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Racing thoughts

MedGen UID:
640668
•Concept ID:
C0554978
•
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Synonyms: Racing Thoughts; Tachyphrenia
SNOMED CT: Racing thoughts (285303006)
 
HPO: HP:0033844

Definition

An inner sense (from the self) that thoughts are moving abnormally fast and in a manner that the individual typically feels that the rate is beyond their control, i.e. they feel unable to slow the rate of thoughts. Racing thoughts by themselves have a linear progression, following a line of thinking or logic, which distinguishes racing thoughts from flight of ideas. Racing thoughts may however, co-occur with or be independent from flight of ideas, they may be associated with pressured speech or be an internal perception of the rate of thinking. The core element being the rate of the thoughts themselves. [from HPO]

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Depressive mixed states: A reappraisal of Koukopoulos' criteria.
Faedda GL, Marangoni C, Reginaldi D
J Affect Disord 2015 May 1;176:18-23. Epub 2015 Feb 4 doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.01.053. PMID: 25687279
Bipolar II disorder : epidemiology, diagnosis and management.
Benazzi F
CNS Drugs 2007;21(9):727-40. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200721090-00003. PMID: 17696573
Bipolar I disorder: psychopathology, medical management and dental implications.
Friedlander AH, Friedlander IK, Marder SR
J Am Dent Assoc 2002 Sep;133(9):1209-17. doi: 10.14219/jada.archive.2002.0362. PMID: 12356252

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Investigating racing thoughts via ocular temporal windows: deficits in the control of automatic perceptual processes.
Polgári P, Weiner L, Causin JB, Bertschy G, Giersch A
Psychol Med 2023 Mar;53(4):1176-1184. Epub 2021 Aug 27 doi: 10.1017/S0033291721002592. PMID: 37010216
Investigating racing thoughts in insomnia: A neglected piece of the mood-sleep puzzle?
Weiner L, Martz E, Kilic-Huck Ü, Siegel N, Bertschy G, Geoffroy PA, Weibel S, Bourgin P
Compr Psychiatry 2021 Nov;111:152271. Epub 2021 Sep 17 doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2021.152271. PMID: 34555554
Prodromal symptoms of Chinese patients with bipolar disorder.
Guo T, Yang Y, Zhao Q, Zhang L, Ng CH, Cheung T, Li Y, Zhu XQ, Li XH, Xiang YT
J Affect Disord 2021 Nov 1;294:908-915. Epub 2021 Jul 22 doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.079. PMID: 34375219
Racing and crowded thoughts in mood disorders: A data-oriented theoretical reappraisal.
Bertschy G, Weibel S, Giersch A, Weiner L
Encephale 2020 Jun;46(3):202-208. Epub 2020 Mar 6 doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2020.01.007. PMID: 32151457
Cognitive deficits in bipolar disorders: Implications for emotion.
Lima IMM, Peckham AD, Johnson SL
Clin Psychol Rev 2018 Feb;59:126-136. Epub 2017 Nov 21 doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.11.006. PMID: 29195773Free PMC Article

Diagnosis

Racing and crowded thoughts in mood disorders: A data-oriented theoretical reappraisal.
Bertschy G, Weibel S, Giersch A, Weiner L
Encephale 2020 Jun;46(3):202-208. Epub 2020 Mar 6 doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2020.01.007. PMID: 32151457
Cognitive deficits in bipolar disorders: Implications for emotion.
Lima IMM, Peckham AD, Johnson SL
Clin Psychol Rev 2018 Feb;59:126-136. Epub 2017 Nov 21 doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.11.006. PMID: 29195773Free PMC Article
Depressive mixed states: A reappraisal of Koukopoulos' criteria.
Faedda GL, Marangoni C, Reginaldi D
J Affect Disord 2015 May 1;176:18-23. Epub 2015 Feb 4 doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.01.053. PMID: 25687279
Phenomenology of racing and crowded thoughts in mood disorders: a theoretical reappraisal.
Piguet C, Dayer A, Kosel M, Desseilles M, Vuilleumier P, Bertschy G
J Affect Disord 2010 Mar;121(3):189-98. Epub 2009 Jun 9 doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2009.05.006. PMID: 19515428
Alprazolam-induced hypomania.
Reddy J, Khanna S, Anand U, Banerjee A
Aust N Z J Psychiatry 1996 Aug;30(4):550-2. doi: 10.3109/00048679609065031. PMID: 8887708

