rates in prevalence and incidence of ADHD diagnosis and use of ADHD medication in Denmark over the past two decades [<span>1</span>]. The authors have applied stringent, robust, and sound methods in analyzing individual-level data available from the Danish nationwide registers. Their main findings include consistent increases in the prevalence and incidence of diagnosis of ADHD and corresponding increases in pharmacological treatment across sex and age groups from 2000 to 2022. The most notable increase in recent years is observed in young adult women. They found that 3.03% of the total population living in Denmark was given a clinical diagnosis of ADHD or had received treatment with ADHD medication in 2022. Among children and adolescents aged 6–18 years, it was 4.0%; in adults aged 18–27 years, it was 7.1%; in adults aged 27–35 years, it was 6.1%; and in adults aged 35–50 years, it was 3.5%, all as observed in 2022.</p><p>The study offers valid and precise estimates of the number of individuals diagnosed with ADHD or treated with ADHD medications within the entire Danish population and of the increases in those rates over a 20-year period. Such high-quality population-based estimates of the yearly prevalence and incidence of ADHD are much needed, as these measures of occurrence focus on the absolute risk, answering the question “What is the actual percentage?” Many articles in news media [<span>2, 3</span>] and also some scientific studies [<span>4</span>] only focus on the relative increase in number of diagnosed or treated over a certain time period, not on the prevalence rate. Similarly, a former Minister of Health in Denmark [<span>5</span>], and some governmental reports from authorities have raised concerns about the relative increase in the use of ADHD medication, while others have reported incorrect prevalence rates of clinical diagnoses of ADHD, as they have relied on too simplistic methodologies [<span>6</span>]. The study by Grøntved et al. overcomes such methodological limitations and reports valid and less biased estimates of the rates of prevalence and incidence of ADHD diagnosis and treatment. This is important, because in order to evaluate whether there is reason for concerns about over-diagnosing or overtreatment of ADHD, one needs to compare the rates of diagnoses and use of ADHD medication with the expected occurrence of the disorder.</p><p>Studies on the underlying occurrence of ADHD in the population suggest that 6%–7% of all children and adolescents fulfill diagnostic criteria for the disorder [<span>7</span>], and the occurrence in the population seems to have been stable for several decades [<span>8, 9</span>]. In adults, 4%–5% of the population fulfill diagnostic criteria for ADHD [<span>10</span>]. These studies also show that children and adolescents fulfilling diagnostic criteria for ADHD are less common in g","PeriodicalId":108,"journal":{"name":"Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica","volume":"152 1","pages":"3-5"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/acps.13815","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144191263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
<p>In this issue of Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, Drs. Manchia, Miola, Tondo, and Baldessarini [<span>1</span>] provide an important study of individuals with unipolar mania (UPM), defined by these authors as mania or hypomania without depressive episodes. In their study, Manchia and colleagues identified 63 consecutive individuals with UPM and compared them over the long term (up to 9.18 years) to 1210 patients with regular bipolar disorder (mania or hypomania with depressive episodes; BD) recruited from expert mood disorder centers across Italy. Compared with regular BD, the authors found that UPM was uncommon (4.5% of all BD cases over 18.2 years of risk), more common in men, predominantly BD type I (only 0.314% had unipolar hypomania), associated with more psychosis but less suicidality, and associated with greater use of antipsychotics, lithium, and mood-stabilizing anticonvulsants but much less use (27% less) of antidepressants. Over a mean follow-up of 9.18 years, the rate of UPM decreased, suggesting that some of these patients will eventually develop a first depressive episode.</p><p>Many of these findings have been noted in earlier, mostly cross-sectional studies using various definitions of UPM. For example, in a 2023 meta-analysis of 21 studies, UPM was similarly uncommon and associated with male gender and psychotic features, but with fewer suicide attempts [<span>2, 3</span>]. Other findings have included higher rates of hyperthymia, good sleep quality, and morning chronotype in UPM than in regular BD [<span>2-4</span>].</p><p>We were particularly interested in three issues arising from this important article.