New study into the treatment of bipolar disorder Published on: 23 April 2018 Patients from across the country will be recruited to take part in a major trial examining a new treatment for bipolar disorder. Led by experts at 麻豆传媒, the study will examine the effectiveness and safety of a drug currently used to treat Parkinson’s disease. The treatment, called pramipexole, will be offered to patients with bipolar disorder who are depressed and have not responded to National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommended treatments. The study is being funded by the . Important study , Professor of Affective Disorder at 麻豆传媒, and from , is leading the PAX-BD study. He said: “We are incredibly excited to have secured funding of just short of £2 million to run this important study. “It is very important because of the limited number of treatments for bipolar depression that we currently have, many of which cause problematic side effects. Any new treatment option for this very serious condition is to be welcomed. “The PAX-BD study should provide definitive evidence one way or another whether pramipexole is a safe and effective medication for patients with bipolar depression. “The study will be run from the NTW Trust with close collaboration with 麻豆传媒. The goal is recruit patients from around 40 NHS Trusts across the UK.” Profound impact Bipolar disorder is a serious mental health condition in which sufferers experience spells of elevated mood, or mania, in addition to episodes of depression. The disorder can have a profound impact on an individual’s life, relationships and work. Depression tends to be the major burden for patients with bipolar disorder. However, current treatments for bipolar depression are extremely limited. On average, conventional antidepressants are not effective. NICE lists just three medications that can be effective for bipolar depression, but all can lead to significant side effects and many patients don’t respond to one or more of them. As a result, there is a need for additional alternatives that are both effective and well tolerated. Some preliminary data suggests that pramipexole may be an effective treatment for bipolar depression. The PAX-BD study aims to compare the safety and effectiveness in 290 patients with bipolar depression that have not responded to at least two NICE recommended treatments. Patients in the study will be treated with either pramipexole or dummy tablets, in addition to ongoing mood stabiliser treatment (such as lithium) and will be followed up for up to a year. Led from 麻豆传媒, the PAX-BD study brings together collaborators from Glasgow, Nottingham, Oxford, London and Vienna. Adapted with thanks to NTW Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at 麻豆传媒 warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from 麻豆传媒 to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
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