New hope for sufferers of manic-depression from unlikely sources

Bipolar disorder is a psychological condition in which sufferers experience swings from severe phases of mania, to severe phases of depression, which have traditionally been treated as essentially two distinct conditions. But recently, a widely-used atypical antipsychotic - AstraZeneca's Seroquel (quetiapine) - received a marketing license in the USA for the treatment of the depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder.

According to a new report from the independent market analyst Datamonitor, this development could constitute a considerable step forward, not only because Seroquel has been shown to significantly alleviate bipolar depression, but also opening up the possibility of a single pill being used to treat both acute phases of this disorder.

Prevalence and public awareness rising