Bipolar disorder

Patients at high genetic risk of bipolar disorder may be able to avert onset of the condition due to natural adaptive neuroplasticity that allows the brain to compensate for underlying network dysfunction associated with the condition, researchers report.

Combining lamotrigine with quetiapine improves the treatment of depressive symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder, with the benefits maintained for at least a year, show findings from the CEQUEL trial.

The atypical antipsychotic cariprazine may be effective for the treatment of bipolar I depression, phase II study findings show.

Stable lithium maintenance therapy does not increase the risk of renal dysfunction in patients with bipolar affective disorder, findings from a population-based study suggest.

Almost half of patients with bipolar disorder will have comorbid anxiety disorder in their lifetime, show the findings of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Patients with bipolar disorder regulate their emotions differently from those with major depressive disorder in both depressed and remitted states, a study shows.

Concomitant manic symptoms and panic attacks are the strongest predictors of an impending switch to mania among patients with bipolar disorder who are currently depressed, shows analysis of the STEP-BD study.

Substance use and the presence of subthreshold affective symptoms may predict future bipolar disorder in young people with precursor conditions such as depression, research suggests.

Emotion regulation deficits associated with bipolar I disorder may not extend to bipolar II disorder, say researchers.

Researchers have identified seven clinical features that could help distinguish patients with bipolar disorder from those with major depressive disorder.

Research indicates that patients with bipolar disorder have a decreased life expectancy, with this being particularly pronounced in younger patients.

Subthreshold manic or hypomanic symptoms frequently precede clinical mood episodes in the children of patients with the condition, a study shows.

The course of bipolar illness is rarely chronic but multiple recurrences are common, suggest findings from a 5-year naturalistic study.

Depressive, anxiety and behavioural disorders may be important preceding clinical features in the onset of bipolar disorder, with the potential for targeted preventive care of at-risk individuals, study findings suggest.

Patients with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder frequently report chronic pain at multiple sites, research shows.

Atypical features are prevalent in all subtypes of bipolar disorder, a Chinese survey published in Neuroscience Bulletin, shows, and are associated with the use of antidepressant medication in patients with mixed stage and remission subtypes.