Links about Bipolar and Related Disorders

Christiaan Tonnis, Virginia Woolf,1998 [CC BY-SA 2.0]

Scientific Societies/Associations/Organizations

International Society for Bipolar Disorders   The mission of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) is to foster international collaboration in education, research and clincal care to improve the lives of those with bipolar disorder and related conditions. The intent of this collaboration is to advance the treatment of bipolar disorders and to improve outcomes and the quality of life for those living with bipolar disorder and their caregivers. ISBD was launched in Pittsburgh, PA, USA on June 17, 1999 by Dr. David Kupfer, Founding President, and Dr. Ellen Frank.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, USA   The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) is a leading national organization focusing on mood disorders including depression and bipolar disorder, which affect over 21 million Americans, account for over 50% of the nation’s suicides every year, and cost $23 billion in lost workdays and other workplace losses. DBSA offers peer-based, wellness-oriented support and empowering services and resources available when people need them, where they need them, and how they need to receive them—online 24/7, in local support groups, in audio and video casts, or in printed materials distributed by DBSA, our chapters, and mental health care facilities across America. Through our extensive online and print resources and our nearly 600 support groups and more than 200 chapters, DBSA reaches millions of people each year with in-person and online peer support; current, readily understandable information about depression and bipolar disorder; and empowering tools focused on an integrated approach to wellness.

Bipolar UK   Since our formation in the early 1980’s, we’ve had a proud tradition of supporting everyone affected by bipolar. In 2011, we publicly consulted on key strategic planning issues. The phenomenal response led to the development of a new five-year strategy, five-year strategy and a new charity name – Bipolar UK. Alongside our service delivery work, we have also raised public awareness and understanding of bipolar and its effects. Two notable successes have been working with King’s College London to conduct research into Advance Choice Documents, which influenced the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act and research into the role of digital technology in self-management, which resulted in our prototype chatbot and Zoom peer support groups being created.

International Bipolar Foundation   The International Bipolar Foundation (IBPF), formerly known as California Bipolar Foundation, was founded in June 2007 in San Diego, California by four parents with children affected by bipolar disorder. Well aware of the trauma that bipolar disorder causes for consumers and their families, these parents felt compelled to do something constructive to help. 

Research Institutes/Centers/Labs

Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program @ the University of Michigan   The Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program’s goals are to discover the fundamental biological changes that cause bipolar disorder and develop new interventions to treat and prevent the illness. This is done through the study of the longitudinal course of the illness in people who are diagnosed with bipolar. Research involves biology (including genetics), clinical, and environmental features. Bipolar disorder has a biological foundation, and is influenced by personal, social and environmental surroundings. An integrated research approach is needed in order to understand the individual with the disease.

Bipolar Disorder Research Center @ MUSC   Dr. Jim Prisciandaro and the Bipolar Disorder Research Center at MUSC use multimodal neuroimaging techniques (e.g., Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy [1H-MRS], functional MR Imaging [fMRI]) to help us better understand the neurobiology of Bipolar Disorder, along with co-occurring substance use/abuse and other related conditions, and to investigate the potential therapeutic promise and neurobiological mechanisms of treatments for patients with Bipolar Disorder.

Stanley Medical Research Institute   The Stanley Medical Research Institute (SMRI) is a nonprofit organization supporting research on the causes of, and treatments for, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Since it began in 1989, SMRI has supported more than $550 million in research in over 30 countries.

Bipolar Disorder Research Network (UK)   Bipolar Disorder Research Network (BDRN) is the largest individual network of individuals with bipolar disorder and related mood disorders in the world. Over 7500 people from all over the UK who have bipolar disorder or unipolar depression have now taken part in our studies and continue to help us with our ongoing research through the network. The overall aim of our research, supported by the Wellcome Trust and Stanley Medical Research Institute, is to find out more about the causes of bipolar disorder and related mood disorders, such as unipolar depression, schizoaffective disorder and postpartum psychosis.

Friedman Brain Institute, Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder @ the Icahn School of Medicine   Psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, disturb particularly human aspects of perception and cognition.  The overall burden of suffering for patients, their families, and society is huge. These disorders have proven resistant to the best neurobiological and genetic experimental strategies – and many of the key issues that could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment are still not understood. But there is now growing cause for optimism. In the last decade, we have moved from knowing nothing about the types and number of genetic loci involved in these diseases to having a substantial understanding of their genetic risk factors.  At Mount Sinai, we have assembled a diverse team of both basic and clinical researchers to translate these research findings into clinical care.