North East patients invited to join trial exploring new treatment for bipolar depression

People living with bipolar disorder in the North East and North Cumbria are being invited to take part in a clinical trial exploring a potential treatment for bipolar depression.

The ASCEnD Trial is investigating the effectiveness of using the antipsychotic medication aripiprazole alongside the antidepressant sertraline to treat people with bipolar disorder who are currently experiencing depression.

The research is funded and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with people across the North East and North Cumbria now being invited to register their interest.

Bipolar disorder can involve periods of depression as well as episodes of elevated mood. During periods of depression, people may experience symptoms including sadness, anxiety, difficulty concentrating or making decisions and losing interest in activities.

Stuart Watson, Clinical Senior Lecturer, Consultant Psychiatrist and Chief Investigator for the study, said depression is common among people living with bipolar disorder and can have a significant impact on their lives.

He said people experiencing bipolar depression can feel hopeless or worthless and may experience thoughts about death or suicide.

Existing treatment options can also cause side effects. The NHS trust highlighted quetiapine as one treatment currently available, but said side effects can include sleepiness and weight gain.

Researchers are therefore investigating whether another combination of medicines could offer an effective alternative.

A previous, smaller trial indicated that combining aripiprazole with an antidepressant could potentially be effective while causing fewer side effects. ASCEnD is a larger trial designed to investigate how well the combination works.

The study is already recruiting participants, with some of those taking part having been identified through the NIHR’s Be Part of Research registry.

One participant said taking part had helped them better understand mental health and mental health medication and had enabled conversations about their own mental health that they had not previously had.

They described their involvement in the research as a positive experience and said they had made significant progress since joining the trial.

People in the North East and North Cumbria who are living with bipolar disorder and currently experiencing depression can find out more about the research and register their interest through Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.

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