Active clinical trials for "Bipolar Disorder"

People with serious mental illness often report difficulties with thinking skills like memory. These difficulties can make it harder to perform day-to-day activities. The purpose of this study is to test whether combining a type of non-invasive brain stimulation with computerized cognitive exercises is acceptable to participants, and whether it is helpful in improving a specific type of memory skill in people who have mental health conditions and memory deficits. This study is designed so that all participants will get both treatments: the non-invasive brain stimulation and computerized cognitive exercises. Half of the participants will start with both the brain stimulation and the cognitive exercises (dual therapy), and half will start with just the computerized exercises (monotherapy). After three weeks, participants will switch to the other condition: the people who did both treatments first will switch to just the cognitive exercises alone, and the people who started with the cognitive exercises alone will then switch to doing both the brain stimulation and cognitive exercises. Overall, participants will be in the study for about 7-8 weeks. The brain stimulation treatment involves 10 visits to the clinic over 3 weeks. The computerized cognitive exercises can be done at home, and involve 10 hours of exercises over 3 weeks. Participants will also complete paper-and-pencil assessments at the beginning, middle, and end of treatment.

This pilot study evaluated whether participating in an African drumming activity for 45 minutes immediately improved mental well-being among 13 adults diagnosed with acute mood disorders who were attending a private mental health clinic. The drumming intervention was completed by occupational therapists.

Washington University Early Recognition Center is conducting a research study to examine brain functional connectivity and network patterns in participants with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

The goal of this project is to complete the development of a patient-centered software system and mobile app to assist in managing bipolar disorder. In Phase I, the investigators developed a novel computational tool known as KIOS. Based on concepts from nonlinear systems (chaos) theory, KIOS tracks multiple interacting symptoms to determine the precise state of a BD patient. Once the patient's state is identified and the trajectory of the patient is established, KIOS produces advice specific to the patient's condition to help manage the course of the disease. To demonstrate the usability of the software, KIOS was converted to an online tool with mobile access. Twenty bipolar patients evaluated KIOS in a twelve week field trial. No technical problems with the software were observed and results showed that patients had significantly more reductions in symptom severity than increases. The development of this innovative tool to help patients self- manage BD has the potential to have a profound impact on public health and achieve significant commercial success.

The UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience in Los Angeles, CA, is conducting a study looking at similarities and differences in how the brain works between bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Very little is known about the impact of pregnancy and the postpartum period on BPD. As a result, the investigators have little evidence on which to base treatment guidelines. The main goal of this study is to help fill this gap by finding the risk factors for BPD relapse during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The risk factors that the investigators will study include: the severity of illness in the past the type and severity of both recent and past stressors any treatments received during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Other goals of the study are: to see what effect, if any, illness or any medicines taken during pregnancy have on the baby's well-being at delivery to see how pregnancy alters the way the body clears any medicines taken for BPD to see how much of these medicines babies are exposed to during pregnancy or breast-feeding. The investigators believe that the information gathered in this study will lead to new treatment guidelines for BPD during pregnancy and the postpartum period that will improve outcomes for pregnant women with BPD and their babies.

People who have experienced mental illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder often have a poor understanding of the causes of their illness, and that they are often very worried about how the illness affects their families. In particular, affected individuals worry that there is a high chance that any children that they have will become affected with the same illness. Often, because of this fear, affected individuals choose not to have children. Genetic counseling is a process where information about the causes of illnesses, and about chances for family members of individuals with these illnesses to become similarly affected is provided in a supportive environment by a specially trained healthcare professional. This study will investigate whether genetic counseling can reduce perceptions of risk and stigma, and increase perceived control and knowledge about the causes of the illness, amongst individuals who have a major mental illness.

Women with a close relative who has experienced mental illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder often have a poor understanding of the causes of the illness, and are often very worried about the chance that any children that they have will become affected with the same illness. Often, because of this fear, these healthy women choose not to have children. Genetic counseling is a process where information about the causes of illnesses, and about chances for family members of individuals with these illnesses to become similarly affected is provided in a supportive environment by a specially trained healthcare professional. This study will investigate whether genetic counseling can reduce perceptions of risk and stigma, and increase perceived control and knowledge about the causes of the illness, amongst women who have a first degree relative with a major mental illness.

The major goal of this project is to adapt an existing group-based psychosocial program to enhance community functioning in older people with serious mental illness (SMI). The focus of the adaptation is designing and evaluating an individually based rehabilitative program for older people with SMI who either cannot or choose not to access a group program.

Assessment of ziprasidone safety and efficacy in the treatment of bipolar and schizoaffective disorders.