BACKGROUND: The Stanley Foundation Bipolar Network (SFBN) was created to address the paucity of help studies in bipolar illness. AIMS: To describe the rationale and methods of the SFBN. METHOD: The SFBN includes five core sites and a number of affiliated sites that have adopted consistent methodology for continuous longitudinal monitoring of patients. Open and controlled studies are performed as patients' symptomatology dictates. RESULTS: The reliability of SFBN raters and the validity of the rating instruments have been established. More than 500 patients are in continuous daily longitudinal follow-up. More than 125 have been randomised to one of three of the newer antidepressants (bupropion, sertraline and venlafaxine) as adjuncts in a study of mood stabilizers and 93 to omega-3 fatty acids. A number of open clinical case series have been published. CONCLUSIONS: Well-characterised patients are followed in a detailed continuous longitudinal fashion in both opportunistic case series and double-blind, randomised controlled trials with reliable and validated measures.
BACKGROUND: The Stanley Foundation Bipolar Network (SFBN) was created to address the paucity of help studies in bipolar illness. AIMS: To describe the rationale and methods of the SFBN. METHOD: The SFBN includes five core sites and a number of affiliated sites that have adopted consistent methodology for continuous longitudinal monitoring of patients. Open and controlled studies are performed as patients' symptomatology dictates. RESULTS: The reliability of SFBN raters and the validity of the rating instruments have been established. More than 500 patients are in continuous daily longitudinal follow-up. More than 125 have been randomised to one of three of the newer antidepressants (bupropion, sertraline and venlafaxine) as adjuncts in a study of mood stabilizers and 93 to omega-3 fatty acids. A number of open clinical case series have been published. CONCLUSIONS: Well-characterised patients are followed in a detailed continuous longitudinal fashion in both opportunistic case series and double-blind, randomised controlled trials with reliable and validated measures.
Authors: Robert M Post; Lori L Altshuler; Gabriele S Leverich; Willem A Nolen; Ralph Kupka; Heinz Grunze; Mark A Frye; Trisha Suppes; Susan L McElroy; Paul E Keck; Mike Rowe Journal: Prim Care Companion CNS Disord Date: 2014-12-18
Authors: Ute Kessler; Arne E Vaaler; Helle Schøyen; Ketil J Oedegaard; Per Bergsholm; Ole A Andreassen; Ulrik F Malt; Gunnar Morken Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2010-02-23 Impact factor: 3.630
Authors: Anne Berghöfer; Martin Alda; Mazda Adli; Christopher Baethge; Michael Bauer; Tom Bschor; Paul Grof; Bruno Müller-Oerlinghausen; Janusz K Rybakowski; Alexandra Suwalska; Andrea Pfennig Journal: Int J Bipolar Disord Date: 2013-07-31
Authors: Erin E Michalak; Rachelle Hole; James D Livingston; Greg Murray; Sagar V Parikh; Sara Lapsley; Sally McBride Journal: Int J Ment Health Syst Date: 2012-09-10
Authors: Ute Kessler; Helle K Schoeyen; Ole A Andreassen; Geir E Eide; Åsa Hammar; Ulrik F Malt; Ketil J Oedegaard; Gunnar Morken; Kjetil Sundet; Arne E Vaaler Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2013-04-04 Impact factor: 3.630