Current landscape, unmet needs, and future directions for treatment of bipolar depression

Clinical outcomes in the biomarkers of ketamine (Bio-K) study of open-label IV ketamine for refractory depression

OBJECTIVE

We conducted an open-label clinical trial ("Bio-K") using IV ketamine for treatment-resistant depression to identify biomarkers linked to remission. Here, we report the clinical efficacy and side effect outcomes of Bio-K.

METHODS

Across 4 US sites, 75 patients ages 18-65 with treatment-refractory unipolar or bipolar depression received 3 IV ketamine infusions over an 11-day period. Key exclusion criteria were psychotic symptoms, significant substance abuse, unstable medical conditions, and any use of cannabis. Pre-existing antidepressant medication was maintained. Primary outcome was remission as measured by Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), with secondary outcome of 50 % reduction in Beck Suicide Scale score. Safety monitoring and varying durations of infusions were also key parameters.

RESULTS

Using remission as MADRS score <10, after 3 infusions 52 % achieved remission, with 67 % achieving response. Of those achieving response after a single infusion, 66 % (22 of 33) reached remission after 3 infusions, while 40 % (16 of 40) non-responders after the first infusion went on to achieve remission after 3 infusions. Only 20 % of non-responders after 2 infusions achieved remission. Most (81 %) participants had significant suicidal ideation at baseline; of these, two-thirds (67 %) experienced at least a 50 % reduction in suicidality. Side effects were minimal. Uniquely, we had three different types of infusion categories, with individuals receiving: (1) slow (100-min) infusions only or (2) regular (40-min) infusions only or (3) a mix of infusion durations. These three infusion groups showed comparable safety and efficacy. Exploration of clinical factors revealed no link between BMI, age, or gender to remission.

CONCLUSIONS

The consistency of outcomes across 4 clinical sites and across multiple instruments, suggests high acute efficacy and safety of IV ketamine for serious depressive episodes. Duration of infusion did not alter outcomes. Meaningfully, 40 % of non-responders after a single infusion did reach remission subsequently, while only 20 % of non-responders after 2 infusions achieved remission, suggesting early response is suggestive for eventual remission. Our data on varying ketamine infusion duration adds novel insights into the clinical administration of this new treatment for refractory and severe patients. Our limitations included a lack of a control group, necessitating caution about conclusions of efficacy, balanced by the utility of reporting "real-world" outcomes across multiple clinical sites. We could also not separately analyze results for bipolar disorder due to small numbers. Together, the Bio-K clinical results are promising and provide significant sample sizes for forthcoming biological markers analyses.

Risks and benefits of psilocybin use in people with bipolar disorder: An international web-based survey on experiences of 'magic mushroom' consumption

BACKGROUND

Psilocybin, the primary psychoactive component of psychedelic 'magic mushrooms', may have potential for treating depressive symptoms, and consequent applications for bipolar disorder (BD). Knowledge of the risks and benefits of psilocybin in BD is limited to case studies.

AIM

To support the design of clinical trials, we surveyed experiences of psilocybin use in people with BD.

METHODS

An international web-based survey was used to explore experiences of psilocybin use in people with a self-reported diagnosis of BD. Quantitative findings were summarised using descriptive statistics. Qualitative content analysis was used to investigate free-text responses, with a focus on positive experiences of psilocybin use.

RESULTS

A total of 541 people completed the survey (46.4% female, mean 34.1 years old). One-third (32.2%; n = 174) of respondents described new/increasing symptoms after psilocybin trips, prominently manic symptoms, difficulties sleeping and anxiety. No differences in rates of adverse events overall were observed between individuals with BD I compared to BD II. Use of emergency medical services was rare (n = 18; 3.3%), and respondents (even those who experienced adverse effects) indicated that psilocybin use was more helpful than harmful. Quantitative findings elaborated on perceived benefits, as well as the potential for psilocybin trips to contain both positively and negatively received elements.

CONCLUSIONS

The subjective benefits of psilocybin use for mental health symptoms reported by survey participants encourage further investigation of psilocybin-based treatments for BD. Clinical trials should incorporate careful monitoring of symptoms, as data suggest that BD symptoms may emerge or intensify following psilocybin use.

