Gait and movement as a biomarker in bipolar disorder
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Real-world gait and movement as a biomarker in bipolar disorder: a feasibility study
IRAS ID
339780
Contact name
Emily Chruscikowski
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
CUMBRIA, NORTHUMBERLAND, TYNE AND WEAR NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 17 days
Research summary
Bipolar disorder (BD) involves periods of low and high mood and is a lifelong disorder. What causes BD is not well understood but there is increasing evidence that it affects people’s movement and walking. This may be due to changes in the structure of people’s brains.
This pilot study will involve 15 people with BD and 15 people with no mental health difficulties or movement problems. These people will come for a single visit to our clinic in Newcastle for 120 minutes. Whilst there, they will be assessed to understand their current mood and movements.
We will then ask people to wear a small, lightweight sensor on their lower back whilst at home for 7 consecutive days. This sensor can measure your levels of physical activity (such as number of daily steps and time spent each day walking) and walking patterns (such as walking speed and the length of steps taken). This will not affect the medical care they are receiving in any way. We will ask participants to fill in questionnaires rating how comfortable and easy they found wearing the sensor.
From the sensor data we collect we will calculate different features of people’s movement such as how fast they walk and how much their walking changes over time. This information and the questionnaires will help us to design a larger study.
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SW/0119
Date of REC Opinion
9 Oct 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion