Clinical Differentiation of Bipolar II Disorder From Borderline Personality Disorder

Authors and Disclosures

Adam Bayes, Gordon Parker, and Kathryn Fletcher

School of Psychiatry, University of NSW, Sydney, Australia

Conflicts of interest
This review was supported by NHMRC Program Grant (1037196) funding.

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Correspondence to
Adam Bayes, Kiloh Unit, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick NSW 2031, Sydney, Australia. Tel: +61 2 9382 4352; fax: +61 2 9382 4399; e-mail: Adam.Bayes@SESIAHS.HEALTH.NSW.GOV.AU

Sidebar

Key Points

• The literature is limited by most studies considering bipolar disorder in general rather than contrasting BP II only with BPD.

• Although differences have been identified or are suggested across a number of parameters, few appear substantive.

• Phenomenological distinction appears currently the most differentiating domain, and involves consideration of both poles and the type of depression (i.e. melancholic versus nonmelancholic), the extent to which anxiety is decreased or increased during episodes, and the differing 'onset' periods for each condition.

• Although clinical differentiation might be expected to be reasonably clear-cut, in the majority of instances the coterminous presence of both a BP II and a BPD needs to be conceded in a percentage of individuals.