Overweight and obesity in bipolar disorders

Insulin resistance in bipolar disorder: A systematic review of illness course and clinical correlates

BACKGROUND

Although insulin resistance (IR) and cardiometabolic syndrome are prevalent in patients with bipolar disorder (BD), only a few studies have attempted to precisely assess the degree and clinical impact of IR in BD.

METHODS

A comprehensive search was conducted from multiple research databases through May 2022, following a pre-defined protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42022359259). We extracted neuroimaging, cognition, illness course, and treatment response findings from individuals with BD with evidence of IR compared with euglycemic BD individuals.

RESULTS

Of 1436 identified articles, 10 reports fulfilling inclusion criteria were included (n = 1183). BD patients with IR displayed worse composite verbal memory scores and worse executive function and exhibited smaller hippocampal volumes along with prefrontal neurochemical alterations compared to euglycemic BD patients. Fixed-effect meta-analysis revealed that BD patients with impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) were more likely to develop a chronic and rapid cycling course when compared with euglycemic BD patients (k = 2, OR = 2.96, 95 % CI 1.69-5.17, OR = 2.88, 95 % CI 1.59-5.21, p < 0.001, respectively), with a trend for significantly lower Global Assessment of Functioning scores (k = 5, MD = -4, 95 % CI -8.23-0.23, p = 0.06). BD patients with IGM displayed a higher rate of poor response to mood stabilizers when compared with euglycemic BD patients (k = 2, OR = 6.74, 95 % CI 1.04-43.54, p = 0.04).

LIMITATIONS

Cross-sectional design and small sample sizes of studies included limit the generalizability of results.

CONCLUSION

IR is associated with worse clinical outcomes of BD and inadequate treatment response. Implementing strategies to prevent and treat IR in BD is crucial to improve the prognosis of such a difficult-to-treat population.

Insulin resistance disrupts white matter microstructure and amplitude of functional spontaneous activity in bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) is linked to several structural and functional brain alterations. In addition, BD patients have a three-fold increased risk of developing insulin resistance, which is associated with neural changes and poorer BD outcomes. Therefore, we investigated the effects of insulin and two derived measures (insulin resistance and sensitivity) on white matter (WM) microstructure, resting-state (rs) functional connectivity (FC), and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF).

METHODS

BD patients (n = 92) underwent DTI acquisition, and a subsample (n = 22) underwent rs-fMRI. Blood samples were collected to determine insulin and glucose levels. The Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) were computed. DTI data were analyzed via tract-based spatial statistics and threshold-free cluster enhancement. From rs-fMRI data, both ROI-to-ROI FC matrices and fALFF maps were extracted.

RESULTS

Insulin showed a widespread negative association with fractional anisotropy (FA) and a positive effect on radial diffusivity (RD) and mean diffusivity (MD). HOMA-IR exerted a significant effect on RD in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, whereas QUICKI was positively associated with FA and negatively with RD and MD in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus, left anterior corona radiata, and forceps minor. fALFF was negatively modulated by insulin and HOMA-IR and positively associated with QUICKI in the precuneus. No significant results were found in the ROI-to-ROI analysis.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that WM microstructure and functional alterations might underlie the effect of IR on BD pathophysiology, even if the causal mechanisms need to be further investigated.

Eating disorder features in bipolar disorder: clinical implications

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with elevated rates of eating disorders (EDs), but the nature and impact of specific ED features are unclear.

AIMS

This study sought to identify which ED features are common in BD, and whether these relate to quality of life (QoL) impairment and body mass index (BMI).

METHOD

A clinical sample of 73 adults with BD completed self-report measures of health, ED features, emotion regulation ability, impulsivity, and QoL.

RESULTS

Binge eating (45%), excessive dietary restriction (39%), overvaluation of weight/shape (51%), purging (16%) and driven exercise (27%) were common, and associated with a poorer clinical picture, including poorer QoL and poorer emotion regulation. Furthermore, regular binge eating episodes explained a significant proportion of variance in QoL impairment after controlling for other significant predictors. The best predictors of BMI were number of medical conditions, impulsivity and positive beliefs about binge eating.

CONCLUSIONS

ED features that may not meet criteria for a fully diagnosable ED - particularly overvaluation of weight/shape and binge eating - warrant greater attention, as they may still significantly worsen QoL. Future research should focus on modifying existing psychological interventions to better target ED features among individuals with BD and thereby improve clinical outcomes.

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting glucose, general obesity, and abdominal obesity in patients with bipolar disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

The study herein aimed to assess the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), as well as general and abdominal obesity in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). We also compared the prevalence of T2DM and general obesity in patients with BD with age- and gender-matched healthy controls.

METHODS

A systematic search of Embase, Medline, PubMed, and APA PsycArticles was conducted from inception to June 2021 without language restrictions. Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) modified for case-control studies.

RESULTS

A total of forty-nine studies were included in this analysis. The pooled prevalence of T2DM was 9.6% (95% CI, 7.3-12.2%). Patients with BD had a nearly 1.6 times greater risk of developing T2DM compared to their age- and gender-matched controls (RR=1.57, 95% CI 1.36-1.81, p<0.001). In the present analysis, IFG is defined as a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥ 100 mg/dL (FPG≥100) with a prevalence of 22.4% (95% CI, 16.7-28.7%), or as an FPG equal to or greater than 110 mg/d (FPG≥110) with a prevalence of 14.8% (95% CI, 10.8-19.3%). The prevalence of general obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m²) was 29.0% (95% CI, 22.8-35.6%); the risk of obesity was almost twice the rate reported in patients with BD compared to controls (RR=1.67, 95% CI 1.32-2.12, p<0.001). We also observed that more than half of the BD participants had abdominal obesity (i.e., prevalence of 51.1%; 95% CI, 45.0-57.3%).

LIMITATIONS

A significant degree of heterogeneity was detected. Sources of heterogeneity included differences in study designs, inclusion criteria, measurement tools, and data analysis methods.

CONCLUSION

Bipolar disorder is associated with a higher prevalence of T2DM, IFG, general obesity, and abdominal obesity. Type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity are significantly more prevalent in patients with BD than in their age- and gender-matched controls.

STUDY REGISTRATION

CRD42021258431.

Metabolic function in patients with bipolar depression receiving anti-inflammatory agents: Findings from the MINDCARE study, a multicentre, randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Metabolic dysfunction is prevalent in bipolar disorder (BD) and associated with illness severity and treatment outcomes. There is little research exploring this relationship in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and little is known about the moderating effect of metabolic health on treatment response to anti-inflammatory drugs in BD.

METHODS

MINDCARE, a randomized-controlled-trial conducted in Pakistan, investigated the efficacy of minocycline and celecoxib in 266 adults with bipolar depression. This secondary analysis evaluated the association between depression severity at baseline and treatment outcome with metabolic parameters including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (s-BP), and diastolic blood pressure (d-BP). Depression severity was measured using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17. The exploratory aim was to assess whether treatment impacted change in metabolic variables. Associations were evaluated using linear regression.

