Bipolar Disorder News and Research

Latest Bipolar Disorder News and Research

Lilly knocked back by FDA on Zyprexa for schizophrenia treatment

Eli Lilly and Company has received a not approvable letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Zyprexa long-acting injection (olanzapine LAI) for the treatment and maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in adults, the company announced.

28 Feb 2008

People with manic depression have a distinct chemical signature in their brains

People with manic depression have a distinct chemical signature in their brains, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, may also indicate how the mood stabilisers used to treat the disorder counteract the changes in the brain that it appears to cause.

5 Feb 2008

Antiepileptic drug warning from FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued new information to health care professionals to alert them about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (suicidality) in patients who take drugs called antiepileptics to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder, migraine headaches, and other conditions.

5 Feb 2008

Study suggests Risperidone long-acting injection combined with standard treatment helped delay time to relapse in patients with bipolar disorder

Patients with frequently relapsing bipolar disorder had a significant delay in the time to an initial relapse when risperidone long-acting injection (RLAI) was combined with standard treatment, according to a new study. The study compared patients who received RLAI and standard treatment to those who received standard treatment combined with placebo.

4 Feb 2008

Lithium slows ALS progression

Daily doses of lithium, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder, have been found to delay progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in an Italian study of 44 people with the disease.

4 Feb 2008

New Zealand warns of risk from anti-epileptic drugs

New Zealand's Ministry of Health drug regulation arm Medsafe is alerting health care professionals about a small increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours in patients taking anti-epileptic medicines.

31 Jan 2008

Psychological interventions are efective in mood swings

Jan Scott (Newcastle, UK) and Francesc Colom (Barcelona) have published a review of psychological interventions for bipolar disorder in the Jan 2008 issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.

17 Jan 2008

Study finds most psychiatric patients have more than one diagnosis

A new study by Rhode Island Hospital researchers reports that the majority of 2,300 psychiatry outpatients had more than one disorder when seeking treatment, and more than one-third had at least three disorders.

15 Jan 2008

Bright light therapy helps some with bipolar depression

Bright light therapy can ease bipolar depression in some patients, according to a study published in the journal Bipolar Disorders.

4 Jan 2008

AstraZeneca submits sNDAs for SEROQUEL XR for bipolar symptoms

AstraZeneca has announced that the company has submitted two separate supplemental New Drug Applications (sNDAs) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for once-daily SEROQUEL XR (quetiapine fumarate) Extended-Release Tablets to seek approval for the treatment of manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder and the treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder.

3 Jan 2008

Psychosocial treatments reduce tics and Tourette syndrome

At a time when doctors reach for drugs as a first line of treatment for psychological disorders ranging from attention hyperactivity/deficit disorder (ADHD) to bipolar disorder, a review of the reported research indicates that behavioral programs and procedures can effectively reduce the symptoms of tic disorders.

17 Dec 2007

Carbamazepine based drugs to include new advice for patients with Asian ancestry

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that the manufacturers of drugs containing the active ingredient carbamazepine have agreed to add to the drugs' labeling a recommendation that, before starting therapy with the drugs, patients with Asian ancestry get a genetic blood test that can identify a significantly increased risk of developing a rare, but serious, skin reaction.

13 Dec 2007

New studies on brain and behavior from the world's leading scientists

The 2007 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Annual Meeting will feature hundreds of new studies on brain and behavior from the world's leading scientists.

10 Dec 2007

Brain differences found in adolescents with mental illness

Puberty may have an impact on areas of the brain that contribute to bipolar disorder or schizophrenia in youth, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP).

10 Dec 2007

Stable sleep patterns and regular routines may improve outcomes in bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder, commonly known as manic-depressive disorder, is highly influenced by the circadian system - the body's internal clock - and a specific kind of psychotherapy may help decrease irregularities in the circadian system that can trigger key symptoms of bipolar disorder, according to a study presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annual meeting.

10 Dec 2007