</p><p>First is regarding the prevalence of UPM. Many studies have suggested that UPM is a relatively uncommon form of BD. Thus, the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) found that, using three definitions of UPM, 5.0%–7.2% of individuals from the U.S. with BD type I never had depression [<span>5</span>]. However, evidence exists that UPM may be more common in low-income versus high-income countries. Thus, a study from Ethiopia found 41.7% of participants had UPM [<span>6</span>], while a study from Tunisia found a rate of 56.6% [<span>7</span>]. Although these differences in prevalence rates could be due to methodological issues, including use of different definitions of UPM, one wonders if there are cultural differences regarding the etiology and recognition of BD, particularly manic symptoms. If such cultural issues exist, it would be important to understand them.</p><p>Second is the finding that morning chronotype may be more common in UPM while evening chronotype appears to be more common in regular BD. Our group indeed found that evening chronotype was more common among individuals participating in a BD biobank, and that it was associated with more depressive episodes than participants with non-evening chronotypes [<span>8</span>]. Circadian rhythm dysfunction has been implicated in t
{"title":"Editorial on: The Underappreciated Importance of Mania","authors":"Susan L. McElroy, Mark A. Frye, Balwinder Singh","doi":"10.1111/acps.13814","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13814","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In this issue of Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, Drs. Manchia, Miola, Tondo, and Baldessarini [<span>1</span>] provide an important study of individuals with unipolar mania (UPM), defined by these authors as mania or hypomania without depressive episodes. In their study, Manchia and colleagues identified 63 consecutive individuals with UPM and compared them over the long term (up to 9.18 years) to 1210 patients with regular bipolar disorder (mania or hypomania with depressive episodes; BD) recruited from expert mood disorder centers across Italy. Compared with regular BD, the authors found that UPM was uncommon (4.5% of all BD cases over 18.2 years of risk), more common in men, predominantly BD type I (only 0.314% had unipolar hypomania), associated with more psychosis but less suicidality, and associated with greater use of antipsychotics, lithium, and mood-stabilizing anticonvulsants but much less use (27% less) of antidepressants. Over a mean follow-up of 9.18 years, the rate of UPM decreased, suggesting that some of these patients will eventually develop a first depressive episode.</p><p>Many of these findings have been noted in earlier, mostly cross-sectional studies using various definitions of UPM. For example, in a 2023 meta-analysis of 21 studies, UPM was similarly uncommon and associated with male gender and psychotic features, but with fewer suicide attempts [<span>2, 3</span>]. Other findings have included higher rates of hyperthymia, good sleep quality, and morning chronotype in UPM than in regular BD [<span>2-4</span>].</p><p>We were particularly interested in three issues arising from this important article.</p><p>First is regarding the prevalence of UPM. Many studies have suggested that UPM is a relatively uncommon form of BD. Thus, the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) found that, using three definitions of UPM, 5.0%–7.2% of individuals from the U.S. with BD type I never had depression [<span>5</span>]. However, evidence exists that UPM may be more common in low-income versus high-income countries. Thus, a study from Ethiopia found 41.7% of participants had UPM [<span>6</span>], while a study from Tunisia found a rate of 56.6% [<span>7</span>]. Although these differences in prevalence rates could be due to methodological issues, including use of different definitions of UPM, one wonders if there are cultural differences regarding the etiology and recognition of BD, particularly manic symptoms. If such cultural issues exist, it would be important to understand them.</p><p>Second is the finding that morning chronotype may be more common in UPM while evening chronotype appears to be more common in regular BD. Our group indeed found that evening chronotype was more common among individuals participating in a BD biobank, and that it was associated with more depressive episodes than participants with non-evening chronotypes [<span>8</span>]. Circadian rhythm dysfunction has been implicated in t","PeriodicalId":108,"journal":{"name":"Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica","volume":"151 6","pages":"651-652"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/acps.13814","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143896867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}