Efficacy of cognitive-behavioral group therapy in patients at risk for serious mental illness presenting with subthreshold bipolar symptoms: Results from a prespecified interim analysis of a multicenter, randomized, controlled study

Prodromal symptoms of a first manic episode: a qualitative study to the perspectives of patients with bipolar disorder and their caregivers'

BACKGROUND

Diagnosing bipolar disorder (BD) is challenging, and adequate treatment is of major importance to minimalize the consequences of the illness. Early recognition is one way to address this. Although in clinical research the prodromal phase of BD is gaining interest, the perspective of patients with BD and their caregivers on prodromal symptoms is still lacking. The aim of this study is to gain insights in prodromal symptoms of patients with BD and their caregivers before the onset of a first manic episode.

METHODS

A qualitative research method was used to investigate prodromal symptoms one year prior to a first manic episode. In-depth interviews were conducted with patients with BD type I and their caregivers. Only patients with a first manic episode in the previous five years were included.

RESULTS

The prodromal symptoms from patients' and caregivers' perspectives could be clustered into seven themes, with underlying subthemes: behavior (increased activity, destructive behavior, disinhibited behavior, inadequate behavior, changes in appearance), physical changes (changes in sleep, physical signals, differences in facial expression), communication (reciprocity, process, changes in use of social media), thought (process and content), cognition (changes in attention and concentration, forgetfulness), emotions (positive emotions, more intense emotions, mood swings), and personality (more pronounced manifestation of existing personality traits).

CONCLUSION

Patients with bipolar I disorder and their caregivers described subsyndromal manic features one year prior to a first manic episode. In addition, they recognized mood lability, physical changes and more pronounced manifestation of existing personality traits. The results of this study confirm the presence of a prodromal phase. In clinical practice, monitoring of prodromal symptoms of BD can be useful in patients with depression, especially those with a familial risk of BD.

Preventive interventions for individuals at risk of developing bipolar disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to explore whether early interventions can reduce affective symptoms and have long-term benefits among individuals at risk of bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

The PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched. The primary outcome was continuous symptom scores before and after treatment. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted for each outcome arm studied and pooled mean difference estimates were calculated.

RESULTS

The search identified 10 controlled studies involving 425 participants and 6 single-arm studies involving 90 participants. For controlled trials, meta-analysis showed that the interventions led to greater reduction in clinical global score than placebo (standardized mean differences (SMD) = -0.96, 95 % CI:-1.32, -0.60), and supported a long-term longitudinal effect for pharmacotherapy (SMD = -0.42, 95 % CI: -0.79, -0.05). For single-arm trials, both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy showed efficacy for depressive symptoms, while pharmacotherapy only showed efficacy for hypomania symptoms (effect size (ES) = -9.16, 95 % CI:-11.29, -7.04). Discontinuation of pharmacotherapy due to adverse effects did not show a difference.

LIMITATIONS

The primary limitations are the small number of RCTs and the influence of medication dosage.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the limited available data, early interventions show efficacy for individuals at risk of BD. Psychological therapy might be more beneficial for depressive symptoms and have long-term benefits for hypomania. Pharmacotherapy may be appropriate in situations of severe hypomanic symptoms and the poor functioning. Large, well-designed, double-blind -controlled trials are needed to make solid conclusions about the efficacy of early interventions.

Predicting bipolar disorder I/II in individuals at clinical high-risk: Results from a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

No systematic review has estimated the consistency and the magnitude of the risk of developing bipolar disorder I-II (BD-I/II) in individuals at clinical high risk for bipolar disorder (CHR-BD).

METHODS

PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched until April 2022 in this pre-registered (PROSPERO CRD42022346515) PRISMA-compliant systematic review to identify longitudinal studies in individuals meeting pre-defined CHR-BD criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and results were systematically synthesized around CHR-BD criteria across follow-up periods and different subgroups.