RESULTS

Higher BMI (B=-0.38, 95%CI: -0.55 to -0.21) and WC (B=-0.68, 95%CI: -0.97 to -0.39) were associated with lower baseline depression severity in both the unadjusted and the adjusted models. Baseline metabolic parameters were not associated with treatment response to minocycline or celecoxib nor did treatment significantly impact metabolic variables.

LIMITATIONS

Our sample represents patients in an RCT and may not be fully representative of the overall BD population in Pakistan.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate a potential association of poor metabolic health and lower severity of bipolar depression but not treatment outcomes. Future work should evaluate potential relationships of metabolic parameters and BD in diverse populations to increase the transferability of this line of work.

Obesity and overweight among children and adolescents with bipolar disorder from the general population: A review of the scientific literature and a meta-analysis

There is substantial evidence of the high prevalence of obesity (OB) and overweight (OW) and their association with increased medical and psychiatric burden among adults with bipolar disorder (BD). However, little is known regarding its prevalence among young people with BD, other than the risk from psychotropic medication, which has been the focus of research in this population. We present a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature on prevalence and correlates of OB and OW children and adolescents with BD using a different perspective than impact of medication. Four studies met inclusion criteria. The prevalence of OB in children and adolescents with BD was 15% (95% CI 11-20%). We observed a higher prevalence of OB in comparison to the general population. Different studies found significant associations between OB, OW, and BD in young populations including non-Caucasian race, physical abuse, suicide attempts, self-injurious behaviours, psychotropic medication, and psychiatric hospitalizations.

Overweight in mood disorders: Effects on morbidity and treatment response

OBJECTIVE

As it is not clear how body-mass index (BMI) may relate to diagnosis, symptom-severity, illness-course, and treatment-response among psychiatric patients, we related BMI to psychiatric diagnosis and to selected clinical and demographic factors in major affective disorder subjects.

METHODS

We analyzed mean BMI levels vs. diagnosis, and evaluated selected risk factors for association with overweight and obesity among subjects with DSM-5 major affective disorders.

RESULTS

In 1884 subjects, BMI ranged from 23.4 kg/m² with anxiety disorders to 27.6 with psychotic disorders, and averaged 24.1 among 1469 affective disorder subjects. Mood-disorder subjects with BMI ≥ 25 (overweight/obese) were more likely: men, older, married, with more children and siblings, less education, lower socioeconomic status, engaged less in physical exercise, smoked more, and lived in less densely populated areas. They also were more likely to have: BD than MDD, familial mood disorders, no co-occurring ADHD, higher serum triglyceride levels, more time depressed and less improvement in depression ratings with treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Risk of being overweight or obese was greatest with psychoses, least with anxiety, personality, and minor depressive disorders, and intermediate with major mood disorders. Several plausible risk factors for high BMI were identified in mood disorder subjects, including male sex and with BD > MDD. Striking were selectively greater prospective morbidity and decreased treatment-response for depression vs. mania with BMI ≥ 25.

Greater body mass index is associated with reduced frontal cortical volumes among adolescents with bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Higher body mass index (BMI) and obesity is common among youth with bipolar disorder (BD) and is associated with greater psychiatric illness severity, including suicidality. Obesity has been associated with frontal, temporal and subcortical volumetric reductions in adults with BD. We examined the neurostructural correlates of BMI in adolescents early in their course of BD.

METHODS

We processed T1-weighted images of adolescents with BD and psychiatrically healthy controls using FreeSurfer to derive a priori region of interest (ROI) volumes/cortical thickness for the frontal lobe (FL), prefrontal cortex (PFC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) as well as volumes for the amygdala and hippocampus. General linear models assessed the association between BMI and the ROIs, controlling for age, sex and intracranial volume. We also conducted exploratory within-BD group and whole brain vertex-wise analyses.

RESULTS

We included 40 adolescents with BD and 48 controls in our analyses. In addition to a main effect of BMI on the ROIs, there were significant diagnosis × BMI interaction effects on FL volumes. In the BD group only, BMI was negatively associated with FL, OFC and PFC cortical thickness. Whole brain analysis of BMI-volume correlations revealed 2 significant interaction clusters: 1 in the medial OFC and 1 in the caudal anterior cingulate cortex, with BD showing a stronger negative correlation.

LIMITATIONS

Reliance on BMI rather than a more nuanced measure of obesity may have influenced the findings.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that elevated BMI among adolescents with BD is associated with frontal neurostructural differences that are not observed in controls. Prospective studies examining the direction of the observed associations and the effect of BMI optimization on brain structure in adolescents with BD are warranted.

Body mass index associates with white matter microstructure in bipolar depression

OBJECTIVES

Obesity has been reported in over 60% of bipolar disorder (BD) patients. It worsens the severity of illness, and influences cognition and functional outcomes. White matter (WM) abnormalities are one of the most consistently reported findings in neuroimaging studies of BD. We hypothesized that body mass index (BMI) could correlate with WM integrity in bipolar patients.

METHODS

We evaluated BMI in a sample of 164 depressed patients affected by BD. We performed whole-brain tract-based spatial statistics with threshold-free cluster enhancement for the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures of WM integrity: fractional anisotropy; axial, radial, and mean diffusivity.

RESULTS

We observed that BMI was associated with DTI measures of WM integrity in several fiber tracts: anterior corona radiata, anterior thalamic radiation, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and corpus callosum.

CONCLUSIONS

The association of BMI in key WM tracts that are crucial to mood regulation and neurocognitive functioning suggests that BMI might contribute to the pathophysiology of BD through a detrimental action on structural connectivity in critical cortico-limbic networks.

Bipolar Spectrum Disorders in Male Youth: The Interplay between Symptom Severity, Inflammation, Steroid Secretion, and Body Composition

The morbidity and societal burden of youth bipolar spectrum disorders (BSD) are high. These disorders are multisystemic in that adult populations there are clear interactions with inflammatory processes and steroidal physiological systems. There are much less data concerning these areas of study in youth populations with BSD. This is surprising given the association of youth-onset BSD with puberty and its associated physiological changes. In this mini-review, we overview the theoretical role of inflammatory processes and steroidal physiological systems in youth BSD, describe the greater literature in adult populations, detail the literature in youth populations when available, and overview current proposed molecular mechanistic pathways and interaction effects based on the available data. We also attend to the interplay of this complex system with body composition and weight gain, an especially important consideration in relation to the role of second generation antipsychotics as the first line treatment for youth with BSD in major clinical guidelines. A developmental model of early onset BSD for boys is hypothesized with pubertal hormonal changes increasing risk for first (hypo-)manic/depressive episode. The dramatic androgen rise during puberty might be relevant for first onset of BSD in boys. A shift from general hypercortisolism driven by glucocorticoid resistance to hypocortisolism with further disease progression is assumed, while increased levels of inflammation are functionally associated with endocrine dysregulation. The interacting role of overweight body habitus and obesity in youth with BSD further indicates leptin resistance to be a central moderator of the dynamic neurobiology of BSD in youth. The intent of this mini-review is to advance our knowledge of youth BSD as multisystemic disorders with important contributions from endocrinology and immunology based on a developmental perspective. This knowledge can influence current clinical care and more importantly inform future research.

