Recognition and Early Intervention on Prodrome in Bipolar Disorders
Bipolar DisorderBackground and study hypothesis: Many studies including prospective studies have been demonstrated that a long symptomatic prodromal phase exists prior to the onset of full-brown bipolar disorder, lasting for 9-12 years (Egeland et al., 2000). During the prodromal stage, there are three main clusters of syndromes, including hypomania/mania symptoms, depressive symptoms, and signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (Correll et al., 2007; Tillman et al., 2003; Mantere et al., 2008). Of the hypomania/mania symptoms, decreased sleep, elevated mood, irritability, mood lability, increased energy, and psychomotor agitation are present most frequently. The prodromal depressive symptoms are reported to be depressed mood, anhedonia, insomnia, feelings of worthlessness. Among patients with bipolar disorders, 22.5% reported to comorbid with pediatric ADHD. In addition, some symptoms are considered as non-specific such as decreased functioning, anger outburst, social isolation, and anxiety (Egeland et al., 2000). Offspring of parents with bipolar disorders are much likely to present prodromal symptoms compared to offspring of healthy parents. In a 10-year longitudinal study using 55 prodromal symptoms checklist, , Egeland et al.(2002) found that 38% offspring of parents with bipolar disorder were considered as at risk compared to 17% in children of healthy parents. In a 15-year follow-up study, Duffy et al.,(2009) found that 32.7% offspring (aged 8-25 years old) of parents with bipolar disorder met the criteria of major mood episode. Objectives: One primary objective of this study is to prospectively identify the prodromal stage of bipolar disorder. Another primary objective is to conduct a randomized, place-controlled trial of aerobic exercise on people who suffering from prodromal symptoms to the extent of significantly impaired function, with attempt at delaying or preventing the onset of a full-blown bipolar disorder. Design of study and the procedures: The study will consist of two phases: one-week screening period and a randomized, placebo-controlled, 3-month trial. During the screening period, offspring of parents with bipolar disorder will undergo systematically clinical evaluations. The offspring will be evaluated with clinical symptoms assessing scales, neuropsychological tests, magnetic resonance imaging. During the 3-month trial period, the offspring who meet the inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to receive treatment of aerobic exercise, placebo, or wait-list group. Psychiatrists are scheduled to assess mood, treatment outcome during the 3-month trial. Subjects and treatment It is expected that 120 offspring of parents with bipolar disorder aged between 10-25 years, meeting the inclusion of prodromal stage, will be included in the study. All of the offspring will undertake the Kiddie Sads Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), and a 70 checklist items of potential prodromal symptoms suggest by us as well as by Dr. Correll et al. (2007). The parents of these offspring are to have a DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)-defined bipolar disorder (bipolar I or II), confirmed by the Chinese version of Structured Clinical interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders patient edition (SCID-I/P) [First et al., 2002]. The offspring are to be recruited through the referrals by their parents who will receive psychiatric services in the Guangzhou psychiatric Hospital. The offspring will be randomly assigned to aerobic exercise and placebo controlled groups. The aerobic exercise would include cycling, jogging,table tennis, and playing badminton for 40 mins at least 3 times a week for 3 months. In each exercise, participants are supposed to exercise to the extent of getting sweaty. In the placebo group, participants will receive general psychoeducation, including delivering knowledge on symptoms, discussion of the suffering mental difficulties, and general coping techniques. Significance: Bipolar disorder is a common, chronic, and recurrent mental disorder. The recognition of prodromal stage of bipolar disorder and the early intervention on it may help delay or prevent the onset of bipolar disorder.
Observation Study of the Clinical Management of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar DisorderThe objective of the ambispective cohort study is to describe clinical management and clinical outcomes related to bipolar disorder in China, and establish the factors associated with different management patterns and clinical outcomes, provide psychiatrists with reliable and up-to-date information on the disease.
Self Focus in Bipolar Disorder: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Study
Bipolar DisorderMajor Depression1 moreThe investigators propose to examine both resting state activity and functional activity during rumination and during self-processing to study the relationship between neural correlates of rumination/self-focus and self-processing in major depression and bipolar disorder.
Enhancing Outcomes, Reducing Costs: Evaluating Peer Support for Mood Disorders
DepressionBipolar Disorders1 moreThe purpose of this study to evaluate peer-led mutual help organizations (MHOs) that target individuals with psychiatric diagnoses such as mood disorders, and provide evidence either supporting the expansion of such groups and the development and testing of clinical procedures, or point toward reevaluation and development of alternative low-cost, community based approaches to promoting recovery among individuals suffering from these disorders.
Complex Dynamic Systems in Mood Disorders
Bipolar DisorderMajor Depressive DisorderComplex Dynamic Systems in Mood Disorders is an observational, exploratory study of the relationship between voice samples, heart rate, respiration, movement, galvanic skin conductance, and sleep architecture with mood states in patients with Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and healthy controls. The overall hypothesis is that nonlinear dynamic analyses will be able to reveal hidden patterns of complexity in each domain of voice, heart rate variability, movement, arousal, and sleep stage data.
Brain Mechanisms of Human Motivation
Major Depressive DisorderBipolar DisorderThis study aims to investigate reward learning across the mood disorder spectrum and to investigate the predictive validity of reward learning for subsequent symptom severity.
Female Experiences and Brain Activity
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderADHD1 moreThe Female Experiences and Brain Activity study will investigate how different groups of people process information in different ways. Using electro-physiological methods it will investigate differences in brain activity between women with ADHD, women with bipolar disorder and those without a psychiatric illness. It will also investigate the relationship between patterns of brain activity, mood and functioning.
Risk Factors for AD-Associated Switch to Mania
Bipolar DisorderThe present study aimed at identifying clinical risk factors for switch into (hypo)mania or mixed states, within 8 weeks after introduction of an antidepressant or after increasing its dosage.
Spot Depression Study
Bipolar DisorderDepressive DisorderThis study aims to identify signs of depression and bipolar disorder by measuring changes of certain molecules (biomarkers) that can be detected in dried blood spots. Our goal is to use these biomarkers to develop a diagnostic test to enable early treatment, which can lead to better patient outcomes.
Adolescent Mental Health: Canadian Psychiatric Risk and Outcome Study
Psychotic DisordersDepressive Disorder2 moreThe primary study aims are to determine the clinical, behavioural and social predictors of SMI development in youth, and to investigate whether neuroimaging can distinguish youth who will develop SMI from those who will not. The study's secondary aims are to examine the proportions of the cohort that make transitions between the different clinical stages of risk, and to determine the proportions that have poor outcomes, defined as ongoing or increased symptoms, secondary substance misuse, poor social or role functioning, i.e., non-participation in education, or employment, and new self-harm. Investigators will study a cohort of 240 youth (aged 14-25, male and female) that includes youth with early mood symptoms or sub-threshold psychotic symptoms (symptomatic group; n=160), youth at risk due to a family history of a SMI (family high risk (FHR); n=40), and healthy controls (HC; n=40). From this cohort, clinical, social and cognitive data, as well as imaging data will be gathered to create a multi-layered "snapshot" of these individuals and provide full-level characterization. Investigators will use the full range of clinical and imaging data generated from this cohort to develop novel prediction algorithms incorporating key variables that predict the development of SMI.