Dynamic insulin-stimulated mTOR/GSK3 signaling in peripheral immune cells: Preliminary evidence for an association with lithium response in bipolar disorder

INTRODUCTION

A key mechanism of lithium is the inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) and activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), two contributors to insulin signaling. We explored the relationship between these markers and clinical response to lithium in bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

Thirty-four subjects with BD who had been taking lithium for ≥2 years and had a maintenance lithium Alda score defined as either high (≥7; n = 20) or low (≤2; n = 14) were included in the study. Baseline protein expression of GSK3β and mTOR (total and phosphorylated (p)) was obtained from a buffy coat. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a subset of each group (n = 11) were stimulated with insulin (10 µg) and change in protein expression was determined using Western blot.

RESULTS

In buffy coat samples, significantly higher levels of pmTOR were present in subjects with an Alda score ≤2 (lithium non-responsive), relative to those with scores ≥7 (lithium-responsive). No differences were observed for pGSK3β. In contrast, functional PBMC responses to 5 min of insulin stimulation demonstrated robust increases in pGSK3β (87.05 ± 43.41%) and pmTOR (105.7 ± 66.48%) in the lithium responsive group only. This contrasted observed decreases in pGSK3β (34.08 ± 16.12%) and pmTOR (37.84 ± 14.39%) 5 mins post-insulin in non-responders.

CONCLUSIONS

Dynamic increases in pmTOR and pGSK3β post-insulin stimulation may reflect an immunometabolic state that facilitates lithium response. Further prospective analyses are needed to replicate and extend these preliminary findings and further investigate the role of insulin signaling in lithium response in BD.

Meta-analysis of sleep deprivation in the acute treatment of bipolar depression

BACKGROUND

Sleep deprivation (SD) is an antidepressant intervention with multiple administration formats that has been investigated primarily with uncontrolled clinical trials and qualitative reviews of the literature. The validity and applicability of these findings to the treatment of bipolar depression (BPD) is uncertain.

METHODS

A PRISMA-based systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis were conducted to determine the efficacy of SD in the treatment of BPD and to identify moderator variables that influence response rate.

RESULTS

From a sample of 15 studies covering 384 patients, the overall, mean response rate to SD was 47.6% (CI 36.0%, 59.5%). This response rate compared post-SD to pre-SD depression scores, and not to a placebo control condition. Of several potential moderating variables examined, the use of adjunctive pharmacotherapy achieved statistical significance with response rates of 59.4% [CI 48.5, 69.5] for patients using adjunctive medication vs 27.4% [CI 17.8, 39.8] for patients not using adjunctive medication.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis of SD in the treatment of BPD found an overall, response rate of almost 50%, reinforcing earlier estimates of efficacy. The use of adjunctive pharmacotherapy had a statistically significant moderating effect on SD response suggesting that clinical practice should routinely pair these interventions. These findings provide a higher level of evidence supporting the use of SD, especially when used with medication, and should inform future management guidelines for the treatment of BPD.

Advances in the psychopharmacotherapy of bipolar disorder type I

INTRODUCTION

Research into the pharmacologic management of bipolar type I illness continues to progress.

AREAS COVERED

Randomized clinical trials performed with type I bipolar disorder in the years 2015 to August 2020 are reviewed. There are new indications for the use of cariprazine, for bipolar mania and depression, and a long-acting injectable formulation of aripiprazole has also been approved for relapse prevention in bipolar illness. Most of the randomized clinical trials are effectiveness studies.

EXPERT OPINION

Over the 20 years from 1997 through 2016, the use of lithium and other mood stabilizers has declined by 50%, while the use of both second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) and antidepressants has increased considerably. Over the same time period (1990-2017), disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) increased by 54.4%, from 6.02 million in 1990 to 9.29 million in 2017 which is greater than the 47.74% increase in incidence of the disease, suggesting that the changes in prescribing patterns have not been helpful for our patients. Furthermore, recent effectiveness studies continue to confirm the superiority of lithium and other mood stabilizers in the management of bipolar illness for both psychiatric and medical outcomes, reaffirming their role as foundational treatments in the management of type I bipolar disorder. Clinicians need to reassess their prescribing habits.

The Discovery of Clinically Applicable Biomarkers for Bipolar Disorder: A Review of Candidate and Proteomic Approaches

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe psychiatric condition which affects innumerable people across the globe. The etiopathogenesis of BD is multi-faceted with genetic, environmental and psychosocial factors playing a role. Hitherto, the diagnosis and management of BD are purely on empirical grounds as we lack confirmed biomarkers for this condition. In this regard, hypothesis-driven investigations have been unable to identify clinically applicable biomarkers, steering the field towards newer technologies. Innovative, state-of-the-art techniques like multiplex immunoassays and mass spectrometry can potentially investigate the entire proteome. By detecting up or down regulated proteins, novel biomarkers are identified and new postulates about the etiopathogenesis of BD are specified. Hence, biological pathways are uncovered which are involved in the initiation and advancement of the disease and new therapeutic targets are identified. In this manuscript, the extant literature is thoroughly reviewed and the latest findings on candidate BD biomarkers are provided, followed by an overview of the proteomic approaches. It was found that due to the heterogeneous nature of BD no single biomarker is feasible, instead a panel of tests is more likely to be useful. With the application of latest technologies, it is expected that validated biomarkers will be discovered which will be useful as diagnostic tools and help in the delivery of individually tailored therapies to the patients.