RESULTS

Altogether, 13 studies were included reporting on nine prospective independent cohorts (n = 678 individuals at CHR-BD). The mean age of participants was 15.7 years (range 10.1-22.6 years), and 54.2 % were females. The most common CHR-BD subgroup was subthreshold mania (55.5 %), followed by BD-Not Otherwise Specified (BD-NOS: 33.3 %). Development of BD I/II ranged from 7.1 % to 23.4 % after 2 years. Development of BD-I ranged from 3.4 % at 4 years to 23 % at 8 years. Development of BD-II ranged from 10 % at 2 years to 63.8 % at 4 years. The risk of developing BD-I appeared highest in those meeting BD-NOS criteria (23 % at eight years). Predictors of development of BD were identified but remained mostly unreplicated. The quality of the included studies was moderate (NOS = 5.2 ± 1.1).

CONCLUSIONS

Emerging data from research studies point towards the promising utility of CHR-BD criteria. These studies may pave the way to the next generation of research, implementing detection, prognostication, and preventive interventions in individuals at CHR-BD identified and followed in clinical practice.

Course of subthreshold manic symptoms and related risk factors in the general population: A three-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVES

Subthreshold manic symptoms (subM) are a risk factor for the onset and recurrence of bipolar disorder (BD). Individuals with subM may benefit from preventive interventions, however, their development is hampered by a lack of knowledge on subM prevalence and subsequent course. This study examines subM characteristics, course, and risk factors for an unfavourable course.

METHODS

In a Dutch representative, population-based sample aged 18-64 (N = 4618), we assessed subM, defined as the occurrence of manic core symptoms (elation/irritability), without meeting full DSM-IV criteria for BD I or II in the past 3 years. Comparison groups had either no manic symptoms (noM) or hypomania/mania in the context of BD (mBD) in the past 3 years. Furthermore, we differentiated a mild and moderate type of subM, based on the number of manic symptoms. A subsequent three-year course was assessed prospectively.

RESULTS

SubM had a three-year prevalence of 4.9%. Its prevalence, characteristics, and course were in between noM and mBD, and there were few differences between mild and moderate subM. Over the 3-year follow-up, 25.0% of individuals with subM had persistent subM and another 6.1% transitioned to mBD. Eleven significant risk factors for this unfavourable course were found. The most important were a history of depression/dysthymia (OR 3.75, p ≤ 0.001), living alone (OR 2.61, p ≤ 0.01) and elevated neuroticism score (OR 1.21, p ≤ 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports the validity and clinical relevance of subM as a BD prodrome. It demonstrates that subM symptoms often persist or increase during follow-up and identifies 11 risk factors that are associated with an unfavourable course.

The mood disorder spectrum vs. schizophrenia decision tree: EDIPHAS research into the childhood and adolescence of 205 patients

BACKGROUND

The early detection of patients at risk of developing schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and more broadly mood spectrum disorder, is a public health concern. The phenotypical overlap between the prodromes in these disorders calls for a simultaneous investigation into both illness trajectories.

METHOD

This is an epidemiological, retrospective, multicentre, descriptive study conducted in the Grand-Est region of France in order to describe and compare early symptoms in 205 patients: 123 of which were diagnosed with schizophrenia and 82 with bipolar disorder or mood spectrum disorder. Data corresponding to the pre-morbid and prodromal phases, including a timeline of their onset, were studied in child and adolescent psychiatric records via a data grid based on the literature review conducted from birth to 17 years of age.

RESULTS

Two distinct trajectories were highlighted. Patients with schizophrenia tended to present more difficulties at each developmental stage, with the emergence of negative and positive behavioural symptoms during adolescence. Patients with mood spectrum disorder, however, were more likely to exhibit anxiety and then mood-related symptoms. Overall, our results corroborate current literature findings and are consistent with the neurodevelopmental process. We succeeded in extracting a decision tree with good predictability based on variables relating to one diagnosis: 77.6% of patients received a well-indexed diagnosis. An atypical profile was observed in future mood spectrum disorder patients as some exhibited numerous positive symptoms alongside more conventional mood-related symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The combination of all these data could help promote the early identification of high-risk patients thereby facilitating early prevention and appropriate intervention in order to improve outcomes.

