Introduction: The Burden of Bipolar Depression

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Bipolar disorder is a common, debilitating illness thatis associated with significant morbidity and mortality.¹ Depression is the predominant mood symptom expressedin patients with bipolar disorder, with most patientshaving clinically significant depressive symptomsabout 3 times longer than manic symptoms.^2,3 Despite this,bipolar depression is often underrecognized or misdiagnosedas major depressive disorder (unipolar depression).’ ‹’ ‹