Adjunctive treatment with psychostimulants and stimulant-like drugs for resistant bipolar depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Depression is considered to be the most difficult to treat phase of bipolar disorder as patients experience residual symptoms causing long-term disability. This work aims to explore the role of add-on stimulant and stimulant-like medication in resistant bipolar depression patients.

METHODS

Systematic review of add-on stimulants and stimulant-like drugs in resistant bipolar depression by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Analysis was performed using the random-effects models. Heterogeneity was evaluated with Cochran's Q and I2 statistics.

RESULTS

Six randomized controlled trials of add-on modafinil, armodafinil, and lisdexamphetamine (LDX) (n = 813) vs placebo (n = 815) in the treatment of resistant bipolar depression were included. These drugs were more likely to induce remission from an episode of resistant bipolar depression (relative risk [RR] = 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.77; number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome = 16). Moreover, they did not induce more dropouts than placebo (RR = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.91-1.18), nor did they increase the risk of adverse effects (53/772 vs 41/771) at the end of treatment (RR = 1.30; 95% CI: 0.81-2.10; number needed to treat for an additional harmful outcome = 62). Suicidality and manic switch were not affected by active treatment. Heterogeneity was low (Cochran's Q: P > .05), but sometimes with a large CI.

CONCLUSIONS

LDX, modafinil, and armodafinil seem to offer a reasonably well-tolerated and safe treatment in resistant bipolar depression. Treatment guidelines should, therefore, be revised to include these medications earlier in the therapeutic algorithm for resistant acute bipolar depression. Further research is, however, necessary for the elucidation of the clinical usefulness of these and other similar compounds.

Light Therapy for Patients With Bipolar Depression: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

OBJECTIVE

Bipolar disorder (BD) is challenging to treat, and fewer treatments are available for depressive episodes compared to mania. Light therapy is an evidence-based nonpharmacological treatment for seasonal and nonseasonal major depression, but fewer studies have examined its efficacy for patients with BD. Hence, we reviewed the evidence for adjunctive light therapy as a treatment for bipolar depression.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of databases from inception to June 30, 2019, for randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of light therapy in patients with BD (CRD42019128996). The primary outcome was change in clinician-rated depressive symptom score; secondary outcomes included clinical response, remission, acceptability, and treatment-emergent mood switches. We quantitatively pooled outcomes using meta-analysis with random-effects models.

RESULTS

We identified seven trials representing 259 patients with BD. Light therapy was associated with a significant improvement in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score (standardized mean difference = 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04 to 0.82, P = 0.03). There was also a significant difference in favor of light therapy for clinical response (odds ratio [OR] = 2.32; 95% CI, 1.12 to 4.81; P = 0.024) but not for remission. There was no difference in affective switches between active light and control conditions (OR = 1.30; 95% CI, 0.38 to 4.44; P = 0.67). Study limitations included different light treatment parameters, small sample sizes, short treatment durations, and variable quality across trials.

CONCLUSION

There is positive but nonconclusive evidence that adjunctive light therapy reduces symptoms of bipolar depression and increases clinical response. Light therapy is well tolerated with no increased risk of affective switch.

Effect of Mobile Health on In-person Service Use Among People With Serious Mental Illness

OBJECTIVE

This study examined whether mobile health (mHealth) affects the use of in-person services among people with serious mental illness.

METHODS

This randomized comparative effectiveness trial evaluated minutes of service use among 163 participants for 3 months before, during, and after exposure to mHealth or clinic-based care.

RESULTS

mHealth and clinic-based care participants used fewer services during the intervention (9% and 14%, respectively) and follow-up (2% and 12%) periods than during the preintervention phase. During treatment, mHealth treatment responders (participants who experienced recovery gains and maintained them at follow-up) reduced service use more than nonresponders (12% vs. 10%). Postintervention, service use by mHealth treatment responders continued to drop (an additional 11%), whereas service use by mHealth nonresponders increased by 8%.

