The notion of mixed states is classically associated with descriptions and categories inherited from Kraepelin. However, simultaneous descriptions of depressive and manic manifestations can be traced back to ancient times. Semiology and definitions of these clinical associations have evolved across the times. We provide here a short insight on four distinct periods: Greek authors from ancient times, pre-Kraepelinian psychiatry (18th and 19th centuries), Kraepelin's conceptualization, and contemporary psychiatry (20th and 21st centuries).
Keywords: Bipolar disorders; Kraepelin; Mania; Manie; Melancholia; Mixed states; Mélancolie; Trouble affectif bipolaire; États mixtes.
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