Emerging options in the treatment of bipolar disorders

Bipolar disorder is a common and severe condition, and has a clinical outco me that is frequently sub-optimal. Only a small number of therapeutic optio ns are currently available for the disorder. A growing range of novel thera peutic options for the treatment of bipolar disorder are under investigatio n. These include the anticonvulsants, atypical antipsychotics and options s uch as the omega-3 fatty acids and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Of th e anticonvulsants, lamotrigine. is currently the agent for which the greate st amount of controlled clinical data is accumulating, particularly in the depressed and rapid cycling phases of the illness. Olanzapine is currently the atypical antipsychotic with the largest body of evidence in mania, alth ough data is emerging on other atypical antipsychotics including risperidon e and ziprasidone. Data regarding the atypical agents in other phases of th e illness are awaited. The options available for this difficult to treat co ndition is increasing with the new range of agents.