CONCLUSIONS

mHealth and clinic-based illness management interventions may reduce the need for other in-person services among people with serious mental illness, particularly among mHealth users who experience sustained recovery.

Bipolar patients and creative online practices: Sharing experiences of controversial treatments

Bipolar disorder is among the top 10 causes of disability worldwide. It is managed through a combination of medical and psychotherapeutic interventions, but finding an effective treatment is often a long process of trial-and-error, that medical professionals and people diagnosed with this condition engage upon. This article investigates how people diagnosed with bipolar disorder enact lay expertise about the treatment of this condition online. Using De Certeau’s (1988) theory of everyday practices, three tactics are identified—complexity, uncertainty, and individualization—through which people diagnosed creatively adapt medical knowledge on bipolar disorder, to render their personal experiences and views on treatment more authoritative. It is suggested that through their technological features, which allow for the accumulation and refinement of the insights contributors share, blogs may function as digital repositories of patient experiences and may thus help facilitate collective processes of knowledge production. Online data were collected from two blogs, which were selected using the Google index as relevance indicator, and were analyzed through computer-mediated discourse analysis.

Evaluation of the effect of insulin sensitivity-enhancing lifestyle- and dietary-related adjuncts on antidepressant treatment response: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is known to be associated with insulin resistance (IR). Insulin resistance worsens the symptoms of depression and reduces the effectiveness of antidepressant medications in some depressed patients. Many studies have assessed the effect of adjunctive exercise, vitamin D supplementation, zinc supplementation, magnesium, probiotics, unsaturated fatty acids, and hygienic-dietary recommendations (sleep hygiene, healthy diet, physical activity, and sunlight exposure, combined or singly used), individually, on antidepressant treatment response. However, despite the reported insulin sensitivity-enhancing potential of these adjuncts, no systematic review has collectively analysed their antidepressant effect with regards to insulin sensitivity.

METHODS/DESIGN

In this systematic review, we will analyse the effect of the above-stated adjuncts on antidepressant treatment response (primary outcome) in comparison with treatment as usual with or without adjunctive placebo after identifying the relevant trials from a systematic literature search. Randomised controlled trials involving clinically depressed patients with diagnosis of major depressive, dysthymic or bipolar disorder will be considered. Changes in insulin sensitivity parameters, following treatment, will also be analysed as the secondary outcome. Effect estimates of the included trials will be combined using random-effects meta-analysis, while addressing risk of bias issues. Any significant heterogeneity between studies will be explored using sensitivity and subgroup analyses.

DISCUSSION

The findings of this review will contribute to the evidence base regarding the utility of non-pharmacological insulin-sensitising treatments in enhancing conventional antidepressant treatment response.

Lurasidone compared to other atypical antipsychotic monotherapies for bipolar depression: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy and tolerability of lurasidone versus other atypical antipsychotic monotherapy agents in patients with bipolar depression, using a Bayesian network meta-analysis.

METHODS

Fourteen randomised clinical trials (6221 patients) of lurasidone, quetiapine (extended release and immediate release), aripiprazole, olanzapine, and ziprasidone for bipolar depression were included. Efficacy assessments included change in the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), rates of response (≥50% improvement in MADRS) and remission (MADRS ≤12 at study endpoint), and change in the Clinical Global Impressions-Bipolar Disorder-Severity (CGI-BP-S) scale. Tolerability outcomes included weight, somnolence, extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), and all-cause discontinuation. Changes from baseline or odds ratios (OR) with 95% credible intervals (CrI) were evaluated.

RESULTS

Improvement in the MADRS associated with lurasidone treatment was significantly greater than placebo (-4.70, 95%CrI: -7.20, -2.21), aripiprazole (-3.62, 95%CrI: -7.04, -0.20), and ziprasidone (-3.38, 95%CrI: -6.68, -0.11), but not olanzapine (-0.15, 95%CrI: -3.12, 2.74) or quetiapine (0.10, 95%CrI: -2.68, 2.84). Results for improvement in the CGI-BP-S, and for response and remission were similar. Lurasidone was associated with less weight gain than olanzapine (-2.54 kg, 95%CrI: -3.42, -1.67) and quetiapine (-0.83kg, 95%CrI: -1.59, -0.08); and with lower rates of somnolence than quetiapine (OR: 0.33, 95%CrI: 0.11, 0.82) and ziprasidone (OR: 0.34, 95%CrI: 0.09, 0.93). No significant differences among atypical antipsychotic agents were observed in rates of discontinuation or in rates of EPS.

