prodrome

noun, adj — 4 senses

prodrome

noun

US /ˈpɹoʊˌdɹoʊm/

Etymology Probably by analogy with syndrome (pro- + -drome), but consistent with Ancient Greek προδρομή (prodromḗ, “running forward, sally, skirmish”).

1

Rare A precursor or harbinger; also a warning event.

  • These may prove the Prodromes […] to the ruin of our Monarchy.1643, Lawrence Womack, Sober Sadness, page 45; quoted in The American encyclopædic dictionary, Volume 7, page 3252, published 1897
2

An introductory or preliminary book or treatise.

  • (archaic)
3

Medicine, Sciences An early sign or symptom (or set of signs and symptoms) warning of the onset of a disease.

  • It is becoming increasingly recognised that bipolar, like schizophrenia, has a prodromal phase which can be identified prior to development of the full illness. However, one issue with research into this area is the potential conflation of the concepts of a prodrome for bipolar, referring to symptoms that can be retrospectively identified as preceding the onset of the disorder, and a ‘risk syndrome’ consisting of clinical features, comorbidities and risk factors which increase the risk of later developing bipolar. At present, neither prodrome nor risk syndrome has been fully defined, although the bipolar at-risk (BAR) assessment tool has demonstrated predictive validity and reliability for identifying those at risk of bipolar, with around 23% of those identified transitioning to mania or hypomania.2018 April 26, Tobias A Rowland, Steven Marwaha, “Epidemiology and risk factors for bipolar disorder”, in Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology, volume 8, number 9, →DOI, pages 251–269:
Derived terms
prodromic
Related terms
prodromal, prodromous, prodromus

prodrome

adj

Etymology Probably by analogy with syndrome (pro- + -drome), but consistent with Ancient Greek προδρομή (prodromḗ, “running forward, sally, skirmish”).

1

Obsolete Prodromous.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.