Bipolar Disorder clinical trials at University of California Health
10 in progress, 8 open to eligible people
A Study of the Change in Disease State and Safety of Oral Cariprazine Capsules in the Treatment of Depression in Pediatric Participants (10 to 17 Years of Age) With Bipolar I Disorder
open to eligible people ages 10-17
Bipolar disorder is a severe chronic mood disorder that affects up to 4% of the adult population and 1.8% of the pediatric population in the United States. The treatment of the depressive episodes of bipolar disorder in the pediatric population has not been as widely studied as the treatment of depressive episodes in bipolar disorder in adults, therefore pharmacotherapeutic options are limited. Given the change in disease state and safety demonstrated in adults with depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the change in disease state and safety of cariprazine in the treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in the pediatric population. Cariprazine is an approved drug for the treatment of depressive episodes in adult participants with bipolar I disorder. Study doctors put participants in 1 of 2 groups, called treatment arms. There is a 1 in 2 chance that a participant will be assigned to placebo. Around 380 Participants ages 10-17 years with bipolar I disorder will be enrolled in approximately 60 sites worldwide. Participants receiving the study drug will receive Dose A or B of Cariprazine based on age and weight. At Week 3, participants with insufficient response will have their dose increased to Dose B or Dose C, while participants with sufficient response will continue receiving the Dose A or B for the remainder of the treatment period. The treatment period will be followed by a safety follow-up (SFU) period for 4 weeks. There may be higher treatment burden for participants in this trial compared to their standard of care. Participants will attend regular weekly visits during the study at a hospital or clinic. The effect of the treatment will be checked by medical assessments, blood tests, checking for side effects and completing questionnaires.
at UCSD
Bipolar Efficacy Biomarkers for rTMS
open to eligible people ages 18-70
The research study is being conducted to test whether using high dose spaced theta-burst rTMS (a form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation) produces a significant reduction in depressive symptoms compared with sham. This project will recruit patients aged 18-70 with symptoms of bipolar depression (BPD) who have failed (or not shown signs of improvement) after at least two prior treatments. The null hypothesis is that there will be no difference in reductions in depressive symptoms by the end of a five-day treatment period. The alternative hypothesis is that, compared with sham, active TMS will result in a greater reduction in depressive symptoms by the end of the treatment period. To facilitate the development of rTMS protocols there is a need for biomarkers that are sensitive to BPD symptom severity and clinical improvement. Previously in our lab, investigators developed biomarkers suitable for depression trials, and these biomarkers are very likely to show sensitivity to BPD, since they are associated with brain regions and functions associated with BPD. As a secondary aim, the investigators will try to identify biomarkers in cortical region associated with BPD, and formulate a statistical model that may be able to predict BPD remission after the treatment. this study will lead to development of new brain stimulation treatment protocols and biomarkers, will aid in treatment selection, and eventually lead to better clinical outcome for patients suffering from BPD.
at UCSD
Can Neural Network Instability in Schizophrenia be Improved With a Very Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet?
open to eligible people ages 18-65
Wide ranging cognitive deficits are major drivers of functional decline and poor outcomes in people with schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). Medications do not target pathophysiological mechanisms thought to underlie these deficits. In the search for interventions targeting underlying cognitive impairment in SZ and BD, we look comprehensively beyond just the brain and to the potential role of dysfunctional systemic metabolism. Disrupted insulin and glucose metabolism are seen in medication-naïve first-episode SZ, suggesting that SZ itself, and not just the medications used to treat it, is associated with risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and more generally, accelerated aging. Even young people with SZ have increased risk of metabolic disease and cognitive deficits. Sadly, their life span is shortened by 15-20 years. BD is associated with similar but less severe disruptions in glucose and insulin metabolism and life expectancy. Although the human brain is 2% of the body's volume, it consumes over 20% of its energy, and accordingly, the brain is particularly vulnerable to the dysregulation of glucose metabolism seen in SZ and BD. While glucose is considered to be the brain's default fuel, ketones provide 27% more free energy and are a major source of energy for the brain. Ketones prevent or improve various age-associated diseases, and a ketogenic diet (70% fat, 20% protein, 10% carbohydrates) has been posited as an anti-aging and dementia antidote. The premise of the work is based on recent evidence that ketogenic diets improve dynamic neural network instability, related to cognitive deficits, aging, and Type 2 diabetes (Mujica-Parodi et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020;117(11):6170-7.). The rigor of the work rests on findings of (1) poor cerebral glucose homeostasis in SZ and BD, (2) neural network instability in SZ and BD, and (3) direct effects of ketosis on network instability. Unknown is whether ketogenic diets can improve network instability in people with SZ and BD.
