Abstract
BACKGROUND: The bipolar spectrum disorders are considered an important and frequent psychiatric problem. The clinical complexity of these illnesses due to the coexistence of depressive and excitative phases is correlated with the global difficulty of adequate treatment; consequently, the prognosis is not optimal. For this reason, in recent years, novel nonpharmacologic physical approaches have been tested for bipolar disorders, with encouraging results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of a radioelectric asymmetric brain stimulation device associated with lithium (REAC-lithium) versus previous treatments in subjects with bipolar disorder I or II, evaluated as the number of recurrences compared with the period of illness preceding treatment with REAC-lithium. METHODS: The charts of 56 bipolar patients attending our institute were retrospectively evaluated. Treatment with REAC-lithium was administered following the standard Rinaldi-Fontani Institute protocol. Add-on treatments were allowed in the event of manic or depressive recurrence. Eight patients (Group 1) were followed for 30.2 ± 3.0 months, 14 patients (Group 2) were followed for 25.3 ± 3.3 months, 25 patients (Group 3) were followed for 20.3 ± 1.6 months, and nine patients (Group 4) were followed for 16.2 ± 0.5 months. RESULTS: After REAC-lithium treatment, the number of manic and depressive episodes in Group 1 decreased from 2.1 ± 0.6 and 3.0 ± 0.7 to 0.12 ± 0.0 and 0.8 ± 0.4, respectively. In Group 2, the number of manic and depressive episodes decreased from 2.4 ± 0.6 and 3.9 ± 0.7 to 0.14 ± 0.2 and 0.0 ± 0.0, respectively. In Group 3, the number of manic and depressive episodes decreased from 2.6 ± 0.8 and 3.6 ± 0.9 to 0.04 ± 0.0 and 0.0 ± 0.0, respectively. In Group 4, the number of manic and depressive episodes decreased from 2.6 ± 1.1 and 3.7 ± 1.0 to 0.1 ± 0.0 and 0.0 ± 0.0, respectively. All results were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: REAC showed good efficacy in treating both the manic and depressive phases of bipolar disorder, and in the prevention of recurrences/relapses.