Correlates of Overweight and Obesity Among Adolescents With Bipolar Disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A)

OBJECTIVE

Despite substantial evidence on the prevalence and correlates of overweight and obesity (OW/OB) in adults with bipolar disorder (BD), little is known about this topic in adolescents with BD.

METHOD

The method consisted of the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement, a face-to-face survey of mental disorders from 2001 through 2004, using a modified version of the fully structured World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Participants were adolescents 13 to 17 years of age, with bipolar disorder I or II (n = 295), major depressive disorder (n = 1,112), or controls with neither mood disorder (n = 8,716). Analyses examined for group differences in the prevalence of OW/OB and for correlates of OW/OB in the group with BD.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in weight categories across groups. OW and OB in adolescents with BD were associated with significantly higher lifetime rates of suicide attempt (odds ratio 3.02, 95% CI 1.11-8.24), physical or sexual abuse (2.82, 1.20-6.60), binge eating or bulimia (2.66, 1.13-6.26), and conduct disorder (2.60, 1.10-6.13) in covariate-adjusted analyses. OW and OB also were significantly associated with seeing a professional for depression, being hospitalized overnight for depression, and receiving general medical treatment.

CONCLUSION

The similar prevalence of OW/OB in adolescents with and without BD suggests that this potent association in adults likely comprises a consequence of BD or its correlates. In contrast, the strong association of OW/OB with proxies for depression severity, including suicide attempts and hospitalization, is already evident even in this young, nonclinical sample. Studies are warranted to determine whether early intervention of OW/OB in BD might optimize physical and mental health.

Abdominal obesity is associated with impaired cognitive function in euthymic bipolar individuals

OBJECTIVES

Overweight/obesity has been implicated to play a role in cognitive deficits in bipolar disorder (BD). This study aims to identify the relationship between body fat distribution and different domains of cognition in BD during euthymia.

METHODS

A sample of 100 euthymic individuals with BD was measured with a cognitive test battery (i.e., Trail Making Test-A-B/TM-A/B, d2 Test of Attention, Stroop test, California Verbal Learning Test/CVLT) and an anthropometric measures set (body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip-ratio, waist-to-height-ratio, and lipometry). Patient data were compared with a healthy control group (n = 64).

RESULTS

Results show that overweight patients with BD exhibit lower performance in the TMT-A/B as well as in the free recall performance of the CVLT compared to normal-weight patients with BD and controls. In bipolar individuals, (abdominal) obesity was significantly associated with a poor cognitive performance. In bipolar females, associations with measures of verbal learning and memory were found; in bipolar males, associations with poor performance in the TMT-A/B and in the Stroop interference task were demonstrated. In controls, no associations were found.

CONCLUSIONS

There are several possible pathways moderating the association between obesity and cognition in BD. Anthropometric and lipometry data underline the substantial mediating impact of body fat distribution on cognition in BD.

Factors associated with overweight and obesity in schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar disorders

Evidence suggests abnormal bioenergetic status throughout the body in psychotic disorders. The present study examined predictors of elevated body mass index (BMI) across diagnostic categories of schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar disorders. In a cross-sectional study, we studied demographic and clinical risk factors for overweight and obesity in a well-characterized sample of 262 inpatients and outpatients with schizophrenia (n=59), schizoaffective disorder (n=81) and bipolar I disorder (n=122). Across the three diagnostic categories, the prevalence of overweight (29.4%) and obesity (33.2%) combined was 62.6% (164/262). Logistic regression analyses, adjusted for age, sex and ethnicity, showed that schizoaffective disorder, lifetime major depressive episode, presence of prior suicide attempt, and more than 5 lifetime hospitalizations were significantly associated with BMI≥25. Patients with schizophrenia had significantly lower risk for overweight and obesity. Overall, we found that affective components of illness were associated with elevated BMI in our cross-diagnostic sample. Our results show that patients with schizoaffective disorder have a greater risk for obesity. Identifying predictors of elevated BMI in patients with psychotic and mood disorders will help prevent obesity and related cardiovascular and cerebral complications. Future studies are needed to elucidate the mechanistic nature of the relationship between obesity and psychiatric illness.

Association of peripheral inflammation with body mass index and depressive relapse in bipolar disorder

Bipolar I disorder (BD) is associated with increased inflammation, which is believed to be central to disease etiology and progression. However, BD patients also have high rates of obesity, itself an inflammatory condition, and the relative contributions of mood illness and obesity to inflammation are unknown. Moreover, the impact of inflammation on clinical illness course has not been well studied. The objectives of this analysis were therefore: (1) to determine if inflammation in BD is mood illness-related or secondary to elevated body mass index (BMI), and (2) to investigate the impact of inflammation on prospectively-ascertained relapse into depression and mania. We measured the serum levels of 7 inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, γ-interferon, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1], IL-1α, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-8) and 2 anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) in 52 early-stage BD patients and 22 healthy subjects. In patients, a multivariate multiple regression model that controlled for psychotropic medications found that higher BMI, but not recent (past-6-month) mood episodes, predicted greater inflammatory cytokines (p=.05). Healthy subjects also had a BMI-related increase in inflammatory cytokines (p<.01), but it was counter-balanced by a compensatory increase in anti-inflammatory cytokines (p=.02), reducing their total inflammatory burden from higher BMI. In patients, linear regression showed that two inflammatory cytokines predicted depressive relapse in the 12 months after cytokine measurement: IL-1α (p<.01) and MCP-1 (p<.01). These results suggest that elevated BMI is a significant contributor to inflammation in BD, more so even than recent mood illness severity. They also point to inflammation as an important predictor of illness course, particularly depressive relapse.

Atypical features in depression: Association with obesity and bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVES

Depression with atypical features amounts to a significant proportion of depressed patients. Studies have shown its association with bipolarity and, recently, with obesity. In this study, we investigated atypical features of depression in relation to overweight/obesity in three diagnostic categories: unipolar depression, bipolar depression and dysthymia.

METHODS

Out of 512 depressed patients screened, we recruited 182 research subjects, consisting of 91 pairs, matched by age, gender and diagnosis, in which one member of the pair was within the normal weight range (BMI≤25) and the other was either overweight or obese (BMI>25). There were 35 pairs with unipolar depression, 27 with bipolar depression and 29 with dysthymia. Symptoms of atypical depression, such as increased appetite, hypersomnia, leaden paralysis, longstanding pattern of interpersonal rejection sensitivity, and, a significant weight gain in the past 3 months, were assessed.

