Bipolar Disorder News and Research

Latest Bipolar Disorder News and Research

More support for interhemispheric disconnectivity in bipolar disorder

A UK study supports a role for interhemispheric disconnectivity in bipolar disorder, showing reduced corpus callosum area and thickness in patients with the condition.

4 Mar 2014

Intra-Cellular Therapies initiates Phase I/II clinical trial to evaluate pharmacokinetics in patients with dementia

Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced the initiation of ITI-007-200, a Phase I/II clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of low doses of its lead drug candidate, ITI-007, in healthy geriatric subjects and in patients with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

4 Mar 2014

BDNF abnormalities may predict bipolar disorder

Patients with bipolar disorder show abnormalities in the conversion of pro-brain derived neurotrophic factor to the mature form, which may be used to aid diagnosis of the condition.

28 Feb 2014

Further support for hippocampal volume as psychosis biomarker

Findings from the Bipolar-Schizophrenia Network on Intermediate Phenotypes provide further evidence that reduced hippocampal volume is a consistent feature of schizophrenia.

27 Feb 2014

Advanced paternal age effects extend to several psychiatric disorders

The effect of advanced paternal age at childbearing on the psychiatric morbidity risk of their children extends to several psychiatric disorders and particularly bipolar disorder, findings from a sibling-comparison study show.

27 Feb 2014

Researchers create new nerve cells in brains and spinal cords of living mammals

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers created new nerve cells in the brains and spinal cords of living mammals without the need for stem cell transplants to replenish lost cells.

27 Feb 2014

Residual symptoms linked to poor functioning in euthymic bipolar disorder

Residual symptoms are associated with functional impairment in euthymic individuals with bipolar disorder, a large observational study has shown.

26 Feb 2014

Psychoeducation reduces internalised stigmatisation in bipolar patients

A psychoeducation program designed to reduce internalised stigmatisation in patients with bipolar disease resulted in a significant decrease in total mean scores on the Internalized Stigmatization Scale of Mental Illness compared with a control group, a Turkish study shows.

25 Feb 2014

Pregnant women with bipolar disorder more frequently have mental health

Pregnant and postpartum women with bipolar disorder more frequently have significant mental health and early mothering challenges than other perinatal women undergoing psychiatric treatment, according to a study in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

25 Feb 2014

CUMC researchers find potential target for treating autism, schizophrenia, and other brain disorders

Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have determined that a small region of the hippocampus known as CA2 is essential for social memory, the ability of an animal to recognize another of the same species.

24 Feb 2014

Comorbid OCD and bipolar disorder should be treated as mood disorder

Most patients with both bipolar disorder and obsessive–compulsive disorder should be treated as having bipolar disorder, researchers suggest.

21 Feb 2014

Support for progranulin role in bipolar disorder

Researchers have found reduced levels of plasma progranulin in patients with bipolar disorder, strengthening evidence for its possible role as a biomarker for the condition.

20 Feb 2014

Researchers identify gene variants that substantially increase risk for schizophrenia

Schizophrenia has long been known to be highly heritable and is present in approximately 1% of the population. Researchers have been following two paths in their pursuit of identifying schizophrenia risk genes.

20 Feb 2014

Mixed state specifier in DSM-5 overlooks the core features

The replacement of “mixed episodes” with “mixed features” in DSM-5 in order to counter a lack of specificity overlooks two of the core features of mixed states, suggests research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

19 Feb 2014

Interhemispheric disconnectivity highlighted in bipolar disorder

Research shows that patients with bipolar I disorder have reduced white matter integrity, including in the corpus callosum, which connects the brain’s hemispheres.

18 Feb 2014

Heritable bipolar phenotypes pinned down

A large study has pinpointed brain and behavioural traits that are genetically influenced and associated with bipolar I disorder.

14 Feb 2014

Consistent mania monitoring during perinatal period warranted

Pregnant and postpartum women with bipolar disorder experience clinically severe symptoms, suggesting the need for continued monitoring of mania during this time, say researchers.

13 Feb 2014

Scientists take steps to identify genetic component to bipolar disorder

Scientists know there is a strong genetic component to bipolar disorder, but they have had an extremely difficult time identifying the genes that cause it. So, in an effort to better understand the illness's genetic causes, researchers at UCLA tried a new approach.

13 Feb 2014

Rhythmicity of activity linked to bipolar mania

Circadian rhythm disturbances are associated with bipolar disorder, and particularly with mania, indicate study findings.

12 Feb 2014

Self-disorders highly specific to schizophrenia spectrum

Self-disorders – also known as anomalous self-experiences – are highly specific to individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, Danish research indicates.

11 Feb 2014