CONCLUSIONS

In this network meta-analysis, lurasidone was found to be more efficacious than aripiprazole and ziprasidone, and was associated with less weight gain than quetiapine and olanzapine and less somnolence than quetiapine and ziprasidone.

Botulinum toxin therapy of bipolar depression: A case series

We and others have recently found that botulinum toxin injected into the brow muscles has significant antidepressant properties as compared to placebo in randomized controlled trials in patients with major depressive disorder. However, data for the treatment of bipolar depression with botulinum toxin is lacking. We report here six patients with bipolar disorder experiencing moderate to severe depressive episodes who were treated on a compassionate basis with botulinum toxin given their persistent depressive symptoms and adverse side effects from medications. Four of six patients with bipolar depression experienced a remission following treatment with botulinum toxin, and the other two patients experienced a reduction of depressive symptoms. When the effect of botulinum toxin on the frown muscles began to wear off, depressive symptoms returned and retreatment with botulinum toxin provided successful relief of depressive symptoms again.

A History of the Pharmacological Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

In this paper, the authors review the history of the pharmacological treatment of bipolar disorder, from the first nonspecific sedative agents introduced in the 19th and early 20th century, such as solanaceae alkaloids, bromides and barbiturates, to John Cade's experiments with lithium and the beginning of the so-called "Psychopharmacological Revolution" in the 1950s. We also describe the clinical studies and development processes, enabling the therapeutic introduction of pharmacological agents currently available for the treatment of bipolar disorder in its different phases and manifestations. Those drugs include lithium salts, valproic acid, carbamazepine, new antiepileptic drugs, basically lamotrigine and atypical antipsychotic agents (olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine, ziprasidone, aripiprazole, asenapine, cariprazine and lurasidone). Finally, the socio-sanitary implications derived from the clinical introduction of these drugs are also discussed.

Patient preferences for important attributes of bipolar depression treatments: a discrete choice experiment

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to assess patient preferences regarding pharmacological treatment attributes for bipolar depression using a discrete choice experiment (DCE).

METHODS

Adult members of an Internet survey panel with a self-reported diagnosis of bipolar depression were invited via e-mail to participate in a web-based DCE survey. Participants were asked to choose between hypothetical medication alternatives defined by attributes and levels that were varied systematically. The six treatment attributes included in the DCE were time to improvement, risk of becoming manic, weight gain, risk of sedation, increased blood sugar, and increased cholesterol. Attributes were supported by literature review, expert input, and results of focus groups with patients. Sawtooth CBC System for Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis was used to estimate the part-worth utilities for the DCE analyses.

RESULTS

The analytical sample included 185 participants (50.8% females) from a total of 200 participants. The DCE analyses found weight gain to be the most important treatment attribute (relative importance =49.6%), followed by risk of sedation (20.2%), risk of mania (13.0%), increased blood sugar (8.3%), increased cholesterol (5.2%), and time to improvement (3.7%).

CONCLUSION

Results from this DCE suggest that adults with bipolar depression considered risks of weight gain and sedation associated with pharmacotherapy as the most important attributes for the treatment of bipolar depression. Incorporating patient preferences in the treatment decision-making process may potentially have an impact on treatment adherence and satisfaction and, ultimately, patient outcomes.

Innovative approaches to bipolar disorder and its treatment

All psychiatric disorders have suffered from a dearth of truly novel pharmacological interventions. In bipolar disorder, lithium remains a mainstay of treatment, six decades since its effects were serendipitously discovered. The lack of progress reflects several factors, including ignorance of the disorder's pathophysiology and the complexities of the clinical phenotype. After reviewing the current status, we discuss some ways forward. First, we highlight the need for a richer characterization of the clinical profile, facilitated by novel devices and new forms of data capture and analysis; such data are already promoting a reevaluation of the phenotype, with an emphasis on mood instability rather than on discrete clinical episodes. Second, experimental medicine can provide early indications of target engagement and therapeutic response, reducing the time, cost, and risk involved in evaluating potential mood stabilizers. Third, genomic data can inform target identification and validation, such as the increasing evidence for involvement of calcium channel genes in bipolar disorder. Finally, new methods and models relevant to bipolar disorder, including stem cells and genetically modified mice, are being used to study key pathways and drug effects. A combination of these approaches has real potential to break the impasse and deliver genuinely new treatments.