RESULTS

All the symptoms of atypical depression were significantly more pronounced in those depressed patients with a BMI>25, compared with depressed subjects with a normal weight. Except for hypersomnia, these symptoms scored significantly higher in women compared to men. Among the diagnostic categories, symptoms of atypical depression were significantly higher in patients with bipolar disorder compared with both major depressive disorder and dysthymia.

LIMITATIONS

The preponderance of women, the assessment of atypical depression by adaptation of the DSM criteria, entirely Polish population, specificity of selection criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

The results demonstrated a higher intensity of atypical depression's symptoms in overweight/obese depressed patients. They also confirm the association between obesity and bipolarity.

Review of the evidence: prevalence of medical conditions in the United States population with serious mental illness

OBJECTIVE

Persons with serious mental illness (SMI) have high rates of premature mortality from preventable medical conditions, but this group is underrepresented in epidemiologic surveys and we lack national estimates of the prevalence of conditions such as obesity and diabetes in this group. We performed a comprehensive review to synthesize estimates of the prevalence of 15 medical conditions among the population with SMI.

METHOD

We reviewed studies published in the peer-reviewed literature from January 2000 to August 2012. Studies were included if they assessed prevalence in a sample of 100 or more United States (US) adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

RESULTS

A total of 57 studies were included in the review. For most medical conditions, the prevalence estimates varied considerably. For example, estimates of obesity prevalence ranged from 26% to 55%. This variation appeared to be due to differences in measurement (e.g., self-report versus clinical measures) and underlying differences in study populations. Few studies assessed prevalence in representative, community samples of persons with SMI.

CONCLUSIONS

In many studies, the prevalence of medical conditions among the population with SMI was higher than among the overall US population. Screening for and monitoring of these conditions should be common practice in clinical settings serving persons with SMI.

Weight cycling in bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

An association between excess weight and/or weight fluctuations and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is amply documented. Individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) are differentially affected by overweight/obesity, chaotic eating patterns (e.g., binge eating), as well as cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Weight cycling (WCYC) is defined as a pattern of repetitive weight loss and gain.

METHODS

We sought to determine the relationship between course of illness and BD and WCYC retrospectively as well whether these co-occurring phenotypes identify a biologically distinct subpopulation on the basis of having a unique inflammatory biomarker/biosignature profile. Sociodemographic, clinical, and inflammatory markers were gathered from a well-characterized cohort of actual euthymic adults with BD (n=101) and a healthy control group (n=48).

RESULTS

Individuals with BD with a history of WCYC were provided evidence of a greater frequency of prior episodes (i.e., both manic and depressed), as well as of significantly higher levels of circulating IL-6 concentrations when compared to non-WCYC individuals with BD. The association persisted after adjusting for relevant covariates (e.g., BMI, age, number of prior episodes).

LIMITATIONS

Include the small control group, differing medication status and that all data relies on personal information. Nevertheless we tried to verify all data as far as clinical disclosure was available.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that adults with BD excessive in weight are not only more susceptible to a relapse-prone course of illness, but also are more likely to present with WCYC. The finding of elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines in this subpopulation may identify a separate subpopulation with greater susceptibility to cardiovascular disease. The overarching aim of personalized treatment and preventive strategies in BD begins with appropriate, empirically supported patient stratification. Our results provide preliminary support for stratifying BD cardiovascular risk on the basis of anthropometrics and WCYC.

Risk factors for suicide in bipolar disorder: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder confers the highest risk of suicide among major psychological disorders. The risk factors associated with bipolar disorder and suicide exist and are relevant to clinicians and researchers.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to conduct a systematic review of articles regarding the suicide risk factors in bipolar disorder.

METHODS

A systematic review of articles on suicide risk factors in bipolar disorder, published from January 1, 2010 to April 05, 2014, on SCOPUS and PUBMED databases was carried out. Search terms were "Suicide" (medical subject headings [MeSH]), "Risk factors" (MeSH), and "Bipolar" (keyword). Of the 220 retrieved studies, 42 met the eligibility criteria.

RESULTS

Bipolar disorder is associated with an increased rate death by suicide which contributes to overall mortality rates. Studies covered a wide range of aspects regarding suicide risk factors in bipolar disorder, such as risk factors associated to Sociodemographic conditions, Biological characteristics, Drugs Relationships, Psychological Factors, Genetic Compound, Religious and Spirituals conditions. Recent scientific literature regarding the suicide risk factors in bipolar disorder converge to, directly or indirectly, highlight the negative impacts of risk factors to the affected population quality of life.

CONCLUSION

This review demonstrated that Bipolar disorders commonly leads to other psychiatric disorders and co-morbidities involving risk of suicide. Thus the risk factors are relevant to have a better diagnosis and prognosis of BD cases involving risk of suicide.

Tryptophan breakdown is increased in euthymic overweight individuals with bipolar disorder: a preliminary report

OBJECTIVES

Individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) are disproportionately affected by symptoms of being overweight and metabolic syndrome when compared to the general population. The pertinence of this observation is underscored by observations that excess weight is associated with a more complex illness presentation, course, and outcome in BD. We present the first preliminary report of our BIPFAT study, which explored shared hypothesized pathophysiological pathways between being overweight and having BD.

METHODS

We investigated the tryptophan-kynurenine metabolism pathway as a proxy of dysregulated inflammatory homeostasis in euthymic, overweight individuals with BD (n = 78) compared to healthy controls (n = 156).

RESULTS

Both blood kynurenine concentrations and the kynurenine to tryptophan ratio [(Kyn:Trp); an estimate of tryptophan breakdown] were significantly higher in the total sample of euthymic patients with BD, with greater increases noted in both parameters in the subsample of overweight patients with BD. When compared to controls, peripheral neopterin concentrations were significantly lower. Within the BD group, there were also significant between-group differences in neopterin concentrations, with higher levels in those who were overweight and in subjects with BD in the later stages of illness compared to earlier stages.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased tryptophan breakdown, as well as neopterin levels in BD, may be an indirect mediator of immune-mediated inflammation. In BD, this may account for the high prevalence of medical comorbidities and increased mortality. The observation of increased kynurenine levels and Kyn:Trp, and altered circulating neopterin levels provides indirect evidence of increased activity of tryptophan-degrading indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in euthymic individuals with BD, underscoring the role of inflammatory mediators as a causative and/or consequent factor. More robust abnormalities in the overweight subsample underscore the additional inflammatory burden of medical comorbidity and suggest a shared pathophysiology as well as a mechanism mediating BD and cardiovascular disease.

Obesity and bipolar disorder: synergistic neurotoxic effects?

