Bipolar Disorder News and Research

Latest Bipolar Disorder News and Research

‘First-line’ role for sleep deprivation in suicidal bipolar patients

Chronotherapy, involving total sleep deprivation and light therapy, brings about a rapid reduction in suicidality among patients with bipolar disorder experiencing a phase of major depression.

3 Jan 2014

Family history points to more severe bipolar disorder

A family history of mood disorders is associated with more severe symptoms at presentation and a poorer clinical course in patients with bipolar disorder, show findings from the STEP-BD study.

2 Jan 2014

Rates of smoking, drinking and drug use are higher among people with psychotic disorders

In the largest ever assessment of substance use among people with severe psychiatric illness, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Southern California have found that rates of smoking, drinking and drug use are significantly higher among those who have psychotic disorders than among those in the general population.

2 Jan 2014

Study: Antidepressants not effective for bipolar disorder treatment

The use of antidepressants in the treatment of bipolar disorder remains controversial. Some studies and treatment guidelines suggest that antidepressant treatment for bipolar disorder may have the potential to increase the manic switch, while others recommend short-term antidepressant treatment and early discontinuation.

24 Dec 2013

Asthma link to mood disorders strengthened

Results from a prospective study support a relationship between asthma in adolescence and future diagnosis of mood disorders.

24 Dec 2013

Treating depression fails to reverse cognitive deficits in bipolar disorder

Successful treatment of depression with total sleep deprivation does not improve neuropsychologic deficits in bipolar patients, despite improving clinical symptoms, Italian researchers report.

24 Dec 2013

Inflammatory burden increased in overweight bipolar disorder patients

Breakdown of the amino acid tryptophan is increased in euthymic, overweight individuals with bipolar disorder, show preliminary results from the BIPFAT study.

20 Dec 2013

Shared genetic risk for bipolar disorder and BMI

Researchers have found a positive association in the heritability of bipolar disorder and body mass index, supporting the theory that there is some interaction in the genetic mechanisms underlying these two traits.

19 Dec 2013

Head injuries increase risk for psychiatric disorders

A Danish study of a large cohort of individuals who presented at hospital with head injuries has found that they were at increased risk for later developing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and organic mental disorders.

19 Dec 2013

Diet may not fully explain cardiometabolic problems in bipolar disorder

The diet of patients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia seems to be no worse than that of mentally healthy people, a study suggests.

19 Dec 2013

Diabetes blamed for brain neurochemical abnormalities in bipolar disorder

Diabetes may underlie some of the neurochemical abnormalities observed in the brains of patients with bipolar disorder, say researchers.

17 Dec 2013

Bipolar disorder patients hold contradictory self-associations

Symptomatic bipolar disorder patients have a marked discrepancy between their automatic and “thought-out” views of themselves, research suggests.

13 Dec 2013

Marker for inflammatory bowel disease linked to bipolar disorder

Researchers have found evidence that the gastrointestinal tract plays a role in the inflammatory pathology of bipolar disorder, suggesting the need to consider dietary modification and anti-inflammatory treatment for some patients.

12 Dec 2013

Shared genetic risk for bipolar and alcohol use disorders

Shared genetic factors affect the risk for bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder, suggesting a common underlying biology, research shows.

11 Dec 2013

Genetic counseling could help bipolar patients adapt

Patients who believe their bipolar disorder is inherited tend to have a positive approach to coping with their condition, research suggests.

10 Dec 2013

Brain network disruption crosses psychosis diagnostic boundaries

Disruption of cortical information processing occurs in patients with psychosis regardless of whether they have a psychotic or affective diagnosis, research shows.

6 Dec 2013

Inflexible thinking in ADHD blamed on bipolar disorder

Impaired cognitive flexibility in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be entirely due to the presence of comorbid bipolar disorder, say researchers.

6 Dec 2013

Eli Lilly reports edivoxetine Phase III program did not meet primary endpoint for major depressive disorder

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced today that results from three studies of edivoxetine did not meet the primary study objective of superior efficacy in depression after eight weeks of treatment.

6 Dec 2013

DSM-5 mania duration criterion questioned

Researchers believe that the DSM 4-day duration criterion for diagnosing bipolar II disorder is no longer valid and its continued use could exclude a large number of patients with true bipolar II disorder.

5 Dec 2013

Researchers discover how PC7 protein affects certain types of cognitive performance

A team of Montr-al researchers at the IRCM led by Dr. Nabil G. Seidah, in collaboration with Dr. William C. Wetsel's team at Duke University in the United States, discovered that the protein PC7 plays a critical role in the brain by affecting certain types of cognitive performance such as anxiety, learning and emotional memory. Their results, recently published in the scientific journals Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and Nature, could have a significant impact on regulating behaviour related to anxiety disorders and trauma.

4 Dec 2013