at UCSF
Effects of Cannabis on Cognition and Endocannabinoid Levels in Bipolar Disorder Patients and Healthy Volunteers
open to eligible people ages 18-50
Cannabis use is associated with younger age at onset of bipolar disorder, poor outcome, and more frequent manic episodes, but the effects of cannabis on cognition are less clear. Contrary to reports among non-psychiatric patients, cannabis may improve cognition among people with bipolar disorder. Nevertheless, no study to date has systematically tested the acute effects of cannabis on cognition in bipolar disorder. Therefore, the investigators propose to determine the effects of oral cannabinoid administration on cognitive domains relevant to bipolar disorder, e.g., arousal, decision making, cognitive control, inhibition, and temporal perception (sense of timing). In addition, the investigators will evaluate different doses of the two major components of cannabis, cannabidiol and ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and compare them to placebo on these neurocognitive measures. The investigators will also test the effects of acute exposure to cannabinoids on cerebrospinal levels of anandamide and homovanillic acid - markers of endocannabinoid and dopamine activity in the brain, respectively. These studies will provide information that effectively bridges the fields of addiction and general psychiatry, informing treatment development for co-morbid substance abuse and psychiatric disorders.
at UCSD
Novel Pharmacotherapy Approaches in Smokers With Serious Mental Illness
open to eligible people ages 18-70
Approximately 60 chronic smokers with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who are motivated to try to quit smoking will be randomized to receive smoking cessation treatment with the FDA-approved medication, varenicline, delivered either a) at its standard dose and titration schedule (half of the participants) versus b) at a lower dose and slower titration schedule (the other half), for 12 weeks. All smokers will choose a target quit date sometime between 8 to 35 days after starting the medication. All participants will receive ten 30-minute sessions of a behavioral treatment called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Participants will be followed for an additional 12 weeks off study medication. The major endpoint is the feasibility of combining ACT with the different dosing strategies. Investigators will also conduct a blood test that measures the breakdown of nicotine in the body to explore whether that measure influences treatment response and side effects.
at UCSD
Open-Label, Flexible-dose Study to Evaluate the Long-Term Safety and Tolerability of Cariprazine in the Treatment of Pediatric Participants With Schizophrenia, Bipolar I Disorder, or Autism Spectrum Disorder
open to eligible people ages 5-17
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of cariprazine in the treatment of pediatric participants with schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to establish the benefit-risk profile of long-term treatment in this population.
at UCSD
Psilocybin Therapy for Depression in Bipolar II Disorder
open to eligible people ages 18-70
The purpose of this study is to determine the safety, tolerability, and feasibility of psilocybin therapy in people with Bipolar II Disorder.
at UCSF
Children's Bipolar Network Treatment Trial I
open to eligible people ages 9-19
This is a naturalistic treatment and follow-up study of youth with bipolar spectrum disorders (BSDs) across four US sites of The Childhood Bipolar Network (CBN). CBN sites have expertise in diagnosing, assessing, and treating BSDs in youth. The primary aims of this study are to (1) identify and reliably diagnose youth (ages 9 to 19 yrs) with full bipolar disorder (BD) and BSDs, and (2) examine predictors (e.g., mood instability, inflammatory marker C-reactive protein) of clinical outcome over a 12 month period. Participating youth will initially complete a screening that includes a structured diagnostic interview and a baseline blood draw to measure inflammatory processes. Youth with BSD and parents (80 families) will be asked to participate in multiple follow up research visits with interviews, rating instruments, and questionnaires. Per established CBN guidelines, study psychiatrists will provide and track medication management and sites will also track psychosocial treatments. This study ultimately aims to further understanding of best practice pediatric BSD psychiatric and psychosocial treatments and development of a standardized and validated set of clinical tools for patient assessment, diagnosis, and tracking.
at UCLA
A Novel Peer-Delivered Recovery-Focused Suicide Prevention Intervention for Veterans With Serious Mental Illness
Sorry, not yet accepting patients
Suicide is a major public health concern, particularly among Veterans with serious mental illness (SMI, i.e., psychotic disorders or bipolar disorders). Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) is a well-established evidence-based practice for those with SMI that centers on identifying warning signs of mental illness, developing wellness tools for functional independence, planning for day-to-day effective living within one's community, and building an action plan to create a valued life worth living. This proposed study will refine and pilot SUicide Prevention by Peers Offering Recovery Tactics (SUPPORT), a novel integrated recovery program that is an adaptation of peer-delivered WRAP for Veterans with SMI. In SUPPORT, a Peer Specialist leads a Veteran at increased risk for suicide through recovery planning that is tailored to the Veteran's suicidal experiences with cognitive learning strategies to enhance safety plan recall and improve functioning.
at UCSD
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment in Serious Mental Illness
Sorry, not yet accepting patients
Serious mental illnesses (SMI) like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are two of the most disabling and costly chronic illnesses worldwide. A high proportion of adults with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have sleep disorders, like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but tend to be underdiagnosed and undertreated compared to the general population. This study aims to examine feasibility, acceptance, and impact of OSA treatment and how it affects cognitive function in people with SMI.
at UCSD
Our lead scientists for Bipolar Disorder research studies include William Perry, PhD Robert Anthenelli, MD Joshua D Woolley, MD,PhD David J Miklowitz, PhD Judith Ford, PhD Samantha A Chalker, PhD Itay Hadas Ellen Lee.
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