What we learn about bipolar disorder from large-scale neuroimaging: Findings and future directions from the ENIGMA Bipolar Disorder Working Group

ENIGMA Bipolar Disorder Working Group, Orwa Dandash, Udo Dannlowski, Giuseppe Delvecchio, Ana M. Díaz-Zuluaga, Danai Dima, Édouard Duchesnay, Torbjørn Elvsåshagen, Scott C. Fears, Sophia Frangou, Janice M. Fullerton, David C. Glahn, Jose M. Goikolea, Melissa J. Green, Dominik Grotegerd, Oliver Gruber, Bartholomeus C. M. Haarman, Chantal Henry, Fleur M. Howells, Victoria Ives-DeliperiAndreas Jansen, Tilo T. J. Kircher, Christian Knöchel, Bernd Kramer, Beny Lafer, Carlos López-Jaramillo, Rodrigo Machado-Vieira, Bradley J. MacIntosh, Elisa M. T. Melloni, Philip B. Mitchell, Igor Nenadic, Fabiano Nery, Allison C. Nugent, Viola Oertel, Roel A. Ophoff, Miho Ota, Bronwyn J. Overs, Daniel L. Pham, Mary L. Phillips, Julian A. Pineda-Zapata, Sara Poletti, Mircea Polosan, Edith Pomarol-Clotet, Arnaud Pouchon, Yann Quidé, Maria M. Rive, Gloria Roberts, Raymond Salvador, Salvador Sarró, Theodore D. Satterthwaite, Aart H. Schene, Kang Sim, Jair C. Soares, Michael Stäblein, Dan J. Stein, Christian K. Tamnes, Georgios V. Thomaidis, Cristian Vargas Upegui, Michèle Wessa, Lars T. Westlye, Heather C. Whalley, Daniel H. Wolf, Mon-Ju Wu, Lakshmi N. Yatham, Carlos A. Zarate, Paul M. Thompson, Ole A. Andreassen

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleAcademicpeer-review

53 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

MRI-derived brain measures offer a link between genes, the environment and behavior and have been widely studied in bipolar disorder (BD). However, many neuroimaging studies of BD have been underpowered, leading to varied results and uncertainty regarding effects. The Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Bipolar Disorder Working Group was formed in 2012 to empower discoveries, generate consensus findings and inform future hypothesis-driven studies of BD. Through this effort, over 150 researchers from 20 countries and 55 institutions pool data and resources to produce the largest neuroimaging studies of BD ever conducted. The ENIGMA Bipolar Disorder Working Group applies standardized processing and analysis techniques to empower large-scale meta- and mega-analyses of multimodal brain MRI and improve the replicability of studies relating brain variation to clinical and genetic data. Initial BD Working Group studies reveal widespread patterns of lower cortical thickness, subcortical volume and disrupted white matter integrity associated with BD. Findings also include mapping brain alterations of common medications like lithium, symptom patterns and clinical risk profiles and have provided further insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of BD. Here we discuss key findings from the BD working group, its ongoing projects and future directions for large-scale, collaborative studies of mental illness.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)56-82
Number of pages27
JournalHuman brain mapping
Volume43
Issue number1
Early online date2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2022

Keywords

  • ENIGMA
  • MRI
  • bipolar disorder
  • cortical surface area
  • cortical thickness
  • mega-analysis
  • meta-analysis
  • neuroimaging
  • psychiatry
  • volume

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