BALANCE and BALANCE 2

- randomised clinical trials of treatments for bipolar disorder.

BALANCE is a trial of treatment for prevention of manic and depressive relapses.

The trial compared lithium and valproate combination treatment with lithium treatment and with valproate treatment respectively.

The results of the trial are now availble.

Click here for the report.

In September 2010 the BALANCE trial was chosen as Dr Ghaemi's Top Paper of the Year in the Psychiatric Times.

BALANCE 2 was a pilot study conducted as part of the development of a trial of treatment for bipolar depression.

The pilot study, which compared Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) with lamotrigine, was completed in September 2006.

CEQUEL, a large-scale trial of current treatment for bipolar depression began in 2008.

BALANCE is funded by the Stanley Medical Research Institute, a leading US mental health charity.