Individuals at increased risk for development of bipolar disorder display structural alterations similar to people with manifest disease

In psychiatry, there has been a growing focus on identifying at-risk populations. For schizophrenia, these efforts have led to the development of early recognition and intervention measures. Despite a similar disease burden, the populations at risk of bipolar disorder have not been sufficiently characterized. Within the BipoLife consortium, we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from a multicenter study to assess structural gray matter alterations in N = 263 help-seeking individuals from seven study sites. We defined the risk using the EPIbipolar assessment tool as no-risk, low-risk, and high-risk and used a region-of-interest approach (ROI) based on the results of two large-scale multicenter studies of bipolar disorder by the ENIGMA working group. We detected significant differences in the thickness of the left pars opercularis (Cohen's d = 0.47, p = 0.024) between groups. The cortex was significantly thinner in high-risk individuals compared to those in the no-risk group (p = 0.011). We detected no differences in the hippocampal volume. Exploratory analyses revealed no significant differences in other cortical or subcortical regions. The thinner cortex in help-seeking individuals at risk of bipolar disorder is in line with previous findings in patients with the established disorder and corresponds to the region of the highest effect size in the ENIGMA study of cortical alterations. Structural alterations in prefrontal cortex might be a trait marker of bipolar risk. This is the largest structural MRI study of help-seeking individuals at increased risk of bipolar disorder.

Early detection of bipolar disorders and treatment recommendations for help-seeking adolescents and young adults: Findings of the Early Detection and Intervention Center Dresden

Background

Early identification and intervention of individuals with risk factors for or subtle prodromal symptoms of bipolar disorders (BD) may improve the illness course and prevent adverse long-term consequences.

Methods

We examined sociodemographic, clinical and psychopathological characteristics of help-seeking adolescents and young adults who consulted the Early Detection and Intervention Center Dresden at the University of Dresden (Germany) and presented with or without pre-defined at-risk criteria for BD. The standardized diagnostic procedure for all help-seeking youth included a comprehensive psychiatric history and a structured clinical interview. When BD at-risk state was suspected, early detection instruments (EPIbipolar, BPSS-FP) were applied. Treatment recommendations were formulated in multi-professional case conferences.

Results

Out of 890 help-seeking persons between 05/2009 and 04/2018, 582 (65%) completed the diagnostic process. Of these, 24 (4%) had manifest BD and 125 (21%) fulfilled at-risk BD criteria (age = 23.9 ± 0.6 years, female = 62%). Of the pre-defined main risk factors, family history for BD was reported in 22% of the at-risk persons, (hypo-)mania risk state in 44%, and increasing cyclothymic mood swings with increased activity in 48%. The most common secondary risk factors were decreased psychosocial functioning (78%), lifetime diagnosis of depressive disorder (67%) and specific sleep/circadian rhythm disturbances (59%). Substance use was very common in subjects at-risk for BD (cannabis = 50%, alcohol = 33%) and highest in patients with BD (cannabis = 75%, alcohol = 40%). Psychiatric treatment history, including psychopharmacological therapy, was similar between the groups, while treatment recommendations differed, with more advice for psychotherapy and antidepressants in the at-risk group with a lifetime diagnosis of depression and more advice for specialized BD treatment including mood stabilizers in patients with BD.

Conclusion

This analysis on the phenomenology of different BD at-risk stages suggests that early detection of individuals presenting with suggested risk factors for the development of BD is feasible in help-seeking young people. Future research should further develop/test stage-specific prevention and early targeted intervention approaches that were described in a naturalistic setting.

