Get involved in research

Who is running the study?

This study is being run with the support of the NHS and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), working in partnership with Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle University.

What is involved in the study?

Very little is known about using antidepressants in patients living with bipolar depression. In this study, we will use a combination of an antidepressant (sertraline) and an antipsychotic (aripiprazole) and compare this combination with an antipsychotic medication called quetiapine.

All three medications are already used in the NHS, but we want to find out if using a sertraline/aripiprazole combination will be beneficial in reducing depressive symptoms in people with bipolar disorder. To do this, we are looking for 270 patients with bipolar in England who are currently experiencing a depressive phase to take part in the study.

Half of the patients in the trial, who will be chosen at random, will be offered the drug combination (aripiprazole and sertraline) and the other half will be offered quetiapine. You and your doctors will know exactly what medication you are prescribed.

We know that aripiprazole combined with an antidepressant like sertraline works well in people who are depressed but don’t have bipolar. This trial will confirm whether or not it also works in people who are depressed and do have bipolar.

If you take part in the trial, you will be asked to complete a number of questionnaires on a weekly basis. This will be done electronically (or over the phone), and you will receive a weekly support call from a member of the research team.

Who can apply for the study?

You can apply for this study if you:

• have bipolar and are currently experiencing depression
• may have bipolar and are currently experiencing depression
• are aged 18 or older
• live in England
• are not currently pregnant or breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant during the trial

You must also live in – or can commute to – one of the following Health Trusts:

• Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Trust
• Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
• Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust
• Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Trust
• Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust
• Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

What commitment would I have to make?

You will take part in the trial for 24 weeks. Taking part will involve one or two face-to-face appointments (most likely one), which will include:

• Confirming if you are eligible to take part. This will include completing some questionnaires, and discussing your medical history and medication.
• Discussing the trial with a trial doctor who will answer any questions you may have before you decide whether or not to take part. If you decide to take part you’ll be asked to sign a consent form.

You will be given up to £50 as a thank you for giving your time for the trial. You may also be reimbursed for reasonable travel costs.

How can I apply? 

Find out more

We know that a key concern amongst the bipolar community is the lack of effective treatments for depressive symptoms, which are so common in bipolar. In partnership with Bipolar UK, researchers at King’s College London are running a UK-wide study of a home-based, non-medication treatment for bipolar depression.  We are writing to you to tell you about a current opportunity to participate in this exciting new research project looking at whether wearing something called tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) might help to improve depressive symptoms in bipolar.

What is tDCS?

This involves a low electrical current delivered through a lightweight headset. It makes it easier for brain cells to fire or discharge. It is non-invasive, all the sessions are at home, and the study team would see participants by video call (MS Teams), so that people from England and Wales can take part.   

What does taking part involve?

The study is an RCT (randomised control trial).  All participants will receive a headset and have follow up visits.

Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either active or inactive (sham) tDCS at first.  The study team and participants will not know whether participants have received active or inactive tDCS. There will be several 30 minute sessions of treatment at home each week for 10 weeks, and you will have regular follow up visits with the study team online. You will be reimbursed for your time.

After 6 months, everyone will be offered active tDCS. The full study duration is 9 months.

All participants are allowed to keep the tDCS device at the end of the study.

Who may be able to take part?

To be eligible to take part in this study, you must: be 18 or over; have bipolar and be currently experiencing depressive symptoms; be registered with a GP in England or Wales. 

Who might not be able to take part?

Some things which might mean that you cannot take part would be: if you are pregnant or planning pregnancy during the study; if you have an implanted medical device; if you are already participating in another treatment-based research study; if you have dementia or significant cognitive impairment; if you have ever had brain stimulation for depression (eg. TMS, ECT); if you have recently (within the last 6 weeks) anti-depressant treatment or psychotherapy.

If you would like to learn more about this study or think you might be interested in taking part, please contact the study team:  

• Email: bdep@kcl.ac.uk
• Call: 0207 848 0332

(This study is called BDEP ("Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation in bipolar depression: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial") and is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research: Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation in bipolar depression: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial - NIHR Funding and Awards.)

About B-Sprint

The Brain and Genomics Hub is one of six new research hubs that make up the Mental Health Research Platform funded by UKRI. The platform was established to accelerate progress towards new and more effective treatments for serious mental illness.

Our Hub is made up of a number of universities and third sector organisations working together to better understand serious mental illnesses and to better support the people living with these conditions. The third sector organisations Adferiad and Bipolar UK are helping us to put the lived experiences of people at the heart of our research.

How can I get involved?

Find out more

Who is running the study?

This study is being run by Professor Steven Marwaha at the University of Birmingham with sites located across:

• West Midlands (led by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust (BSMHT))
• East Midlands (led by Nottinghamshire Mental Health Trust)
• Northeast (led by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust)
• London (led by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Camden and Islington)

More sites may also be available.

What is involved in the study?

The trial involves taking a combination of lithium and quetiapine for the treatment of bipolar. This is compared to lithium by itself, or quetiapine by itself (otherwise known as monotherapies).

Participants in this trial are enrolled for 24 months and have access to a psychiatrist during the treatment to check on medication levels and any new episodes of bipolar.

Who can apply for the study?

