People in the North East and North Cumbria living with bipolar and currently experiencing depression are being invited to take part in a clinical trial.

The ASCEnD Trial is looking at how effective a combination of the drugs aripiprazole and sertraline combination is for treating bipolar depression. The trial is funded and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Some of the research participants recruited so far were found through the NIHR’s Be Part of Research registry.

Stuart Watson, a Clinical Senior Lecturer and Consultant Psychiatrist who is the Chief Investigator for the study, explains:

“Depression is common in people living with bipolar. They may feel very sad or anxious, have trouble concentrating or making decisions, and lose interest in almost all activities. It can leave people feeling hopeless or worthless, even thinking about death or suicide.

“At the moment, there aren’t many treatment options available for people with bipolar experiencing this. The treatments that are available, such as the drug quetiapine, often come with side effects that really affect people’s day-to-day life and health - like feeling sleepy all the time, and gaining weight. 

“That’s why it’s so important to explore better treatment options. 

“A previous smaller trial suggested that a combination of the antipsychotic medication aripiprazole taken with an antidepressant might be an effective treatment, with fewer side effects.

“The ASCEnD Trial is a larger trial to see if this combination works well.”

"Participating has made me understand mental health, and mental health medication, much more than I had in the past. 

“I have had conversations about my mental health which I have never had before I started the trial. 

“[It] has been a very positive experience for me, and I have come so far since starting the trial when I felt lost and not heard. I have had a great first experience of mental health research."

Find out more and register your interest in the trial