New Pharmacologic Approaches to the Treatment of Bipolar Depression.
Drugs July 1, 2023 Kamyar Keramatian, Trisha Chakrabarty, Anais DuBow et al. 19 citations
Depression is the most common and disabling mood state in bipolar disorder, yet few effective treatments exist. This review covers emerging therapies, including new atypical antipsychotics lumateperone and cariprazine, which have shown efficacy in large placebo-controlled trials. Non-racemic amisulpride showed potential in one trial needing replication. Intravenous ketamine demonstrated rapid antidepressant and anti-suicidal effects after a single infusion in three small trials. Anti-inflammatory and mitochondrial modulators have inconsistent evidence. Zuranolone, psilocybin, and cannabidiol lack adequately powered trials. While novel agents are on the horizon, further validation and study of patient subgroups are needed.