Preventive psychiatry: a blueprint for improving the mental health of young people

Preventive approaches have latterly gained traction for improving mental health in young people. In this paper, we first appraise the conceptual foundations of preventive psychiatry, encompassing the public health, Gordon's, US Institute of Medicine, World Health Organization, and good mental health frameworks, and neurodevelopmentally-sensitive clinical staging models. We then review the evidence supporting primary prevention of psychotic, bipolar and common mental disorders and promotion of good mental health as potential transformative strategies to reduce the incidence of these disorders in young people. Within indicated approaches, the clinical high-risk for psychosis paradigm has received the most empirical validation, while clinical high-risk states for bipolar and common mental disorders are increasingly becoming a focus of attention. Selective approaches have mostly targeted familial vulnerability and non-genetic risk exposures. Selective screening and psychological/psychoeducational interventions in vulnerable subgroups may improve anxiety/depressive symptoms, but their efficacy in reducing the incidence of psychotic/bipolar/common mental disorders is unproven. Selective physical exercise may reduce the incidence of anxiety disorders. Universal psychological/psychoeducational interventions may improve anxiety symptoms but not prevent depressive/anxiety disorders, while universal physical exercise may reduce the incidence of anxiety disorders. Universal public health approaches targeting school climate or social determinants (demographic, economic, neighbourhood, environmental, social/cultural) of mental disorders hold the greatest potential for reducing the risk profile of the population as a whole. The approach to promotion of good mental health is currently fragmented. We leverage the knowledge gained from the review to develop a blueprint for future research and practice of preventive psychiatry in young people: integrating universal and targeted frameworks; advancing multivariable, transdiagnostic, multi-endpoint epidemiological knowledge; synergically preventing common and infrequent mental disorders; preventing physical and mental health burden together; implementing stratified/personalized prognosis; establishing evidence-based preventive interventions; developing an ethical framework, improving prevention through education/training; consolidating the cost-effectiveness of preventive psychiatry; and decreasing inequalities. These goals can only be achieved through an urgent individual, societal, and global level response, which promotes a vigorous collaboration across scientific, health care, societal and governmental sectors for implementing preventive psychiatry, as much is at stake for young people with or at risk for emerging mental disorders.

The Management of Prodromal Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder: Available Options and Future Perspectives

The onset of prodromal symptoms in subjects who are at familial or clinical risk for bipolar disorder could be considered as an important alarm bell for the development of the disease and should be carefully detected. The management of prodromes in bipolar high-risk patients appears to be an important means of prevention; nevertheless, at the moment, there aren’t clear and widely shared treatment indications. The aim of this review is to summarize the available treatment options (pharmacological, psychosocial and nutraceutical) for the management of prodromal symptoms in subjects who are at familial or clinical risk for bipolar disorder.

A nationwide population-based longitudinal study mapping psychiatric disorders during lifetime in siblings to patients with bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to map rates and cumulative incidences of psychiatric disorders during lifetime for siblings to patients with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder compared with the general population.

METHODS

Danish nationwide population-based longitudinal register linkage study including 13,923 unaffected siblings to 19,955 patients with bipolar disorder and 278,460 unaffected control individuals from the general population matched according to year of birth and sex. Follow-up covered 22 years from 1995 to 2017.

RESULTS

Rates of 'any psychiatric disorder' among siblings compared with control individuals were constantly around twofold increased throughout lifespan whereas there was a bimodal age distribution of hazard ratios of bipolar disorder, unipolar disorder and use of alcohol or psychoactive drugs with the highest hazard ratios up to age 20 and above 60 years of age. Cumulative incidences from age 15 years of any psychiatric disorder were 44.2% at age 80 years for siblings versus 27.6% for control individuals and the corresponding numbers for bipolar disorder was 8.7% for siblings compared with 1.6% for control individuals.

CONCLUSION

Strategies to prevent onset of psychiatric illness in individuals with a first-generation family history of bipolar disorder should not be limited to adolescence and early adulthood but should be lifetime, likely with differentiated age-specific strategies.

