The Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

The Cambridge Health Alliance

The research activities at the Cambridge Health Alliance Bipolar Disorder Research Program include the STEP-BD project, an NIMH-funded longitudinal study of bipolar disorder, based at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Within the larger framework of the STEP-BD project, we are also conducting an open, randomized study, also funded by the NIMH, examining long-term antidepressant outcome in bipolar disorder. Subjects for this study are also being recruited at other STEP sites with the help of Dr. Claudia Baldassano at the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Joseph Goldberg at Cornell University. Our collaboration with Dr. Goldberg also includes two separate, open clinical trials examining the use of atypical neuroleptic agents in the treatment of bipolar disorder. In addition to these clinical projects, we also conduct retrospective chart review studies on a regular basis, providing pilot data upon which future prospective studies can be based. We have recently published chart reviews examining the use of anticonvulsants such as oxcarbazepine and topiramate in the treatment of bipolar disorder. In addition, we have begun a collaboration with the Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology program at the Cambridge Health Alliance, examining the use of atypical neuroleptics in the younger population.

Key Words: bipolar disorder, mood disorders, clinical studies

Grant Support. NIMH, Astra/Zeneca, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Abbott Laboratories

Program Sites. The primary research site is The Cambridge Health Alliance.

Program Director. S. Nassir Ghaemi, M.D.; The Cambridge Health Alliance, 1493 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02139. Phone: 617-665-1612, Fax: 617-665-1623, ghaemi@http://hms.harvard.edu

Contact Person. Klara Rosenquist, B.S. Phone: 617-665-1423, Fax: 617-665-1623, krosenquist@challiance.org

Ghaemi SN, Ko JY, Goodwin FK. The bipolar spectrum and the antidepressant view of the world. Journal of

Psychiatric Practice, 2001;7:287-297.

Ghaemi SN, Lenox MS, Baldessarini RJ. Effectiveness and safety of long-term antidepressant treatment in bipolar

disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2001;62:565-569.

Ghaemi SN, Goodwin FK. Long-term naturalistic treatment of depressive symptoms in bipolar illness with

divalproex vs lithium in the setting of minimal antidepressant use. Journal of Affective Disorders,

2001;65:281-287.

Ghaemi SN. Bipolar disorder and antidepressants: An ongoing controversy. Primary Psychiatry, 2001;8:28-34

Ghaemi SN. New treatments for bipolar disorder: The role of atypical neuroleptic agents. Journal of Clinical

Psychiatry supplement 2000; 61(suppl 14):33-42