Neurological Research of Bipolar Disorder

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2017) | Viewed by 39972

Special Issue Editor

Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, ON M5T 2S8, Toronto
Interests: bipolar; depression; inflammation; cognition; metabolism; big data; pharmacotherapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

During the past two decades, remarkable progress has been made in parsing biological substrates subserving, as well as enhancing, vulnerability to bipolar disorders. The ongoing advances provide a requisite starting point for the identification and development of what currently does not exist, and that is, disease-modifying and/or curative therapies. This Special Issue will feature topics that are receiving the greatest research attention and providing promising leads as we attempt to further map out the architecture patho-etiological framework of bipolar disorder. The overarching aim is to bring together developments from genetics through to social determinants, with an emphasis, not only on vulnerability factors, but resiliency and "on-trajectory" promotion.

Prof. Dr. Roger S. McIntyre
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • bipolar disorder
  • genomics
  • metabolomics
  • proteinomics
  • inflammation
  • cognition
  • big data
  • diet and exercise

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Review

322 KiB  
Review
Systematic Review of Epigenetic Effects of Pharmacological Agents for Bipolar Disorders
by Laura E. Lockwood and Nagy A. Youssef
Brain Sci. 2017, 7(11), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci7110154 - 18 Nov 2017
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6421
Abstract
Epigenetic effects of medications are an evolving field of medicine, and can change the landscape of drug development. The aim of this paper is to systematically review the literature of the relationship between common medications used for treatment of bipolar disorders and epigenetic [...] Read more.
Epigenetic effects of medications are an evolving field of medicine, and can change the landscape of drug development. The aim of this paper is to systematically review the literature of the relationship between common medications used for treatment of bipolar disorders and epigenetic modifications. MedLine/PubMed searches were performed based on pre-specified inclusion criteria from inception to November 2017. Six animal and human studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies examined the epigenetic changes in the main classes of medications that are used in bipolar disorders, namely mood stabilizers and antipsychotics. Although these initial studies have small to moderate sample size, they generally suggest an evolving and accumulating evidence of epigenetic changes that are associated with several of the medications that are used in bipolar I and II disorders. In this manuscript, we describe the specific epigenetic changes that are associated with the medications studied. Of the studies reviewed, five of the six studies revealed epigenetic changes associated with the use of mood stabilizers or antipsychotic medications. This review contributes to future research directions. Further understanding of the complexities of the epigenome and the untangling of the effects and contributions of disease states versus medications is crucial for the future of drug design and the development of new therapeutics. Epigenetic therapeutics hold great promise for complex disease treatment and personalized interventions, including psychiatric diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurological Research of Bipolar Disorder)
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471 KiB  
Review
Digital Platforms in the Assessment and Monitoring of Patients with Bipolar Disorder
by Arvind Rajagopalan, Pooja Shah, Melvyn W. Zhang and Roger C. Ho
Brain Sci. 2017, 7(11), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci7110150 - 12 Nov 2017
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 7934
Abstract
This paper aims to review the application of digital platforms in the assessment and monitoring of patients with Bipolar Disorder (BPD). We will detail the current clinical criteria for the diagnosis of BPD and the tools available for patient assessment in the clinic [...] Read more.
This paper aims to review the application of digital platforms in the assessment and monitoring of patients with Bipolar Disorder (BPD). We will detail the current clinical criteria for the diagnosis of BPD and the tools available for patient assessment in the clinic setting. We will go on to highlight the difficulties in the assessment and monitoring of BPD patients in the clinical context. Finally, we will elaborate upon the impact that diital platforms have made, and have the potential to make, on healthcare, mental health, and specifically the management of BPD, before going on to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of the use of such technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurological Research of Bipolar Disorder)
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440 KiB  
Review
Bipolar Disorder and Immune Dysfunction: Epidemiological Findings, Proposed Pathophysiology and Clinical Implications
by Joshua D. Rosenblat and Roger S. McIntyre
Brain Sci. 2017, 7(11), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci7110144 - 30 Oct 2017
Cited by 167 | Viewed by 19752
Abstract
Bipolar disorder (BD) is strongly associated with immune dysfunction. Replicated epidemiological studies have demonstrated that BD has high rates of inflammatory medical comorbidities, including autoimmune disorders, chronic infections, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. Cytokine studies have demonstrated that BD is associated with chronic [...] Read more.
Bipolar disorder (BD) is strongly associated with immune dysfunction. Replicated epidemiological studies have demonstrated that BD has high rates of inflammatory medical comorbidities, including autoimmune disorders, chronic infections, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. Cytokine studies have demonstrated that BD is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation with further increases in pro-inflammatory cytokine levels during mood episodes. Several mechanisms have been identified to explain the bidirectional relationship between BD and immune dysfunction. Key mechanisms include cytokine-induced monoamine changes, increased oxidative stress, pathological microglial over-activation, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis over-activation, alterations of the microbiome-gut-brain axis and sleep-related immune changes. The inflammatory-mood pathway presents several potential novel targets in the treatment of BD. Several proof-of-concept clinical trials have shown a positive effect of anti-inflammatory agents in the treatment of BD; however, further research is needed to determine the clinical utility of these treatments. Immune dysfunction is likely to only play a role in a subset of BD patients and as such, future clinical trials should also strive to identify which specific group(s) of BD patients may benefit from anti-inflammatory treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurological Research of Bipolar Disorder)
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249 KiB  
Review
Intellectual Functioning in Offspring of Parents with Bipolar Disorder: A Review of the Literature
by Bonnie Klimes-Dougan, Jake Jeong, Kevin P. Kennedy and Timothy A. Allen
Brain Sci. 2017, 7(11), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci7110143 - 28 Oct 2017
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5263
Abstract
Impaired intellectual functioning is an important risk factor for the emergence of severe mental illness. Unlike many other forms of mental disorder however, the association between bipolar disorder and intellectual deficits is unclear. In this narrative review, we examine the current evidence on [...] Read more.
Impaired intellectual functioning is an important risk factor for the emergence of severe mental illness. Unlike many other forms of mental disorder however, the association between bipolar disorder and intellectual deficits is unclear. In this narrative review, we examine the current evidence on intellectual functioning in children and adolescents at risk for developing bipolar disorder. The results are based on 18 independent, peer-reviewed publications from 1980 to 2017 that met criteria for this study. The findings yielded no consistent evidence of lower or higher intellectual quotient (IQ) in offspring of parents diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Some tentative evidence was found for lower performance IQ in offspring of bipolar parents as compared to controls. It is recommended that future research examine variability in intellectual functioning and potential moderators. These findings demonstrate the need to examine how intellectual functioning unfolds across development given the potential role of IQ as a marker of vulnerability or resilience in youth at high risk for affective disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurological Research of Bipolar Disorder)
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