Brian Robinson The risk of developing bipolar disorder was more than double in women who received a hysterectomy, compared with those who did not undergo the procedure, in a study published online in Depression and Anxiety. “Knowledge about how surgical or natural hormonal withdrawal influences mood is fundamental and emphasizes the importance of coordinated psychiatric and gynecological … Read more
Hello. I’m Dr Drew Ramsey, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in New York City. Welcome back to the Brain Food Blog. I’m excited to share a new piece of science linking the microbiome and the use of probiotics with the treatment of bipolar disorder. In a 2018 study[1] from a team at the Sheppard … Read more
A team of medical researchers based in the University of Policlinico Hospital in Milan, Italy claim that they have discovered biomarkers for bipolar patients with and without psychosis. The team’s study, which was published in the journal Bipolar Disorders, found that the brains of both sets of bipolar patients, those with psychosis and those without, metabolize … Read more
Cariprazine, a medicine approved by the FDA in 2015 for the treatment of manic episodes in bipolar I disorder, was effective in reducing depressive symptoms in bipolar I disorder patients in a phase 3 clinical trial reported March 8, 2019 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The medicine, sold under the brand name of Vraylar in the U.S., interacts … Read more
The co-administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and aspirin in patients with bipolar disorder may reduce depressive symptoms, according to study data published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Click here to read the full article.
Increasing physical activity appears to boost mood and energy in adults—especially so in those with bipolar I disorder, according to a study published online in JAMA Psychiatry. The study focused on a community sample of 242 men and women, including 25 people with bipolar I disorder, 29 with bipolar II disorder, 91 with major depressive disorder, and … Read more
Just in time for the winter solstice, scientists may have figured out how short days can lead to dark moods. Two recent studies suggest the culprit is a brain circuit that connects special light-sensing cells in the retina with brain areas that affect whether you are happy or sad. When these cells detect shorter days, … Read more
Bright light therapy (BLT) refers to the use of bright light to treat symptoms of depression. BLT was initially prescribed as a treatment for patients with seasonal affective disorder.1 It was later found helpful for nonseasonal depression,2 premenstrual dysphoric disorder, postpartum depression, and phase shift circadian disorders, including for patients with dementia whose cognitive function … Read more
At Psych Congress 2018, 2 experts in the field of psychiatry squared off in a session called “The Great Debate in Contemporary Psychiatry: The Use of Antidepressants in Bipolar Disorder,” about whether antidepressants should be used to treat patients with bipolar depression. Nassir Ghaemi, MD, MPH, professor of psychiatry at Tufts University, presented the “con” … Read more
Data from a clinical trial has shown that how people respond to treatment for Bipolar Disorder may be influenced by their weight and the overall quality of their diet, including whether they are eating a diet high in foods thought to contribute to general inflammation. These are early results, but if replicated may mean that … Read more