Bipolar depression

This study offers NRX-101, a combination of two drugs, to adults aged 18-65 with treatment-resistant bipolar depression and suicidal thoughts. Participants receive the medication from their own psychiatrist and undergo regular check-ins on mood, suicidal ideation, and side effect…

This study tests whether the drug lumateperone can improve mood and reduce inflammation in adults with bipolar depression who also have obesity. Over about six weeks, participants take lumateperone daily and undergo mood assessments and an MRI to estimate brain age. The goal is t…

This study tests whether the drug lumateperone can safely reduce symptoms of depression in children and teenagers (ages 10 to 17) with bipolar I or II disorder who are currently in a major depressive episode. Participants receive either lumateperone or a placebo daily for several…

This phase 3 trial tests whether adding low-dose brexpiprazole to usual treatment can ease depressive episodes in people with bipolar I or II disorder. Researchers will measure changes in mood, thinking skills, and daily functioning over 8 weeks. The study enrolls adults aged 18 …

This trial tests whether deep brain stimulation—implanting electrodes in specific brain areas—can help people with severe, treatment-resistant mental disorders like OCD, schizophrenia, depression, anorexia, gambling addiction, and autism. The study involves 18 participants and me…

This study tests whether deep brain stimulation (DBS) can safely treat severe, treatment-resistant bipolar depression. The approach uses a brain implant that delivers stimulation and simultaneously monitors brain signals linked to depression and mania. The goal is to see if this …

People with bipolar disorder face double the risk of heart disease and die 14 years earlier on average. This study tests whether a personalized nutrition program—based on Brazil's dietary guidelines—can improve heart health markers like cholesterol, blood sugar, and body fat. Eig…

This study tests deep brain stimulation (DBS) for people with severe bipolar depression that hasn't improved with other treatments. Ten participants will have electrodes surgically placed in their brain and a device implanted in their chest to deliver electrical pulses. The goal …

This study tests whether giving stronger medications earlier can help people with schizophrenia, major depression, or bipolar depression who did not get better with their first treatment. Over 1,200 participants will receive either standard second-line treatment or an intensified…

This study tests whether quickly switching to a more intensive combination of medications helps people with bipolar depression who didn't get better on their first treatment. About 418 adults will either receive standard care or an intensified regimen of antidepressants and mood …

Researchers are testing an experimental drug called OSU6162 in adults with bipolar disorder who are in a depressive phase and already taking a mood stabilizer. The trial aims to see whether the drug reduces depressive symptoms over eight weeks. Participants receive flexible doses…

This Phase 3 trial tests whether a daily pill called azetukalner can safely reduce depression in people with bipolar I or II disorder. About 400 adults currently in a depressive episode will take either the drug or a placebo for 6 weeks. Researchers will measure mood changes usin…

This study tests whether a strict high-fat, low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet can help ease depression in people with bipolar disorder. Thirty adults aged 18 to 50 with bipolar I or II will follow the diet for 8 weeks while researchers track mood changes and heart health. The goa…

This phase 2 trial is investigating whether two doses of psilocybin (25 mg each, given 4 weeks apart) combined with psychotherapy are safe and acceptable for people with bipolar II disorder who are experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts. The study enrolls 10 adults aged 25…

This study tests whether combining ketamine infusions with dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) can reduce suicidal thoughts more effectively than a placebo plus DBT. About 120 adults with borderline personality disorder and treatment-resistant depression or bipolar disorder wil…

This study tests whether cariprazine (Vraylar) can safely ease depressive episodes in teens aged 10-17 with bipolar I disorder. Around 380 participants will receive either the drug or a placebo for 6 weeks, with dose adjustments based on response. The goal is to see if the drug i…

This study tests whether eating only during an 8-hour window each day (time-restricted eating) can help people with bipolar disorder who are overweight and depressed lose weight and improve their mood. Forty adults will be randomly assigned to either follow this eating pattern fo…

