B-MAP: Identifying Bipolar Disorder Risk in Young People
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Identifying bipolar disorder risk in young people with depression: a mental imagery and multi-modal approach
IRAS ID
342180
Contact name
Martina Di Simplicio
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 31 days
Research summary
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe mental illness where a young person’s mood can change dramatically, with periods of depression and mania or hypomania. During depression, people might feel very low, lose interest in things they usually enjoy, and withdraw from others. Mania or hypomania involves feeling very happy or irritable, being overly active, and having a higher sense of self-esteem.
BD usually begins in late adolescence/young adulthood but correct diagnosis is often delayed for as much as 10 years. Correct diagnosis is challenging because BD usually begins with symptoms of depression. Correct diagnosis is important because depression and BD require different therapeutic interventions and delays in appropriate diagnosis and treatment for BD leads to severe functional impairment, reduced quality of life and increased suicide risk. Currently, the only widely used risk marker for BD risk is family history of BD which is imprecise.
The purpose of our study is to pilot a new method for identifying BD risk by looking at different thinking patterns and behaviors that have been associated with hypomania/mania, such as mental imagery, and how people learn from rewards, and decision-making. We will also track daily mood and activity patterns through the use of a digital app.
We will collect data from up to 30 young people and see if this method has the potential to tell apart those who have a history of depression, but may be at risk for BD, from those who have already been diagnosed with BD and those who have no BD traits at all. We will also measure if all the modalities of data and the data collection procedures are feasible and acceptable to young people.
REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/LO/0346
Date of REC Opinion
8 May 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion