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Review
. 2020 Dec 14:8:2050312120981178.
doi: 10.1177/2050312120981178. eCollection 2020.

COVID-19: Implications for bipolar disorder clinical care and research

Siqi Xue  1 , M Ishrat Husain  1   2 , Abigail Ortiz  1   2 , M Omair Husain  1   2 , Zafiris J Daskalakis  1   2 , Benoit H Mulsant  1   2
Affiliations
Review

COVID-19: Implications for bipolar disorder clinical care and research

Siqi Xue et al. SAGE Open Med. .

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to health care globally, and individuals with bipolar disorder are likely disproportionally affected. Based on review of literature and collective clinical experience, we discuss that without special intervention, individuals with bipolar disorder will experience poorer physical and mental health outcomes due to interplay of patient, provider and societal factors. Some risk factors associated with bipolar disorder, including irregular social rhythms, risk-taking behaviours, substantial medical comorbidities, and prevalent substance use, may be compounded by lockdowns, social isolation and decrease in preventive and maintenance care. We further discuss implications for clinical research of bipolar disorders during the pandemic. Finally, we propose mitigation strategies on working with individuals with bipolar disorder in a clinical and research context, focusing on digital medicine strategies to improve quality of and accessibility to service.

Keywords: Bipolar disorder; coronavirus infections; pandemics.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: M.I.H. reports grants from Stanley Medical Research Institute during the conduct of the study, personal fees from COMPASS Pathways Limited, grants from PSI Foundation and grants from Brain and Behavior Research Foundation outside the submitted work, and was previously appointed as Member, Board of Trustees of Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning. Z.J.D. reports research and equipment in-kind support in the last 5 years for an investigator-initiated study through Brainsway Inc and Magventure Inc. His work is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), Brain Canada and the Temerty Family and Grant Family and through the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation and the Campbell Institute. BHM reports research financial support from Brain Canada, CAMH Foundation, CIHR, and US National Institutes of Health; nonfinancial support from Pfizer (medication for an NIH-funded trial), Eli Lilly (medication and matching placebo for an NIH-funded trial), Capital Solution Design LLC (software for a trial funded by the CAMH Foundation), and HAPPYneuron (software for a trial funded by Brain Canada). He directly owns shares of General Electric (less than $5000).

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