​

​

This archived, self-directed learning activity is available for personal viewing.  The program involves a multidisciplinary faculty of clinician researchers from various facilities around the world. 

​

Rationale: 

The introduction of DSM-5 in May 2013 instantiated several conceptual aspects highly relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder. In addition to antidepressant induction of hypo/mania as indicative of an underlying bipolar disorder, the DSM-5 has removed mixed states and supplanted it with the mixed features specifier (MFS).

 

Mixed features have historical, conceptual, nosological, diagnostic and therapeutic implication. For example, for the past two centuries, phenomenological descriptions of mood disorders have fluctuated between categorical and dimensional characterizations. Kraepelin's unitary hypothesis surmised a more dimensional characterization which remained the predominant framework until 1980 and the introduction of the DSM-III. DSM-III balkanized affective disorder into unipolar and bipolar disorders, which turned out to be both organizing, in the sense of imposing categorical constructs, but in many ways compromised clinician's abilities to diagnose and treat.

 

Furthermore, the last two decades have witnessed the introduction of a disparate assortment of treatments including but not limited to psychosocial and pharmacologic capable of symptom mitigation and improved patient reported outcomes in adults with bipolar disorder. The program herein attempts to provide a synthesis of current controversies surrounding the diagnosis of mood disorders along the mood disorder spectrum, as well as provide participants with an up-to-date review of biomarkers and their relevance to the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorders, as well as a summary of evidence-based treatments for individuals presenting with mood disorders along the spectrum.

 

The presentations are provided by three of the leading experts in bipolar disorder and Professors of Psychiatry. Dr. Nassir Ghaemi from Tufts University, Dr. Mark Frye from the Mayo Clinic, and Dr. Roger McIntyre from the University of Toronto Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation.

 

Roger S. McIntyre, Executive Director, Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation (BCDF).