Lurasidone in the Treatment of Bipolar Depression: Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews

INTRODUCTION

A burgeoning number of systematic reviews considering lurasidone in the treatment of bipolar depression have occurred since its Food and Drug Administration extended approval in 2013. While a paucity of available quantitative evidence still precludes preliminary meta-analysis on the matter, the present quality assessment of systematic review of systematic reviews, nonetheless, aims at highlighting current essential information on the topic.

METHODS

Both published and unpublished systematic reviews about lurasidone mono- or adjunctive therapy in the treatment of bipolar depression were searched by two independent authors inquiring PubMed/Cochrane/Embase/Scopus from inception until October 2016.

RESULTS

Twelve included systematic reviews were of moderate-to-high quality and consistent in covering the handful of RCTs available to date, suggesting the promising efficacy, safety, and tolerability profile of lurasidone. Concordance on the drug profile seems to be corroborated by a steadily increasing number of convergent qualitative reports on the matter.

LIMITATIONS

Publication, sponsorship, language, citation, and measurement biases.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite being preliminary in nature, this overview stipulates the effectiveness of lurasidone in the acute treatment of Type I bipolar depression overall. As outlined by most of the reviewed evidence, recommendations for future research should include further controlled trials of extended duration.

The Use of Zonisamide for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Traditional pharmacotherapy has undoubtedly improved the outcome of patients with psychiatric disorders, but partial efficacy or poor tolerability persists in a number of these subjects. Among different compounds, zonisamide has been used to address unmet needs of standard pharmacotherapy. The purpose of the present article is to provide a review about the use of zonisamide for the treatment of psychiatric conditions.

METHODS

A research in the main database sources has been conducted to obtain an overview of the use of zonisamide in psychiatric disorders or associated conditions (obesity and smoking cessation).

RESULTS

Most available data indicate the possible effectiveness of zonisamide for the treatment of acute phases of bipolar disorder, binge-eating disorder (BED), alcohol misuse, and obesity. A further assessment of the safety and tolerability of zonisamide is made necessary by the fact that, with the exception of BED, for all other disorders at least some data come from studies with combined pharmacological therapies.

CONCLUSIONS

Zonisamide may have some utility, especially as an adjunctive therapy, for the management of acute phases and weight gain in bipolar disorder and for prevention of alcohol misuse. Preliminary evidence indicates zonisamide as a candidate compound for the treatment of BED and obesity. However, open-label design and small sample sizes of most available studies prevent from drawing sound conclusions about the utility of this compound in psychiatry.

The International College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP) Treatment Guidelines for Bipolar Disorder in Adults (CINP-BD-2017), Part 4: Unmet Needs in the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder and Recommendations for Future Research

BACKGROUND

The current fourth paper on the International College of Neuropsychopharmacology guidelines for the treatment of bipolar disorder reports on the unmet needs that became apparent after an extensive review of the literature and also serves as a conclusion to the project of the International College of Neuropsychopharmacology workgroup.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The systematic review of the literature that was performed to develop the International College of Neuropsychopharmacology guidelines for bipolar disorder identified and classified a number of potential shortcomings.

RESULTS

Problems identified concerned the reliability and validity of the diagnosis of bipolar disorder and especially of bipolar depression. This, in turn, has profound consequences for early detection and correct treatment of the disorder. Another area that needs improvement is the unsatisfactory efficacy and effectiveness of therapeutic options, especially in special populations such as those with mixed features and rapid cycling course. Gender issues and adherence problems constitute an additional challenge. The literature suggests that while treatment providers are concerned more with treatment-related issues, patients and their caregivers worry more about issues pertaining to the availability of services and care, quality of life, and various types of burden. The workgroup identified additional unmet needs related to the current standard of research in bipolar disorder. These include the fragmentation of bipolar disorder into phases that are handled as being almost absolutely independent from each other, and thus the development of an overall therapeutic strategy on the basis of the existing evidence is very difficult. Trials are not always designed in a way that outcomes cover the most important aspects of bipolar disorder, and often the reporting of the results is biased and unsatisfactory. The data on combination treatments and high dosages are sparse, whereas they are common in real world practice.

CONCLUSIONS

The workgroup endorses the full release of raw study data to the scientific community, and the development of uniform clinical trial standards (also including more realistic outcomes) and the reporting of results. The 2 large appendices summarize the results of this systematic review with regard to the areas of lack of knowledge where further focused research is necessary.

