From the Guidelines
An elated mood is characterized by marked euphoria, grandiosity, and irritability, with associated racing thoughts, increased psychomotor activity, and mood lability, as described in the context of bipolar disorder 1.
Definition of Elated Mood
An elated mood involves feeling intensely positive emotions, often characterized by high energy, enthusiasm, and a sense of euphoria. When someone is elated, they typically experience a surge of positive feelings that may manifest as giddiness, exuberance, or a sense of being "on top of the world." This elevated emotional state can be triggered by significant positive life events like achievements, celebrations, or good news.
Clinical Presentation
In the context of bipolar disorder, elation is considered a key feature of mania, along with grandiosity, irritability, and increased psychomotor activity 1. The clinical presentation of elated mood in bipolar disorder may also include paranoia, confusion, and/or florid psychosis, as well as marked sleep disturbance.
Physiological Basis
Physiologically, elation involves increased activity in the brain's reward pathways and the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which create feelings of pleasure and well-being. However, persistent or extreme elation without apparent cause could potentially be a symptom of certain mood disorders like bipolar disorder, where it might manifest as hypomania or mania 1.
Treatment Considerations
In the treatment of bipolar disorder, mood stabilizers and atypical antipsychotics are often used to help control severe mood lability and explosive outbursts, which may include elated mood 1. The choice of treatment depends on the specific symptom presentation, comorbid conditions, and family needs, rather than initiating standard protocols for bipolar I disorder.
Key Points
- Elated mood is characterized by marked euphoria, grandiosity, and irritability, with associated racing thoughts, increased psychomotor activity, and mood lability.
- Elated mood can be a symptom of bipolar disorder, particularly in the context of mania or hypomania.
- Treatment of elated mood in bipolar disorder typically involves mood stabilizers and atypical antipsychotics.
- The choice of treatment depends on the specific symptom presentation, comorbid conditions, and family needs.
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Definition of Elated Mood
- Elated mood refers to a state of elevated or heightened mood, often characterized by feelings of euphoria, excitement, or extreme happiness.
- In the context of bipolar disorder, elated mood can be a symptom of mania or hypomania, which are episodes of abnormally elevated mood that can be accompanied by increased energy, activity, and impulsivity 2.
Effects of Elated Mood Induction
- Research has shown that elated mood induction can affect attention in patients with bipolar disorder, although the effect is small 2.
- A study found that patients with depressive episodes (MDE) displayed moderate improvements in selective attention and tonic alertness after elated mood induction, while patients with mania showed enhanced phasic alertness 2.
- The study suggests that attention deficits in patients with affective disorders may reflect trait variables rather than state-specific factors 2.
Treatment of Bipolar Disorder
- While elated mood is a symptom of bipolar disorder, the treatment of the disorder itself often involves medications such as lithium, valproate, olanzapine, and quetiapine 3, 4, 5, 6.
- These medications can help stabilize mood and prevent episodes of mania and depression, although they may have different efficacy profiles and tolerability 3, 4, 5, 6.