This study tests a non-invasive device that uses electrical fields to gently stimulate deep brain areas, aiming to improve depression in people with bipolar disorder. Researchers will compare the real device to a sham version in 160 adults. They will also use brain scans to under…

This study looks at people with depression that hasn't improved with other treatments. If they don't get better after four sessions of one type of ECT (right unilateral), they will either continue with that type or switch to another type (bitemporal). The goal is to see which app…

This pilot study tests whether time-restricted eating (eating all food within a 10-hour window each day) is feasible and acceptable for people with bipolar disorder. 40 participants will either follow the eating schedule or receive nutritional counseling for 8 weeks. The goal is …

This phase 3 trial tests whether low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can ease depression in people with bipolar disorder who haven't improved with other treatments. Eighty adults will receive daily sessions for 30 days, with depression and mania symp…

This study tests whether a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) can reduce depression symptoms in people with treatment-resistant bipolar disorder. About 124 participants will receive either real or sham (fake) stimulation da…

This study tests whether a non-invasive device called deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) can improve mood and thinking in people with bipolar depression. One hundred adults will receive either real or sham dTMS sessions over four weeks, while continuing their usual med…

This study tests a gentle brain stimulation technique called tDCS to see if it can improve anhedonia—the loss of interest or pleasure—in people with bipolar depression. About 45 adults with bipolar disorder and significant anhedonia will receive tDCS while researchers use brain s…

This study tests whether lithium or cariprazine works better for treating depression in people with bipolar disorder. About 122 adults will be randomly assigned to one of the two medicines for 8 weeks. Researchers will track mood changes, side effects, and lab results to see whic…

This study compares two non-invasive brain stimulation techniques for treating depression: right-sided 1-Hz rTMS and left-sided iTBS. Researchers want to see if the right-sided method works as well as the standard left-sided one. The trial will involve 350 adults with unipolar or…

This study tests if magnetic seizure therapy (MST) works as well as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for people with bipolar depression or treatment-resistant depression. About 60 adults will receive either MST or ECT to see which better reduces depression symptoms with fewer side…

This study tests a gentle, non-invasive brain stimulation method called HD-tDCS in 100 teenagers with bipolar depression. Half get real stimulation, half get a fake version, and both continue their usual medications. Researchers will check if depression scores improve after two w…

This study tests whether baricitinib, an anti-inflammatory drug used for arthritis, can improve motivation and brain function in people with major depression who have high inflammation. One hundred adults aged 25-55 with depression and elevated C-reactive protein will receive eit…

This study follows 500 adults already receiving care for depression, bipolar disorder, or suicide risk at the NIH. Researchers will conduct weekly interviews and optional tests like blood draws and brain scans to track symptoms and treatment responses. The goal is to better under…

This study investigates whether brain wave patterns (measured by EEG) and inflammatory markers in the blood can help predict how well older adults with depression or bipolar disorder respond to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Researchers will compare EEG recordings and blood sam…

This study follows people with treatment-resistant depression who have already responded to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Researchers want to understand how long the antidepressant effect lasts and what factors—like brain plasticity, heart-brain coupling, or inflammati…

This study investigates how depression and antidepressants influence the way older adults update their beliefs about future events. Researchers compare 31 patients aged 65+ with major depression who are switching antidepressants to 31 healthy volunteers of the same age. Participa…

This study looks at how tiny changes in your RNA (a molecule that reads your DNA) might help predict whether depression treatments will work. Researchers will follow 120 adults with unipolar or bipolar depression to see if these RNA changes match up with improvements in mood. The…

This study looks at how electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) affects brain connections and sleep in 50 people with treatment-resistant depression. Researchers will measure brain activity during sleep and wakefulness to understand how ECT works. The goal is to learn more, not to test a…

This study is a registry that will follow up to 1,000 adults with treatment-resistant depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who receive electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), or ketamine/esketamine. Researchers will collect data from…

This study aims to identify subgroups of people with diabetes who share similar patterns between their blood sugar levels and mental health. By using smartphone surveys and continuous glucose monitors, researchers will create 'digital twins'—virtual models that can predict how me…