Design, Optimization, and Evaluation of Lurasidone Hydrochloride Nanocrystals

The present investigation was carried out to design, optimize, and evaluate lurasidone hydrochloride nanocrystals for improving its solubility and dissolution characteristics. Nanocrystals were prepared by media milling technique using zirconium oxide beads with 0.1 mm diameter. Various stabilizers, viz. poloxamer 188, PVP K30, SLS, HPMC E15, and PVP S 630 D, were evaluated to stabilize the nanocrystals. The Pareto chart obtained through Plackett-Burman screening design revealed that HPMC E 15 showed the highest standardized effect (p value <0.05) on percent dissolution efficiency at 2 min. In subsequent studies, a 3(2) factorial design was employed to quantify the effect of two independent variables, namely amount of stabilizer and milling time on predetermined response variables mean particle size, saturation solubility, and percent dissolution efficiency at 2 min. Statistical analysis of the factorial design revealed that all predetermined response variables were significantly dependent (p value <0.05) on the independent variables. The observed response of the optimized batch prepared as per the desirability function was in close agreement with predicted response, and mathematical model generated was validated. The optimized batch was lyophilized, and X-ray powder diffraction studies indicated that there was no substantial change in crystallinity of the drug. The optimized formulation showed mean particle size of 228 nm and released almost all the drug within first 5 min. Since the crystallinity of the drug is maintained, improvement in saturation solubility and dissolution efficiency could be attributed to decrease in mean particle size of the drug.

Long-term safety and efficacy of armodafinil in bipolar depression: A 6-month open-label extension study

BACKGROUND

Safe/well-tolerated treatments for bipolar I depression remain limited. We assessed safety/tolerability of adjunctive open-label armodafinil, a wakefulness-promoting agent evaluated in 3 acute, controlled efficacy studies with variable efficacy results.

METHODS

Completers of three 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled adjunctive armodafinil studies (150-200 mg/day added to ongoing stable maintenance doses of 1 or 2 protocol-defined mood stabilizers) in bipolar I depression could enter this 6-month, open-label extension study. Objectives included evaluation of safety/tolerability (primary) and efficacy (secondary).

RESULTS

867 patients enrolled; 863 received ≥1 dose of armodafinil and 506 (58%) completed the 6-month study. Headache, insomnia, and anxiety were the most common adverse events (AEs) reported, whereas akathisia, nausea, sedation/somnolence, and weight increase were uncommon. Mean measures assessing emergence of mania, anxiety, insomnia, or suicidality showed no worsening. Discontinuations due to AEs occurred in 57 (7%) patients. Serious AEs occurred in 27 (3%) patients and were considered treatment-related in 8 (1%) patients. Depressive symptoms improved over the 6 months, as did patient functioning.

LIMITATIONS

Lack of placebo control.

CONCLUSIONS

Adjunctive armodafinil was generally safe and well tolerated over 6 months of open-label treatment at 150-200 mg/day when taken with protocol-defined mood stabilizers for bipolar I depression. This 6-month open-label study suggested that armodafinil augmentation of bipolar maintenance therapies may have a favorable risk profile and may improve depressive symptoms in some patients with bipolar I depression.

Depression and Suicidality Outcomes in the Treatment of Early Age Mania Study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy of mood-stabilizing medications for depression and suicidality in pediatric bipolar disorder.

METHOD

The Treatment of Early Age Mania (TEAM) study is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, masked comparison of divalproex sodium (VAL), lithium carbonate (LI), and risperidone (RISP) in an 8-week parallel clinical trial. A total of 279 children and adolescents with DSM-IV diagnoses of bipolar I disorder, mixed or manic, aged 6 to 15 years were enrolled. The primary outcome measure was improvement on the Clinical Global Impression scale for depression (CGI-BP-I-D). Secondary outcome measures included the Children's Depression Rating Scale (CDRS-R) and suicidality status. Statistics included longitudinal analysis of outcomes using generalized linear mixed models with random intercept both for the complete data set and by using last observation carried forward.

RESULTS

CGI-BP-I-D ratings were better in the RISP group (60.7%) as compared to the LI (42.2%; p = .03) or VAL (35.0%; p = .003) groups from baseline to the end of the study. CDRS scores in all treatment groups improved equally by study end. In week 1, scores were lower with RISP compared to VAL (mean = 4.72, 95% CI = 2.67, 6.78), and compared to LI (mean = 3.63, 95% CI = 1.51, 5.74), although group differences were not present by the end of the study. Suicidality was infrequent, and there was no overall effect of treatment on suicidality ratings.

