Aripiprazole in Late Life Bipolar Disorder

The purpose of this research study is to analyze the effectiveness and tolerability of a new medication, aripiprazole (Abilify), in individuals age 50 years and older who have bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness).

While medications such as valproate (Depakote and others) and lithium are generally considered first-line agents in late life bipolar disorder, side effects are common, and many individuals with bipolar disorder continue to have symptoms in spite of medication treatment. A continuing unmet need is the availability of medications that are generally well- tolerated and effective in later life bipolar disorders. Antipsychotic medications such as Abilify are known to be effective for related conditions such as schizophrenia and are also used by some physicians in clinical settings in combination with mood stabilizing medications (Lithium, Depakote and others) to treat symptoms of bipolar disorder. Currently Abilify is approved by the FDA to treat schizophrenia and to treat bipolar disorder.