Recruiting

Building an early warning system for bipolar disorder in at-risk youth

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What is this trial?

Researchers want to understand which young people are most likely to develop bipolar disorder and catch it as early as possible. This study will follow about 1,200 children and teenagers—some whose parents have bipolar disorder, some showing early warning signs, and some who are healthy—for up to 10 years. By collecting information about their brain health, genes, sleep patterns, thinking abilities, and life experiences, scientists hope to create a prediction model that identifies who needs help before symptoms become severe.

Bipolar disorder is a serious condition that causes severe problems with mood, thinking, and daily life, but right now doctors have a hard time spotting it early. Research shows that catching bipolar disorder and starting treatment as soon as possible—even before full symptoms appear—leads to much better outcomes. This study exists to figure out the warning signs and develop tools doctors can use to catch the condition early and prevent it from becoming worse.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are between 6 and 18 years old
you are the child of a parent diagnosed with bipolar disorder, OR you have been diagnosed with atypical depression, OR you are a healthy young person
you and your parent(s) can sign a consent form agreeing to participate
if you are a high-risk child, your parent's bipolar disorder diagnosis was confirmed by two or more senior psychiatric doctors
if you have atypical depression, two or more senior doctors have confirmed your diagnosis

You likely don't qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder
you have other serious mental health conditions beyond atypical depression
you have severe physical diseases like kidney disease, liver disease, or nervous system disease
you have signs of substance abuse or recently had electroconvulsive therapy
you have a family history of psychiatric illness (if you are in the healthy control group)

What participation looks like

If you join, you'll be part of a long-term study where researchers collect different types of information about you over 10 years using an online mental health platform. You'll complete assessments that include clinical interviews, cognitive tests, brain imaging scans, sleep monitoring, and measurements of eye movement and facial expressions. The study involves regular check-ins and follow-ups, but the exact schedule will depend on which group you're in.

Building an early warning system for bipolar disorder in at-risk youth

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(1 site)