CONCLUSION

Depressive symptoms, present in the acutely manic or mixed phase of pediatric bipolar disorder, improved with all 3 medications, though RISP appeared to yield more rapid improvement than LI or VAL and was superior using a global categorical outcome. Clinical trial registration information-Study of Outcome and Safety of Lithium, Divalproex and Risperidone for Mania in Children and Adolescents (TEAM); http://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT00057681.

Decreased brain PME/PDE ratio in bipolar disorder: a preliminary (31) P magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study was to measure brain phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31) P MRS) metabolite levels and the creatine kinase reaction forward rate constant (kf ) in subjects with bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

Subjects with bipolar euthymia (n = 14) or depression (n = 11) were recruited. Healthy comparison subjects (HC) (n = 23) were recruited and matched to subjects with BD on age, gender, and educational level. All studies were performed on a 3-Tesla clinical magnetic resonance imaging system using a (31) P/(1) H double-tuned volume head coil. (31) P spectra were acquired without (1) H-decoupling using magnetization-transfer image-selected in vivo spectroscopy. Metabolite ratios from a brain region that includes the frontal lobe, corpus callosum, thalamus, and occipital lobe are expressed as a percentage of the total phosphorus (TP) signal. Brain pH was also investigated.

RESULTS

Beta-nucleoside-triphosphate (β-NTP/TP) in subjects with bipolar depression was positively correlated with kf (p = 0.039, r(2) = 0.39); similar correlations were not observed in bipolar euthymia or HC. In addition, no differences in kf and brain pH were observed among the three diagnostic groups. A decrease in the ratio of phosphomonoesters to phosphodiesters (PME/PDE) was observed in subjects with bipolar depression relative to HC (p = 0.032). We also observed a trend toward an inverse correlation in bipolar depression characterized by decreased phosphocreatine and increased depression severity.

CONCLUSIONS

In our sample, kf was not altered in the euthymic or depressed mood state in BD. However, decreased PME/PDE in subjects with bipolar depression was consistent with differences in membrane turnover. These data provide preliminary support for alterations in phospholipid metabolism and mitochondrial function in bipolar depression.

Long-term morbidity in bipolar-I, bipolar-II, and unipolar major depressive disorders

BACKGROUND

Long-term symptomatic status in persons with major depressive and bipolar disorders treated clinically is not well established, although mood disorders are leading causes of disability worldwide.

AIMS

To pool data on long-term morbidity, by type and as a proportion of time-at-risk, based on published studies and previously unreported data.

METHODS

We carried out systematic, computerized literature searches for information on percentage of time in specific morbid states in persons treated clinically and diagnosed with recurrent major depressive or bipolar I or II disorders, and incorporated new data from one of our centers.

RESULTS

We analyzed data from 25 samples involving 2479 unipolar depressive and 3936 bipolar disorder subjects (total N=6415) treated clinically for 9.4 years. Proportions of time ill were surprisingly and similarly high across diagnoses: unipolar depressive (46.0%), bipolar I (43.7%), and bipolar II (43.2%) disorders, and morbidity was predominantly depressive: unipolar (100%), bipolar-II (81.2%), bipolar-I (69.6%). Percent-time-ill did not differ between UP and BD subjects, but declined significantly with longer exposure times.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that depressive components of all major affective disorders accounted for 86% of the 43-46% of time in affective morbidity that occurred despite availability of effective treatments. These results encourage redoubled efforts to improve treatments for depression and adherence to their long-term use.

Personalized- and one- medicine: bioinformatics foundation in health and its economic feasibility

Personalized medicine’s foundation rests on the use of molecular technologies, which are being used to identify genetic mutations, polymorphisms, and variants that can be associated with an individual’s genetic make up, revealing risk factors and predictive data. Needless to say this same analysis can be performed on various types of cancers, including samples stored for many years under the right conditions. For the most part, these technologies employ microarray and RNA-Seq methodologies, which examine large numbers of gene expressions at a time, providing clustering and patterns of this expression. The methodologies and their evaluative outcomes further demonstrate that more than a single gene is involved with various phenomena. However, given the mass of data emerging from this analysis, and commonalities they reveal between various phenomena/disorders, achieving 100% certainty may not be that easy. Another outcome from this massive store of molecular data is the concept of one medicine. This field has been developed by researchers in a variety of disciplines (e.g., medical and veterinary science) that advocate for greater integration of animal and human health. One medicine takes advantage of the fact that molecular commonalities in major biochemical pathways occur because of evolutionary conservation, which is dependent on stereospecificity. In this regard, the foci of personalized medicine and one medicine are quite broad and require trained professionals, as well as a lowering of cost in order to be better integrated into mainstream medical practice.