Brain Regulation of Emotions and Thoughts – Parents with Bipolar Disorder

STUDY BASICS

Do you have bipolar disorder? Are you the parent of a child 10-15 years old? If so, you and your child may be able to take part in a research study to help learn more about emotions and memory in children and adolescents. Compensation provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

Bipolar disorder is an illness that causes extreme mood changes from manic episodes of very high energy to the extreme lows of depression. It is also called manic-depressive disorder. Bipolar disorder tends to run in families, which means that children with a parent or sibling who has bipolar disorder are much more likely to develop the disorder than those who do not. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between memory, emotion, and mood in children and adolescents at risk for bipolar disorder. Researchers hope their findings will lead to better ways to identify and prevent the onset of bipolar disorder in at-risk youth.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Adult diagnosed with bipolar disorder
• Parent of a child who is: - 10-15 years old - Right-handed - Willing and able to undergo fMRI scanning - NOT diagnosed of any of the following: bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or autism spectrum disorder

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

Participation involves 2 study visits. During a 1-2 hour baseline visit, your child will be asked to answer questions and the researchers will confirm that a parent or sibling has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Your child will also be asked to come back for a 2-3 hour study visit to undergo a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scan, an imaging technique for measuring brain function. fMRI is non-invasive and does not involve radiation. During the scan, your child will be asked to complete questionnaires about his or her mood and behaviors.