Differential effect of quetiapine and lithium on functional connectivity of the striatum in first episode mania.

Mood disturbances seen in first-episode mania (FEM) are linked to disturbed functional connectivity of the striatum. Lithium and quetiapine are effective treatments for mania but their neurobiological effects remain largely unknown. We conducted a single-blinded randomized controlled maintenance trial in 61 FEM patients and 30 healthy controls.

Cognitive functioning following stabilisation from first episode mania.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine cognitive functioning in people following first-episode mania relative to a demographically similar healthy control group.

Methods: Forty-one patients, who had recently stabilised from a first manic episode, and twenty-one healthy controls, were compared in an extensive cognitive assessment.

Results: First-episode mania participants had significantly lower Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) relative to healthy controls; however, this finding could be driven by premorbid differences in intellectual functioning.

Social and academic premorbid adjustment domains predict different functional outcomes among youth with first episode mania.

Background: Premorbid characteristics may help predict the highly variable functional and illness outcomes of young people with early stage Bipolar Disorder (BD). We sought to examine the relationships between premorbid adjustment and short to medium-term outcomes after a first treated episode of mania.

Methods: We examined the baseline and 18-month follow-up characteristics of 117 participants with first episode of mania, treated at two tertiary early intervention services in Melbourne, Australia.

Quetiapine lithium in the maintenance phase following a first episode of mania: randomised controlled trial.

Lithium and quetiapine are considered standard maintenance agents for bipolar disorder yet it is unclear how their efficacy compares with each other.To investigate the differential effect of lithium and quetiapine on symptoms of depression, mania, general functioning, global illness severity and quality of life in patients with recently stabilised first-episode mania.Maintenance trial of patients with first-episode mania stabilised on a combination of lithium and quetiapine, subsequently randomised to lithium or quetiapine monotherapy (up to 800 mg/day) and followed up for 1 year.