Brief Research Report: A Pilot Study of Cognitive Behavioral Regulation Therapy (CBT-REG) for Young People at High Risk of Early Transition to Bipolar Disorders

Attempts to increase early identification of individuals in the early stages of bipolar disorders (i.e., individuals at high risk of bipolar disorders and/or experiencing a subthreshold syndrome with bipolar symptoms) have highlighted the need to develop high benefit-low risk interventions. We suggest that any new psychological therapy should (i) be acceptable to young people seeking help for the first time, (ii) be applicable to "at risk" conditions and sub-syndromal states and (iii) consider pluripotent factors that may be linked to illness progression not only for bipolar disorders specifically but also for other potential disease trajectories. However, evidence indicates that current interventions for youth with emerging mood disorders mainly represent approaches abbreviated from "disorder-specific" therapies used with older adults and are primarily offered to first episode cases of bipolar disorders who are also receiving psychotropic medication. This brief report discusses empirical findings used to construct core targets for therapeutic interventions that might reduce or delay transition to full-threshold bipolar disorders. We describe an intervention that includes strategies for problem-solving, reducing sleep-wake cycle disturbances, self-management of rumination and that addresses the needs of individuals with "sub-threshold" presentations who are probably at risk of developing a bipolar or other major mental disorders. Outcome data from a case series of 14 youth indicates that the intervention appears to demonstrate a relatively high benefit-to-risk ratio, promising levels of engagement with the therapy modules, and the therapy appears to be acceptable to a wide range of help-seeking youth with early expressions of bipolar psychopathology.

Early intervention for people at high risk of developing bipolar disorder: a systematic review of clinical trials

Early intervention approaches are built on the premise of preventing disability, burden, and cognitive sequelae caused by bipolar disorder. The objective of this systematic review was to characterise the effectiveness of all the available psychological and pharmacological treatments for early intervention in people at high risk of developing bipolar disorder. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42019133420). We did a systematic search to identify studies published in ten databases up to March 27, 2020. Randomised controlled trials and cohort studies that assessed the effect of pharmacological or psychological interventions in people at high risk of developing bipolar disorder were included. Studies of first episodes of mania were excluded. Eligible papers were assessed for quality and data were extracted. The primary outcomes were change in manic and depressive symptoms from baseline to endpoint. Of the 2856 citations retrieved by our search, 16 studies were included; five evaluated pharmacotherapeutic strategies (three randomised controlled trials and two open-label studies), ten assessed psychotherapeutic strategies (four randomised controlled trials and six open-label studies), and one randomised controlled trial assessed combination therapy; these 16 trials included a total of 755 participants at high risk of developing bipolar disorder. Quality assessment indicated fair to good quality for open-label studies, and a high risk of bias in four randomised controlled trials. Among the pharmacotherapeutic interventions, there is preliminary support for the efficacy of aripiprazole in reducing mood symptoms in people at high risk of developing bipolar disorder. Psychological interventions were effective for various outcomes. There was substantial methodological heterogeneity across studies. This systematic review underscores the need for multicentre, prospective, methodologically homogeneous studies evaluating conversion to bipolar disorder as an outcome measure.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Transcultural Validation of Group-Based Psychosocial Intervention for Patients with Bipolar Disorder

Adjunctive psychosocial interventions are part of the preferred method to treat bipolar disorder (BD). This study aimed to conduct a randomized control and protocol-guided trial, in order to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of adjunctive group-based treatments for Chinese outpatients with BD. A single-blind trial in which 68 outpatients with BD were randomly assigned to either treatment as usual (TAU) or to an experimental group with 12 additional weekly sessions and 3 monthly booster sessions. Participants were assessed at baseline for mood condition, suicidal ideation, medication adherence, and quality of life (QoL), with follow-up assessments every 3 months over a 1-year period. The overall retention rate of this study was 89.7%. The results showed significant differences between groups for the variables evaluated, which included achieving euthymia, decrease of depression symptoms, and improvement of QoL. No improvements in medication adherence, reduction in manic symptoms, or suicidal ideation was observed. The results of this study support the transcultural validity and efficacy of group-based psychosocial intervention as anadjunct to TAU among Chinese outpatients with BD to promote improvements during the course of the illness including achieving euthymia, reducing depressive symptoms, and improving QoL.