You can apply for this study if you:

• have a diagnosis of bipolar type 1 or type 2 according to the DSM-5 manual, and confirmed by the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)
• are aged 18 or older
• not currently in a mood episode (major depression, mixed episode, hypomania or mania)

You cannot apply for this study if you:

• have a substance dependence
• have a brain injury or illness leading to mood changes
• are currently at risk to yourself (your clinician will make an assessment)
• are unwell with a physical illness
• are planning pregnancy or are currently pregnant

What commitment would I have to make?

If you sign up for the trial, you can use your routine clinic visits to give the study team information at the following times:

• day one of the trial (known as baseline)
• at 12 months
• at 24 months
• every three months (check in)

As a thank you, you will receive £30 vouchers at the baseline, 12-month, and 24-month visits (a total of £90 in vouchers).

How can I apply?

For more information, reach out to the study team via combiner@trials.bham.ac.uk

About the project

Research has shown that around 60% of children with parents who have bipolar can face their own mental health issues, which may lead to emotional and behavioural problems. These difficulties can increase stress for their parents and disrupt family life.

Currently, there are currently no available support programmes tailored specifically for individuals with bipolar.

Integrated Bipolar Parenting Intervention (IBPI) is a comprehensive online programme which aims to provide parents with bipolar the tools they need to achieve emotional and behavioural stability for their children. By offering online support, IBPI also helps parents feel less stressed and more confident about their parenting skills.

To achieve these goals, the programme blends parenting support with practical training in managing bipolar symptoms. Accessible through electronic devices, IBPI covers areas, such as:

• emotional management
• stress reduction
• making parenting enjoyable
• helping children acquire new skills

What are we doing now?

The Bipolar UK research division is currently helping the IBPI study team to recruit participants.

Can I get involved?

The IBPI study team is actively recruiting, register your interest.

This PPB study is related to the Integrated Bipolar Parenting Intervention (IBPI) study which we’re supporting. It is mostly concerned with understanding the unique support needs of carers of parents with bipolar which are often neglected.

Who is running the study?

The study is led by Professor Steven Jones at Lancaster University and has received ethical approval from the East Midlands – Leicester South Research Ethics Committee.

What is involved in the study?

The study includes the following parts:

1. Register on the study website (PPB Study)
2. Take part in a short screening call by telephone.
3. Complete the online survey.

You may also choose to take part in an optional interview or co-design workshops.

Who can apply for the study?

You may be able to take part if you fulfil all of the following criteria:

• You are the partner of a parent with bipolar.
• You live with your partner and child/children.
• Your partner has at least one child aged 18 or under for whom they have parental responsibility.
• You are currently living in the UK

What commitment would I have to make?

You will be asked to complete an online survey, which will take about 30 minutes. You will be able to save your progress and return later if needed. You can also choose to take part in an online follow-up interview or online co-design workshops, which are also part of the study. Participation in these activities is optional.

You will receive a £20 Love2Shop voucher for completing the survey. If you take part in the interview, you will receive a £40 Love2Shop voucher. If you take part in a co-design workshop, you will receive £50 either in the form of a Love2Shop voucher or as a bank transfer for each workshop.

How can I apply?

We are inviting 150 partners of parents with bipolar to take part. You may be able to take part if you live with your partner and a child aged under 18. To find out more about the study and what participating means, please read our PPB Survey Participant Information Sheet

If you're interested in taking part, please click the link below, where we will ask you to share your contact details so that we can get touch to confirm you're eligible to participate.

Register your interest

AMBIENT-BD invites people with a diagnosis of bipolar to participate in a study investigating the relationship between sleep, body clock (circadian rhythms) and mood over an 18-month period.

Who is running the study?

The study is run by Professor Daniel Smith at the University of Edinburgh based at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (ethically approved by East Scotland Research Ethics Committee).

What is involved in the study?

The study includes the following parts over an 18-month period:

1. Study appointments - You will be required to attend 5 appointments (4 online and 1 in-person at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh) with the research team.
2. Bedside sensor (Somnofy) - You will be provided with a contactless bedside sensor that will monitor your sleep over an 18-month period.
3. Wristwatch monitor (Axivity) - You will be asked to wear a wristwatch for short periods that will monitor your physical activity levels and sleep.
4. EMA assessments (MomenTUM mobile app) - You will also be asked to download a mobile application onto your smartphone to complete daily questions about your mood for 1 week every 4 months.

Who can apply for the study?

Inclusion criteria:

• aged over 16 years
• a confirmed diagnosis of bipolar disorder
• clinically euthymic in the last 1 month
• have a functional smartphone
• live in the UK
• ability to understand basic levels of English

Exclusion criteria:

• experiencing an episode of mania, hypomania or depression in the last 1 month before enrolling on the study
• inability to comply with the study design

What commitment would I have to make?

Participation on the study lasts 18-months from the baseline appointment.

You will be offered £15 as reimbursement for your time attending each study appointment (in total up to £75 for all 5 appointments).

Your travel to Edinburgh and overnight accommodation will be covered by the project up to £300.

You will be given a personalised summary sleep report at the end of your participation.

For more information, see the Ambient-BD Participant Information Sheet.

How can I apply?

You can learn more about the study and register your interest on the Ambient-BD website.

You can also directly email the study team on ambient-bd@ed.ac.uk.