Bipolar disorder is a complex psychiatric condition with pleomorphic presentations, varied course and high comorbidity. While several options are available for treating mania and preventing mania, many challenges remain in providing optimal outcomes for patients with bipolar disorder. For instance, treatment options continue to be limited for treating acute depressive symptoms in patients with bipolar I and bipolar II disorder and few proven strategies are available for preventing relapse of depressive episodes. Similarly, while cognitive impairment is common and impacts functioning in patients with BD, no proven treatments exist for improving cognition in BD. Comorbidities are common in bipolar disorder, and there is limited data to guide management of such patients. Finally, prevention of mood episodes in patients at high risk for BD remain unexplored. This presentation will review these challenges and suggest some strategies to advance the field.
Chairperson: Chay Hoon Tan, Singapore