Catch up on the latest news from the BDRN team. You can also read our latest newsletter.
World Mental Health Day is observed on 10th October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilising efforts in support of mental health (World Health Organisation). This year we are delighted to launch a new video about one of our current research projects, True Colours, Read More …
During the Covid-19 pandemic I have continued to work on my PhD research exploring relationships between physical activity, inactivity, and mood in people living with bipolar disorder. I am now doing this alongside working in the NHS as a mental health practitioner in Scotland. Thank you again to all the participants who took part in Read More …
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic hundreds of BDRN participants have continued to provide weekly mood ratings using the BDRN True Colours weekly online mood monitoring tool. We are now analysing the data which will provide a unique and detailed picture of mood changes over time among individuals with mood disorders during the pandemic. We will also Read More …
In May 2020, one of our BDRN research team members, Dr Katie Lewis received the news that she was awarded a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship. This scheme offers recently qualified postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to start independent research careers, working in some of the best research environments in the world. During her fellowship, Katie Read More …
Our university campuses are closed but the BDRN team has managed to carry on working throughout the pandemic…thanks to email, phone and video-conferencing. Like so many others we have been working remotely for 3 months now, which continues to be successful despite the challenges. We all meet together via video at least once every week, Read More …
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues BDRN True Colours is monitoring the impact of the crisis on individuals with mood disorders, many of whom will be faced with a number of challenges during this difficult period. Many BDRN participants are currently monitoring their mood with the True Colours weekly online mood monitoring tool as part of Read More …
A number of previous research studies have shown higher rates alcohol abuse and dependence among individuals with bipolar disorder compared to the general population. Little however is known about alcohol use more widely among individuals with the disorder. In a recently published study we examined patterns of lifetime heaviest average weekly alcohol consumption levels in Read More …
Sleep problems are common in people who have bipolar disorder, but recent research suggests sleep plays a different role depending on which type of bipolar disorder a person has (i.e. bipolar type 1 or type 2). We therefore investigated whether people with different bipolar disorder subtypes differed in their genetic risk for different sleep characteristics. Read More …
Our research group has spent many years investigating the factors associated with the occurrence of mood episodes in the period following childbirth (postpartum) among women with mood disorders. In a recent published study of 50 women with bipolar disorder, we compared the symptom profiles of episodes of mania that occurred following childbirth to a comparison Read More …
In these unprecedented times, today on World Bipolar Day, the BDRN team is thinking of all of those individuals throughout the world living with bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions who will be profoundly affected at this very difficult time. We were planning local community events to mark today but instead we are writing Read More …
