Bipolar affective psychosis with onset before age 16 years: report of 10 cases.

Ten patients, 5 male and 5 female, with bipolar psychosis beginning before the age of 16 years, mean 14.1 years, are described. Difficulties in diagnosis in this age group are discussed and background factors of possible aetiological importance analysed. Lithium therapy was effective in 6 out of 7 patients.