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a disabling and chronic neuropsychiatric disorder that is typified by a complex illness presentation, episode recurrence and by its frequent association with psychiatric and medical comorbidities. Over the past decade, obesity has emerged as one of many comorbidities generating substantial concern in the BD population due to important prognostic implications. This comprehensive review details the bidirectional relationship between obesity and BD as evidenced by alterations in the structure and function of the central nervous system, in addition to greater depressive recurrence, cognitive dysfunction and risk of suicidality. Drawing on current research results, this article presents several putative mechanisms underlying the synergistic toxic effects and provides a framework for future treatment options for the obesity-BD comorbidity. There is a need for more large-scale prospective studies to investigate the bidirectional relationships between obesity and BD.

The health benefits and challenges of exercise training in persons living with schizophrenia: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

In addition to the hallmark cognitive and functional impairments mounting evidence indicates that schizophrenia is also associated with an increased risk for the development of secondary complications, in particular cardio-metabolic disease. This is thought to be the result of various factors including physical inactivity and the metabolic side effects of psychotropic medications. Therefore, non-pharmacological approaches to improving brain health, physical health, and overall well-being have been promoted increasingly.

METHODS

We report on the health-related physical fitness (body composition, blood pressure, heart rate, and aerobic fitness) and lipid profile of persons living with schizophrenia and effective means to address the challenges of exercise training in this population.

RESULTS

There was a markedly increased risk for cardio-metabolic disease in 13 persons living with schizophrenia (Age = 31 ± 7 years) including low aerobic fitness (76% ± 34% of predicted), reduced HDL (60% of cohort), elevated resting heart rate (80% of cohort), hypertension (40% of cohort), overweight and obesity (69% of cohort), and abdominal obesity (54% of cohort). Individualized exercise prescription (3 times/week) was well tolerated, with no incidence of adverse exercise-related events. The exercise adherence rate was 81% ± 21% (Range 48%-100%), and 69% of the participants were able to complete the entire exercise training program. Exercise training resulted in clinically important changes in physical activity, aerobic fitness, exercise tolerance, blood pressure, and body composition.

CONCLUSION

Persons living with schizophrenia appear to be at an increased risk for cardio-metabolic disease. An individualized exercise program has shown early promise for the treatment of schizophrenia and the various cognitive, functional, and physiological impairments that ultimately affect health and well-being.

Obesity and the three-year longitudinal course of bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVES

Despite substantial cross-sectional evidence that obesity is associated with an increased medical and psychiatric burden in bipolar disorder (BD), few longitudinal studies have examined this topic.

METHODS

Subjects with BD (n = 1600) who completed both Wave 1 and Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions were included. Analyses examined the association between obesity at Wave 1, and the subsequent course of BD, and of psychiatric and medical comorbidities, between Wave 1 and Wave 2.

RESULTS

BD subjects with obesity (n = 506; 29.43%), compared to BD subjects without obesity (n = 1094; 70.57%) were significantly more likely to have a major depressive episode and to receive counseling for depression during follow-up, more likely to report a lifetime suicide attempt, and less likely to develop new-onset alcohol use disorders. These differences were no longer significant, however, after controlling for baseline demographic variables. No significant differences in new episodes or treatment of mania/hypomania were observed. After controlling for demographic variables, obese subjects remained significantly more likely to report any new-onset medical condition [odds ratio (OR) = 2.32, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.63-3.30], new-onset hypertension (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.16-2.82) and arthritis (OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.07-2.52). Obese subjects were significantly more likely to report physician-diagnosed diabetes (OR = 6.98, 95% CI: 4.27-11.40) and hyperlipidemia (OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.63-3.30) (assessed in Wave 2 only). The incidence of heart attacks was doubled among obese subjects, although this difference was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The association between obesity and increased prospective depressive burden appears to be explained by baseline demographic variables. By contrast, obesity independently predicts the accumulation of medical conditions among adults with BD. Treatment of obesity could potentially mitigate the psychiatric and medical burden of BD.

Elevated immune-inflammatory signaling in mood disorders: a new therapeutic target?

Converging translational evidence has implicated elevated immune-inflammatory signaling activity in the pathoetiology of mood disorders, including major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. This is supported in part by cross-sectional evidence for increased levels of proinflammatory eicosanoids, cytokines and acute-phase proteins during mood episodes, and prospective longitudinal evidence for the emergence of mood symptoms in response to chronic immune-inflammatory activation. In addition, mood-stabilizer and atypical antipsychotic medications downregulate initial components of the immune-inflammatory signaling pathway, and adjunctive treatment with anti-inflammatory agents augment the therapeutic efficacy of antidepressant, mood stabilizer and atypical antipsychotic medications. Potential pathogenic mechanisms linked with elevated immune-inflammatory signaling include perturbations in central serotonin neurotransmission and progressive white matter pathology. Both heritable genetic factors and environmental factors including dietary fatty-acid composition may act in concert to sustain elevated immune-inflammatory signaling. Collectively, these data suggest that elevated immune-inflammatory signaling is a mechanism that is relevant to the pathoetiology of mood disorders, and may therefore represent a new therapeutic target for the development of more effective treatments.

Obesity, psychiatric status, and psychiatric medications

This article has shown that obesity is related to several psychiatric disorders, the most thoroughly researched of which is depression. In both community and clinical populations, the observed relationship is more consistent in women than in men, and is stronger in more severely obese individuals. The presence of BED also is associated with elevated risk of additional psychopathology. Longitudinal research provides evidence to support a pathway from obesity to depression, as well as one from depression to obesity. Weight loss, particularly with nonpharmacologic methods, appears to have favorable group-level effects on mood, but may be associated with adverse outcomes for some individuals. Persons who require antipsychotic medications are at risk for weight gain and metabolic abnormalities, and their management should be informed by consensus guidelines.

Childhood treatment with psychotropic medication and development of comorbid medical conditions in adolescent-onset bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the association between early treatment with psychotropic medications and the development of medical comorbidities in pediatric patients who develop bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

Data from the South Carolina Medicaid program covering all medical services and medication prescriptions between January 1996 and December 2005 were used to determine the association between childhood exposure to psychotropic medications (i.e., psychostimulants, antidepressants, and antipsychotics) and the diagnosis of select comorbid medical conditions in 1841 children and adolescents diagnosed with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV defined BD.

RESULTS

In separate regressions controlling for all psychotropic medications prescribed and all comorbid medical conditions diagnosed prior to the BD, hypertension and cardiovascular disorders were more likely in those prescribed second generation antipsychotics or psychostimulants, whereas obesity/overweight was more likely in those taking serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor/heterocyclic antidepressants, and asthma was more likely in those taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

CONCLUSION

Childhood cardiometabolic events appear to be systematically associated with specific classes of psychotropic medications, but no innate, developmental sequencing of cardiometabolic abnormalities was apparent before early adolescence in patients subsequently diagnosed and treated for BD.

