Bipolar disorder: aging and risk of development of dementia

Bipolar disorder is a common mood disorder that concerns 1-2 % of the general population. It has multiple underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and a polymor- phic clinical presentation. Aging process, not sufficiently studied, varies from one subject to another and has a large inter-individual heterogeneity. Relapse symptoms may change over time. Development of dementia, which is obser- ved in some cases, is caused by different etiological factors. In certain situations, it could be due to specific cognitive decline directly related to the aging process. In other cases, it may be due to the unfortunate association with a neuro- degenerative disease. Recently, its association with fronto- temporal dementia has also been suggested. To cite this journal: Cah. Annee Gerontol. 3 (2011).