This disorder has often been linked to creativity, and both Anne Sexton's and Sylvia Plath's mental breakdowns were probably the result of it.  
It was originally called dysthymia or cyclothymia, and it was first described in the 2nd century by Aretaeus of Cappadocia.  Scientists have not determined the reason why the first episode of this disorder occurs on average ten years earlier in each successive generation, but a predisposition to it has been linked to a dominant gene on chromosome 11.  This disorder has often been linked to creativity, and both Anne Sexton's and Sylvia Plath's mental breakdowns were probably the result of it.  Lithium can help control the fluctuations of amines that cause swings between euphoria and despair in, FTP, what mood disorder that was formerly called manic depression?
It was originally called dysthymia or cyclothymia, and it was first described in the 2nd century by Aretaeus of Cappadocia.  
bipolar disorder [accept manic depression before it is mentioned]