Therapy

Depressive mixed states: A reappraisal of Koukopoulos' criteria.
Faedda GL, Marangoni C, Reginaldi D
J Affect Disord 2015 May 1;176:18-23. Epub 2015 Feb 4 doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.01.053. PMID: 25687279
The "new" marijuana.
Wells DL, Ott CA
Ann Pharmacother 2011 Mar;45(3):414-7. Epub 2011 Feb 15 doi: 10.1345/aph.1P580. PMID: 21325097
Prodromes, coping strategies and psychological interventions in bipolar disorders.
Lam D, Wong G
Clin Psychol Rev 2005 Dec;25(8):1028-42. Epub 2005 Aug 24 doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2005.06.005. PMID: 16125292
Bipolar I disorder: psychopathology, medical management and dental implications.
Friedlander AH, Friedlander IK, Marder SR
J Am Dent Assoc 2002 Sep;133(9):1209-17. doi: 10.14219/jada.archive.2002.0362. PMID: 12356252
Alprazolam-induced hypomania.
Reddy J, Khanna S, Anand U, Banerjee A
Aust N Z J Psychiatry 1996 Aug;30(4):550-2. doi: 10.3109/00048679609065031. PMID: 8887708

Prognosis

Grouping of mood symptoms by time series dynamics.
Qian Y, Solano MJ, Kreindler D
J Affect Disord 2022 Jul 15;309:186-192. Epub 2022 Apr 22 doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.117. PMID: 35461820
Racing thoughts revisited: A key dimension of activation in bipolar disorder.
Weiner L, Ossola P, Causin JB, Desseilles M, Keizer I, Metzger JY, Krafes EG, Monteil C, Morali A, Garcia S, Marchesi C, Giersch A, Bertschy G, Weibel S
J Affect Disord 2019 Aug 1;255:69-76. Epub 2019 May 21 doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.05.033. PMID: 31129462
Measuring racing thoughts in healthy individuals: The Racing and Crowded Thoughts Questionnaire (RCTQ).
Weiner L, Weibel S, de Sousa Gurgel W, Keizer I, Gex-Fabry M, Giersch A, Bertschy G
Compr Psychiatry 2018 Apr;82:37-44. Epub 2018 Jan 31 doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2018.01.006. PMID: 29407357
Cognitive deficits in bipolar disorders: Implications for emotion.
Lima IMM, Peckham AD, Johnson SL
Clin Psychol Rev 2018 Feb;59:126-136. Epub 2017 Nov 21 doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.11.006. PMID: 29195773Free PMC Article
The relationship of major depressive disorder to bipolar disorder: continuous or discontinuous?
Benazzi F
Curr Psychiatry Rep 2005 Dec;7(6):462-70. doi: 10.1007/s11920-005-0068-6. PMID: 16318825

Clinical prediction guides

Grouping of mood symptoms by time series dynamics.
Qian Y, Solano MJ, Kreindler D
J Affect Disord 2022 Jul 15;309:186-192. Epub 2022 Apr 22 doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.117. PMID: 35461820
Investigating racing thoughts in insomnia: A neglected piece of the mood-sleep puzzle?
Weiner L, Martz E, Kilic-Huck Ü, Siegel N, Bertschy G, Geoffroy PA, Weibel S, Bourgin P
Compr Psychiatry 2021 Nov;111:152271. Epub 2021 Sep 17 doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2021.152271. PMID: 34555554
Measuring racing thoughts in healthy individuals: The Racing and Crowded Thoughts Questionnaire (RCTQ).
Weiner L, Weibel S, de Sousa Gurgel W, Keizer I, Gex-Fabry M, Giersch A, Bertschy G
Compr Psychiatry 2018 Apr;82:37-44. Epub 2018 Jan 31 doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2018.01.006. PMID: 29407357
Cognitive deficits in bipolar disorders: Implications for emotion.
Lima IMM, Peckham AD, Johnson SL
Clin Psychol Rev 2018 Feb;59:126-136. Epub 2017 Nov 21 doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.11.006. PMID: 29195773Free PMC Article
Depressive mixed states: A reappraisal of Koukopoulos' criteria.
Faedda GL, Marangoni C, Reginaldi D
J Affect Disord 2015 May 1;176:18-23. Epub 2015 Feb 4 doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.01.053. PMID: 25687279

Recent systematic reviews

Depressive mixed states: A reappraisal of Koukopoulos' criteria.
Faedda GL, Marangoni C, Reginaldi D
J Affect Disord 2015 May 1;176:18-23. Epub 2015 Feb 4 doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.01.053. PMID: 25687279

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