People in the North East can now take part in a groundbreaking trial offering hope for patients with mental health conditions that currently have few real treatment options. The ASCEnD trial is testing a combination of antipsychotic medication and the common antidepressant sertraline for those with bipolar disorder and depression.
Combination therapy under study
The trial is part-funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It follows a smaller study suggesting that combining the antipsychotic aripiprazole with an antidepressant could be effective, with fewer side effects than existing treatments.
Dr Stuart Watson, a consultant psychiatrist and the study's chief investigator, said depression is common in people living with bipolar. He explained that current treatments, such as quetiapine, often come with side effects that really affect day-to-day life and health, like feeling sleepy all the time and gaining weight.
Patient experiences
One participant said: "Participating has made me understand mental health, and mental health medication, much more than I had in the past. I have had conversations about my mental health which I have never had before I started the trial. It has been a very positive experience for me, and I have come so far since starting the trial when I felt lost and not heard."
People across the North East and North Cumbria may be able to come forward to be involved in the trial. To find out more, visit ascendtrial.co.uk.
