The affective spectrum is a grouping of related psychiatric and medical disorders which may accompany bipolar, unipolar, and schizoaffective disorders at statistically higher rates than would normally be expected. These disorders are identified by a common positive response to the same types of pharmacologic treatments. They also aggregate strongly in families and may therefore share common heritable underlying physiologic anomalies.
Affective spectrum disorders include:
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Body dysmorphic disorder
- Bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders
- Cataplexy
- Dysthymia
- General anxiety disorder
- Hypersexuality
- Impulse-control disorders
- Kleptomania
- Migrainecitation needed]
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Narcolepsycitation needed]
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Panic disorder
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Social phobia
The following may also be part of the spectrum accompanying affective disorderscitation needed].
- Autism
- Chronic pain
- Intermittent explosive disorder
- Pathological gambling
- Personality disorder
- Pyromania
- Substance abuse and addiction (includes alcoholism)
- Trichotillomania
Also, there are now studies linking heart diseasecitation needed].
Please note that many of the terms above overlap. The generally accepted definition of these terms can be found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