The association of elevated body mass index with reduced brain volumes in first-episode mania

BACKGROUND

Compared with normal-weight patients, obese patients with bipolar I disorder (BD) suffer more manic and depressive episodes and make more suicide attempts. In the general population, obesity is associated with reduced total brain volume (TBV) and gray matter volume (GMV), but the neurobiology of obesity in BD has not been investigated.

METHODS

We used magnetic resonance imaging to examine TBV, GMV, white matter volume (WMV), as well as frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobe volumes, in 55 healthy subjects (17 overweight/obese and 38 normal weight) and 57 patients with BD following their first manic episode (20 overweight/obese and 37 normal weight).

RESULTS

Linear regression analyses demonstrated that when other predictors of brain volume were accounted for, increased body mass index (BMI) in healthy subjects was significantly associated with decreased TBV and GMV. In contrast, increased BMI in patients with BD was significantly associated with decreased WMV and temporal lobe volume, areas of known vulnerability in early BD.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first published report to show a relationship between elevated BMI and reduced brain volumes in BD, or any psychiatric illness. Our results suggest that obesity is associated with unique neurobiological changes in BD. They further imply a possible biological mechanism underlying the association between obesity and a more severe illness course in BD.

Open adjunctive ziprasidone associated with weight loss in obese and overweight bipolar disorder patients

OBJECTIVE

To assess effectiveness and tolerability of open adjunctive ziprasidone for weight loss in obese/overweight patients with bipolar disorders (BD) in diverse mood states, taking weight gain-implicated psychotropic medications.

METHOD

22 obese and three overweight BD patients (20 female; 10 BD-I, 14 BD-II, 1 BD-NOS) with mean ± SD baseline body mass index (BMI) of 31.8 ± 2.5 kg/m2 received ZIP (mean final dose 190 ± 92 mg/day) for mean of 79.2 ± 23.2 days. Weight was assessed at six weekly and three biweekly visits. Subjects entered the study in diverse mood states. At baseline, 21 were taking second-generation antipsychotics, 7 lithium, and 1 valproate, which could be reduced/discontinued at investigators' discretion.

RESULTS

Weight and BMI decreased from baseline to endpoint by 4.5 ± 3.4 kg and 1.6 ± 1.2 kg/m2, respectively, at weekly rates of 0.37 kg and 0.13 kg/m2, respectively (all p < 0.00001). 48% of patients had at least 5% weight loss. Obesity rate decreased from 88% to 35% (p < 0.0001). Waist circumference decreased 1.6 inches (p = 0.0001). Overall, mood did not change. Patients with at least moderate baseline mood symptoms experienced significant mood improvement, despite 72% patients decreasing/discontinuing weight gain-implicated psychotropic medications. Seven patients discontinued ZIP early: 3 for weight loss inefficacy, and 1 each for viral gastroenteritis, loss of consciousness, pneumonia with hypomania, and lost to follow up.

CONCLUSION

Open adjunctive ziprasidone may be effective for weight loss in obese/overweight BD patients taking weight gain-implicated psychotropic medications. These preliminary data should be considered with caution due to the open uncontrolled design, small sample size, and brief duration.

Gender-specific lipid profiles in patients with bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE

High rates of dyslipidemia and insulin resistance (IR) are reported in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). We assessed gender effects upon rates of dyslipidemia/IR in outpatients with BD.

METHODS

Data from 491 outpatients (ages 18-88) seen in the Stanford Bipolar Disorders clinic between 2000 and 2007 were evaluated. Patients were followed longitudinally and received naturalistic treatment. BD patients (n = 234; 61% female; 42% Type I, 47% Type II, 11% NOS) with a mean age of 40.3 ± 14.0 years, mean BMI 26.8 ± 6.4, and 81% Caucasian, who had one of four lipid measures (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, TG) at clinicians' discretion, a psychiatry clinic visit within 2 months of laboratory, and were not medicated for dyslipidemia were included. IR was imputed from TG/HDL ratio.

RESULTS

Women, compared with men, had significantly lower mean triglycerides (105.58 ± 64.12 vs. 137.99 ± 105.14, p = 0.009), higher mean HDL cholesterol (60.17 ± 17.56 vs. 46.07 ± 11.91 mg/dl, p < 0.001), lower mean LDL cholesterol (109.84 ± 33.47 vs. 123.79 ± 35.96 mg/dl, p = 0.004), and lower TG/HDL ratio (1.98 ± 1.73 vs. 3.59 ± 3.14 p < 0.001). Compared to men, women had a significantly lower prevalence of abnormal total cholesterol, LDL, TG, HDL, and TG/HDL ratio. No significant differences were found between men and women with regard to age, BMI, ethnicity, educational attainment, smoking habits, bipolar illness type, illness severity or duration, or weight-liable medication exposure.

DISCUSSION

In outpatients with BD, women had more favorable lipid profiles than men despite similar demographic variables. This sample of primarily Caucasian and educated patients, receiving vigilant clinical monitoring, may represent a relatively healthy psychiatric population demonstrating gender differences similar to those in the general population.

The burden of obesity among adults with bipolar disorder in the United States

OBJECTIVES

Previous studies of clinical samples of adults with bipolar disorder (BD) suggest that there is increased prevalence of obesity and that obesity is associated with greater BD severity. We therefore examined this topic in a representative epidemiologic sample.

METHODS

The 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions was used to determine whether the prevalence of obesity is elevated among subjects with lifetime BD, and whether obesity is associated with greater severity of BD.

RESULTS

The age-, race-, and sex-adjusted prevalence of obesity was significantly greater among subjects with BD versus controls [odds ratio (OR) = 1.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.45-1.89, p < 0.001]. Obesity among subjects with BD was significantly positively associated with greater age, female sex, comorbid anxiety and medical conditions, and depression-related treatment utilization, and significantly negatively associated with past-year substance use disorder (SUD). In multivariable analyses, obesity among adults with BD was positively associated with age, comorbid anxiety disorders, duration of depressive episodes, and history of hospitalization for depression, and negatively associated with past-year SUD.

CONCLUSIONS

The increased prevalence of obesity in BD and its association with illness severity, particularly in relation to depression, cannot be attributed to biases inherent in treatment-seeking samples. Future studies are needed to examine the direction of the observed associations and to develop preventive and treatment strategies seeking to mitigate the burden of obesity in BD.

A brief motivational intervention for preventing medication-associated weight gain among youth with bipolar disorder: treatment development and case report

Bipolar disorder (BP) in youth is an impairing psychiatric disorder associated with high rates of relapse and recurrence. High rates of psychiatric and medical co-morbidities account for additional illness burden in pediatric BP. The elevated risk of overweight and obesity in this population is of particular concern. One of the likely etiologies for weight gain in youth with BP is use of mood-stabilizing medications. Although these medications can be effective for mood stabilization, excessive weight gain is a common side effect. Obesity is associated with a host of medical problems and is also correlated with worse psychiatric outcomes in BP, rendering the prevention of weight gain in this population particularly clinically relevant. In this article, we describe the rationale and development of a brief motivational intervention for preventing weight gain among youth with BP initiating mood-stabilizing pharmacological treatment and then present a case example illustrating the principles of the intervention.

