Nosography of mood and affective disorders is directly related to how clinical pictures are understood in each historical context. Inquiring on whether a historical recollection would contribute to a better understanding and use of the current nosology of mood disorders, the study carries out a historical and critical review of its conceptual and nosological transformations on the medical-psychiatric field. Starting from Emil Kraepelin’s “Manic-Depressive Insanity,” proposed in 1899, the text confronts this concept with post-Kraepelian proposals, especially those of Karl Leonhard. It then analyzes their influence in the creation of two operationalized diagnostic systems — DSM and ICD. “Bipolar Disorder,” a construct introduced by the DSM-III, remains in use today. Later proposals are also addressed, such as the “Bipolar Spectrum”.
Key words:
Nosography; affective disorders; critical review; history