The authors point out that manic-depressive illness is often not
diagnosed in mentally retarded patients because they are already regarded
as "different." They discuss the use of lithium carbonate as a prophylactic
agent in the treatment of manic-depressive illness in mentally retarded
patients and present three case histories illustrating some of the
difficulties encountered in diagnosing mania or hypomania in such patients.
They provide a number of suggestions to help physicians recognize and treat
these disorders.
Abstract Teaser