The association of weight gain with mood symptoms and functional outcomes following a first manic episode: prospective 12-month data from the Systematic Treatment Optimization Program for Early Mania (STOP-EM)

OBJECTIVES

Up to 75% of patients with bipolar I disorder (BD-I) are overweight or obese. Obesity is associated with an increased liability for mood episodes in patients with established BD-I, but data from early in the illness are lacking. Obesity in the general population is also consistently associated with functional impairment, but the relationship between weight gain and functional outcomes in BD-I has received little attention.

METHODS

We measured rates of clinically significant weight gain (CSWG), defined as gaining ≥ 7% of baseline weight, over 12 months in 46 patients with BD-I who recently recovered from their first manic episode. We compared patients with and without CSWG for (i) the amount of time spent with mood symptoms, assessed using standard clinical rating scales and National Institute of Mental Health Life Charts, and (ii) functioning at 12 months, measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Independent Functioning (MSIF).

RESULTS

A total of 41% of patients (n = 19) experienced CSWG by 12 months. We did not detect an association between CSWG and the number of days with mood symptoms. Patients with CSWG had significantly poorer 12-month global functioning than those without CSWG [MSIF score = 2.26 (SD = 1.24) versus 1.74 (0.98); p = 0.011]. Functional impairment was independent of recent or current mood symptoms, which were entered as covariates in our analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Weight gain may be an overlooked, but potentially modifiable, cause of functional impairment in BD-I. Clinicians should consider the possibility of weight gain when making the earliest treatment decisions in BD-I.

Weight gain, obesity, and metabolic indices following a first manic episode: prospective 12-month data from the Systematic Treatment Optimization Program for Early Mania (STOP-EM)

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between bipolar disorder (BD) and obesity. However, these reports are limited by retrospective or cross-sectional designs, and the assessment of patients with lengthy illnesses. Prospective data, and data on weight gain early in the course of BD, are lacking.

METHODS

We prospectively measured weight gain and laboratory metabolic indices over 12 months in 47 patients with BD receiving maintenance treatment following their first manic episode, and in 24 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects.

RESULTS

Although approximately two-thirds of patients had experienced previous depressive or hypomanic episodes, there was no difference between patients and healthy subjects in mean body mass index or rates of overweight or obesity at recovery from the first mania. Mean weight gain over 12 months was 4.76kg in patients and 1.50kg in healthy subjects (p=0.047). Combined rates of overweight and obesity at 6 months and 12 months exceeded 50% in patients, and were almost double those of healthy subjects. Logistic regression demonstrated that weight gain in the first 6 months was significantly associated with male gender and prescription of olanzapine or risperidone. Patients who were obese at 6 months and/or 12 months had significantly greater mean serum triglyceride levels and fasting glucose levels than non-obese patients.

LIMITATIONS

This was a naturalistic study.

CONCLUSIONS

Even in patients with previous depressions and hypomanias, clinically significant weight gain in BD begins following the first manic episode, suggesting that it is primarily related to treatment with mood stabilizers and second-generation antipsychotics. However, the very small number of patients in our sample who were medication-free precludes a meaningful analysis of the degree to which weight gain might be an inherent feature of post-manic BD.

Obesity is associated with previous suicide attempts in bipolar disorder

Gomes FA, Kauer-Sant'Anna M, Magalhães PV, Jacka FN, Dodd S, Gama CS, Cunha Â, Berk M, Kapczinski F. Obesity is associated with previous suicide attempts in bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVE

There is a paucity of data about risk factors for suicide attempts in bipolar disorder. The aim of this study is to examine the association between suicide attempts and obesity in people with bipolar disorder.

METHODS

Two hundred fifty-five DSM-IV out-patients with bipolar disorder were consecutively recruited from the Bipolar Disorder Program at Hospital das Clínicas de Porto Alegre and the University Hospital at the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Brazil. Diagnosis and clinical variables were assessed with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-axis I (SCID I) and Program structured protocol. History of suicide attempts was obtained from multiple information sources including patients, relatives and review of medical records. Patients with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 were classified as obese.

RESULTS

Over 30% of the sample was obese and over 50% had a history of suicide attempt. In the multivariate model, obese patients were nearly twice (OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.06-3.69, p = 0.03) as likely to have a history of suicide attempt(s).

CONCLUSION

Our results emphasise the relevance of obesity as an associated factor of suicide attempts in bipolar disorder. Obesity may be seen as correlate of severity and as such, must be considered in the comprehensive management of bipolar patients.

Effectiveness of lamotrigine in bipolar disorder in a clinical setting

OBJECTIVE

To assess lamotrigine effectiveness in bipolar disorder (BD) patients in a clinical setting.

METHOD

Open lamotrigine was naturalistically administered to outpatients at the Stanford University BD Clinic assessed with the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for BD (STEP-BD) Affective Disorders Evaluation, and monitored longitudinally with the STEP-BD Clinical Monitoring Form.

RESULTS

One hundred and ninety-seven patients (64 BD I, 110 BD II, 21 BD NOS, 2 Schizoaffective Bipolar Type, mean+/-SD age 42.2+/-14.4 years, 62% female) had 200 trials of lamotrigine. Lamotrigine was combined with a mean of 2.1+/-1.5 other psychotropic medications, most often during euthymia or depressive symptoms. Mean lamotrigine duration was 434+/-444 days, and mean final dose was 236+/-132mg/day without valproate, and 169+/-137mg/day with valproate. Lamotrigine was discontinued in only 26.5% of trials at 255+/-242 days, most often due to inefficacy, and seldom due to adverse effects. In 31.5% of trials lamotrigine was continued 264+/-375 days with no subsequent psychotropic added. In 42.0% of trials lamotrigine was continued 674+/-479 days, but had subsequent psychotropic added at 146+/-150 days, most often for anxiety/insomnia and depressive symptoms. In 145 trials started at Stanford, lamotrigine primarily yielded relief of depressive symptoms or maintained euthymia. In 55 trials in which lamotrigine was started prior to Stanford, lamotrigine primarily maintained euthymia. Lamotrigine was generally well tolerated, with no serious rash, and only 3.5% discontinuing due to benign rash.

CONCLUSION

In a cohort of bipolar disorder outpatients commonly with comorbid conditions, and most often receiving complex combination therapy, lamotrigine had a low (26.5%, with an overall mean duration of treatment of 434 days) discontinuation rate, suggesting effectiveness in BD in a clinical setting.

