Project Summary

Stefanie Berns, Ph.D. (Young Investigator 2005) of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Zucker Hillside Hospital, aims to study the effectiveness of a Palm Pilot-based method to help patients with bipolar disease monitor on a daily basis their symptoms, medication usage, side effects, sleep and other life events impacting their treatment. Self-monitoring of symptoms and drug compliance through a NIMH Life Chart Method (LCM) is a valid method for assessing the course of bipolar disease (BPD), but paper diaries have had limited usefulness. Patients, for example, could fill in at a later time medication usage. Recently, a German research group demonstrated the feasibility of an electronic LCM utilizing Palm Pilots in 50 BPD patients. The method enabled compliance monitoring since entries are time-stamped and data are sent directly into a database. Dr. Berns is working with the German group to develop an English version of the Palm Life Chart, PLC. The proposed project aims to establish PLC’s feasibility and validity. Thirty consenting BPD patients admitted to the Zucker Hillside Day Treatment Program will complete PLC daily for 6 months. Measures of depression, mania, medication adherence and a questionnaire evaluating PLC usefulness will be administered monthly. The treating physician also will be asked to complete a questionnaire regarding PLC usefulness. Study findings will be used to develop a randomized clinical trial to determine PLC efficacy for reducing psychopathology and relapse rates. Dr. Berns also envisions additional applications of the technology as an intervention for improving independent functioning for bipolar disorder and other severely mentally ill populations.

Program Area: MOOD DISORDERS\Bipolar

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