Table I includes the dosing

and most frequently reported adverse events in the abovementioned studies. Table I Selected acute trials in the treatment of pediatric bipolar disorder. DVPX, divalproex Maintenance treatments While bipolar disorder is a chronic condition, little attention has focused on long-term maintenance treatments in youth. In one of the few maintenance trials, Kafantaris et al111 randomized Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical adolescents who had been stabilized on lithium monotherapy for a minimum of 4 weeks to either lithium or placebo for 2 subsequent weeks of treatment. Results showed that there was not a significant difference between treatment groups in rates of symptom exacerbation. Although this study

provides preliminary insights regarding the continued use of lithium in adolescents with mania, definitive conclusions about lithium as a maintenance treatment cannot be determined from these data. Although this was an Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical important trial, methodological limitations included a small sample size, the study’s brevity, and the fact that there was a relatively abrupt discontinuation of lithium over 3 days in those subjects randomized to receive placebo in the discontinuation phase. In another maintenance double Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical -blind trial, the efficacy of lithium or DVPX monotherapy for up to 76 weeks in youths who had been stabilized on combination lithium and DVPX treatment was examined.112 In this study, no difference in length of study enrollment was found between the lithium Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and DVPX sodium treatment groups, with both groups ending the study after a mean of approximately 20 weeks.112 These results appear to indicate that once a patient responds to a combination treatment, discontinuation of one of the agents used in combination therapy may lead to symptom relapse. Psychosocial treatments Favorable results in the treatment of bipolar disorder are not limited to medication

trials. Several Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical psychosocial treatments have shown positive results in the treatment of youth with bipolar disorder. For example, dialectal behavior therapy has been reported to significantly improve suicidally, self-injurious behavior, emotional during dysrcgulation, and depressive symptoms after 1 year of sessions in adolescents diagnosed with a bipolar spectrum disorder currently receiving psychotropic medications.113 In addition, a 21-session adjunctive familyfocused treatment (FFT) that included psychocducation, communication enhancement training, and problem-solving skills training was found to selleck compound decrease depressive symptoms, maniac symptoms, and behavior problems in adolescents with bipolar disorder.114 Moreover, individual family treatment (IFP) and multifamily psychoeducation groups (MFPG) were developed to provide support, psychoeducation, and increase problem-solving and communication skills in families with a child with a mood disorder.