Medical and substance-related comorbidity in bipolar disorder: translational research and treatment opportunities

It is well established that individuals with bipolar disorder are differentially affected by substance-related as well as medical disorders (ie, cardiometabolic disorders, respiratory disorders, neurological disorders, and infectious diseases). Emerging evidence indicates that some comorbid conditions (eg, diabetes mellitus) in bipolar individuals may be subserved by overlapping neurobiological networks. Disturbances in glucocorticoid/insulin signaling and immunoinflammatory effector systems are points of pathophysiological commonality between bipolar disorder and “stress-sensitive” medical disorders. Subphenotyping bipolar disorder as a function of comorbidity and temporality of onset may provide an opportunity for refining disease pathophysiological models and developing innovative disease-modifying therapies.

Prevalence and correlates of overweight in drug-naïve patients with bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Patients with bipolar disorder may be at greater risk for overweight and obesity than individuals in the general population. This risk may be due to the illness itself, to mediating factors (diet, life style) and/or to medications used to treat the disorder. This investigation explores the association between body weight and bipolar illness in drug-naïve patients.

METHODS

Weight and height were retrospectively obtained from 76 clinical charts of drug-naïve patients with bipolar disorder (DSM-IV-TR). A reference group for comparison was then selected from another psychiatric population (65 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder) and investigated with the same methodology to estimate their BMI. A second focus was to examine the differences in baseline demographic and clinical characteristics between overweight and non-overweight bipolar patients.

RESULTS

A total of 40.8% of the patients with bipolar disorder met criteria for obesity or overweight with significant difference in comparison with obsessive-compulsive patients (10.8%). The highest proportions of depression at index episode were in the overweight group (83.3%) with significant difference with the non-overweight patients (58.1%).

LIMITATIONS

Retrospective study. Weight measurement not in euthymic period.

CONCLUSIONS

Overweight is significantly more prevalent in drug-naïve patients with bipolar disorder than in another drug-naïve psychiatric patients (OCD). In agreement with previous studies, the number of patients experiencing a depressive episode was significantly higher in the overweight than in the non-overweight group. These results suggest that the prevalence of overweight in bipolar patients is also influenced by the illness itself or mediating factors such as diet and life style than by pharmacologic treatment.

Stress and sex influences on food-seeking behaviors

OBJECTIVE

Stress increases the drive to consume calorically dense preferred foods suggesting an exogenous factor that may induce caloric overconsumption and weight gain. As females show heightened stress sensitivity and present with increased rates of obesity, we hypothesized that stress-induced increases in the motivation for preferred foods may be a sex-specific predisposing factor for weight gain.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

To investigate this hypothesis, we have developed a buried food paradigm that permits the measurement of sex differences and effects of chronic variable stress (CVS) on the latency to uncover and the consumption of a preferred food pellet without the requisite caloric restriction required in traditional operant conditioning tasks.

RESULTS

In our studies, females consistently showed latencies that were twice as fast as males to locate the buried pellet in limited access tests. Interestingly, during stress exposure, male latencies decreased to that of control female levels. Male and female mice showed a significant effect of stress, three- and fourfold, respectively, on increased consumption of the preferred food during testing.

DISCUSSION

These results support a basal sex difference in behaviors toward a preferred food, and a possible role of stress sensitivity in the drive and intake of such foods. Sex differences in the role stress plays in these behaviors may provide insight into underlying mechanisms related to an increased obesity risk.

Gender, Excessive Body Weight, and Psychological Well-Being in Adulthood

We examined gender differences in the association between body mass index (BMI) and psychological well-being. Regression analysis involving 3,251 adults indicated that gender moderated the BMI–psychological well-being link. In follow-up analyses, higher BMI predicted lower psychological well-being only among women. When participants were categorized into 5 BMI groups, women reported lower psychological well-being than men in the overweight and obese I groups, but no gender differences were observed in the more seriously obese or normal-weight groups. Also, among women, all 4 groups with higher-than-normal BMI had lower psychological well-being than normal-weight women; for men, no significant differences were found across the 5 groups. These findings are discussed in relation to research on stigma theory and gender-differentiated cultural norms regarding weight.

Adjunctive zonisamide for weight loss in euthymic bipolar disorder patients: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effectiveness and tolerability of open adjunctive zonisamide in treatment of obesity in euthymic bipolar disorder (BD) patients.

METHOD

Zonisamide was administered to recovered, overweight BD outpatients assessed with the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorders (STEP-BD) Affective Disorders Evaluation and followed with the STEP-BD Clinical Monitoring Form. Weight changes (Body Mass Index (BMI) and BMI percentage changes) were assessed prospectively at four weekly visits, one bi-weekly visit, and then five monthly visits, for a maximal duration of six months. Weight loss was assessed with random effects modeling to maximize all available data for analysis.

RESULTS

Twenty-five BD (10 BD-type I, 15 BD-type II) patients (mean age 41.0+/-10.4 years, 64% female, 96% Caucasian) on a mean of 2.8+/-1.5 prescription psychotropic and 1.3+/-1.4 prescription non-psychotropic medications received zonisamide for a mean duration of 14.2+/-8.5 weeks, with a mean final dose of 375+/-206 (range 75-800) mg/day. Slope of weight loss was 0.078 BMI points per week, and non-zero (p<0.0005). Mean weight loss was 1.2+/-1.9 BMI points (baseline BMI 34.2+/-3.1 to final BMI 33.0+/-3.5, p<0.003). Eighteen patients (72%) discontinued study participation early, 11/25 (44%) due to emergent mood symptoms (eight depression, two mania, one subsyndromal mixed symptoms) requiring treatment intervention, 5/25 (20%) due to adverse physical events, and 2/25 (8%) due to patient choice, but none due to weight loss inefficacy.

CONCLUSION

Adjunctive zonisamide appeared effective and generally physically tolerated, but had high rates of mood adverse events, in obese BD patients. Controlled trials are warranted to systematically explore these preliminary naturalistic observations.

Medical comorbidity in bipolar disorder: re-prioritizing unmet needs

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of this review is to synthesize results from extant investigations which report on the co-occurrence of bipolar disorder and medical comorbidity.

RECENT FINDINGS

We conducted a MEDLINE search of all English-language articles published between January 2004 and November 2006. Most studies report on medical comorbidity in bipolar samples; relatively fewer studies report the reciprocal association. Individuals with bipolar disorder are differentially affected by several 'stress-sensitive' medical disorders notably circulatory disorders, obesity and diabetes mellitus. Neurological disorders (e.g. migraine), respiratory disorders and infectious diseases are also prevalent. Although relatively few studies have scrutinized the co-occurrence of bipolar disorder in medical settings, individuals with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, migraine and circulatory disorders may have a higher prevalence of bipolar disorder. A clustering of traditional and emerging (e.g. immuno-inflammatory activation) risk factors presage somatic health issues in the bipolar disorder population. Iatrogenic factors and insufficient access to primary, preventive and integrated healthcare systems are also contributory.

SUMMARY

Somatic health issues in individuals with bipolar disorder are ubiquitous, under-recognized and suboptimally treated. Facile screening for risk factors and laboratory abnormalities along with behavioral modification for reducing medical comorbidity are warranted.