Decoding Emotional Dynamics in Bipolar Disorder (NCT07221864)
Decoding Emotional Dynamics Driving Mood Instability in Bipolar Disorder
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
The goal of this neuroimaging study is to investigate how emotional states fluctuate in people with bipolar disorder (BD) compared to healthy controls, and to understand the neural mechanisms driving mood instability. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can emotional states be decoded from fMRI brain activity using machine learning? * Do individuals with BD show more unstable emotional state trajectories (e.g., high metastability, low fractal scaling) than healthy controls? * Does amplifying positive emotions stabilize brain and emotional dynamics in BD? Researchers will compare individuals with bipolar disorder (BD-I or BD-II, currently depressed or mixed state) to healthy controls without psychiatric history to see whether the BD group shows greater fluctuations in emotional brain activity and whether positive emotion regulation strategies normalize this instability. Participants will: * Complete self-report questionnaires on mood, emotion regulation, anxiety, and daily functioning. * Recall and provide short descriptions of personal positive and negative memories to be used in the MRI task. * Undergo fMRI scanning, including: * Resting-state scans * A Think and Regulate Affective States Task (TReAT) where they recall autobiographical memories, rate emotions, and practice amplifying positive mood. * Structural and diffusion MRI for brain mapping. * Receive physiological monitoring (heart rate, respiration) during scanning. * Complete post-scan surveys on emotional state and task experience. This research will help clarify how the brain supports or disrupts emotional regulation in bipolar disorder and may inform the development of personalized, neurobiologically informed treatments for mood instability.
Who can join: Review the eligibility criteria below.
Location: Laureate Institute for Brain Research — Tulsa, Oklahoma
Age range: 18 Years to 65 Years
🧪 Interventions in This Study
- Think and Regulate Affective State Task (BEHAVIORAL)
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistFull eligibility criteria are available on the official NIH protocol. View the criteria ↗
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research — Tulsa, Oklahoma
📞 Contact the Study Coordinator
Phone: (918) 502-5137
Email: mmisaki@laureateinstitute.org
Coordinator details come directly from the registered NIH protocol. Confirm the study is still recruiting before traveling.
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
Explore by condition: All Bipolar Disorder I or II clinical trials
💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Contact the study coordinator using the phone/email above.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.