Probiotics for Bipolar Disorder

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Research Update

Review of: Dickerson F et al, Bipolar Disord 2018. doi:10.1111/bdi.12652 [Epub ahead of print] Type of study: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial Probiotics, the so-called “good” bacteria in the gut flora, have become popular as a natural treatment for various disorders. They are taken as capsules or through food sources like yogu

Treatment-Resistant Depression: Some Introductory Tips

Topics: Antidepressants | Bipolar Disorder | Depressive Disorder | Registered Articles

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) has a fairly low barrier of entry. Failure of 2 full antidepressant trials—lasting 6 weeks at a minimally effective dose—is enough to qualify. In this month’s issue of TCPR, we’ll highlight pharmacologic advances that are underutilized and debunk a few that are unlikely to be effective for TRD. But first, we

Celecoxib as Adjunctive Treatment in Acute Mania

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Child Psychiatry | OCD | Research Update

Review of: Mousavi et al, J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2017; 27(6):494–500 Emotional stress can trigger an inflammatory cascade response and increase blood levels of proinflammatory cytokines—including IL-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α). These same inflammatory markers intensify in acute episodes of depression and mania. So, would

Note From the Editor-in-Chief

Topics: Bipolar Disorder

When I was training in the 1990s, diagnosing bipolar disorder seemed straightforward. These patients often came to our attention because of a flagrant manic episode. You may still remember the first time you treated a manic patient—I certainly do. He was a man in his 20s with flowing red hair and a messianic beard, who was admitted after police found

The Bipolar Spectrum: Practical Tips for Diagnosis and Treatment

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Free Articles

Bipolar disorder has long been controversial in the field. Is it overdiagnosed or underdiagnosed? Does a “bipolar spectrum” truly exist, or is it a marketing tool for pharmaceutical companies that want you to prescribe more atypical antipsychotics? At a minimum, the bipolar spectrum includes those patients who meet criteria for both bipolar I and

Understanding the Bipolar Spectrum: Tips on Diagnosis

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Practice Tools and Tips

TCPR: Dr. Aiken, before we get into some of the controversies about the bipolar spectrum, can you give us a brief history of bipolar disorder? Dr. Aiken: Certainly. The modern conception of bipolar disorder dates to the early 20th century, mainly to German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin, who was a very astute observer. Kraepelin noticed that some patien

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: A Primer

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Child Psychiatry

Nine-year-old Johnny has had chronic grouchiness and severe temper outbursts since early childhood. At age 4, Johnny was asked to leave preschool because of his behavior and was diagnosed with ADHD. Stimulant treatment diminished the ADHD symptoms a lot and the irritability a bit. Johnny continued to have both chronic grouchiness and outbursts when frus

Treating Disruptive Behavior Disorders in Children

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Child Psychiatry

Evolution of Childhood Bipolar Disorder in the United States

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Child Psychiatry

Antipsychotic Polypharmacy: Helpful or Harmful?

Topics: Antipsychotics | Bipolar Disorder

Prescribing two antipsychotics to a single patient is a common practice in clinical settings. One study estimated that up to 50% of psychiatric inpatients are receiving antipsychotic polypharmacy (Faries D et al, BMC Psychiatry;5:26). Increasingly, we are being scolded for this practice. A variety of guidelines discourage polypharmacy, and recent studie

Managing Bipolar Disorder: Practical Tips

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Practice Tools and Tips

Saphris Approved for Pediatric Bipolar Disorder—What Do the Data Show?

Topics: Antipsychotics | Bipolar Disorder | Child Psychiatry | News of Note

Symbyax Helps Kids with Bipolar Depression—But Has Downsides

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Child Psychiatry | Research Updates

Internet Gaming Disorder: A New Addiction

Topics: Bipolar Disorder

Pharmacologic Treatment of Bipolar Depression

Topics: Bipolar Disorder

In bipolar disorder, depression is often the neglected stepchild. Mania gets more attention, perhaps because it presents so dramatically. Imagine two bipolar patients in an emergency room: one withdrawn and depressed, sitting quietly, and another ranting and pacing the room. Which one would be seen first? This discrepancy is also seen in the FDA-a

Diagnosis and Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

Topics: Bipolar Disorder

TCPR: Dr. Baldassano, it’s great for generalist psychiatrists to talk to an expert in bipolar disorder because, let’s face it, it can be a tough and confusing diagnosis, and deciding on treatment isn’t always easy either. How much of your time is spent treating patients with bipolar disorder? Dr. Baldassano: Quite a bit of it. At UPenn, I’m

Mood Stabilizer plus Antidepressant May Protect Against Mania

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Mood Stabilizers | Research Updates

Maternal Flu and Risk of Bipolar Disorder

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Research Updates

Stem-Cell Research Reveals Differences in Bipolar Disorder Neurons

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | News of Note

Early Intervention for Youth at Risk for Bipolar Disorder

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Research Updates