The project has involved numerous researchers from institutions around the world. From IDIBAPS, Michele De Prisco, Vincenzo Oliva, Eduard Vieta and Joaquim Radua have played a leading role, together with Corentin J Gosling, from the University of Paris Nanterre, and Marco Solmi, from the University of Ottawa.
Bipolar disorder affects nearly 40 million people worldwide and is associated with a significant personal and social burden. Despite the existence of numerous treatments, the scientific evidence was scattered across hundreds of studies and meta-analyses, often focusing on specific phases of the illness or on particular interventions. This fragmentation makes it difficult for professionals and patients to have an overall view when making therapeutic decisions.
To address this challenge, the research team conducted a review that integrates and evaluates all the evidence from previously published meta-analyses. In total, 77 studies were analysed, including 116 different treatments: pharmacological, psychosocial, neuromodulation, nutraceutical and circadian-based.
From this information, EBI-BD (Evidence-Based Interventions for Bipolar Disorder) was created, a free platform that allows clinicians and patients to explore the available evidence and compare therapeutic options according to their priorities and preferences.
“The aim was to transform a huge amount of scientific information into a useful tool for day-to-day clinical practice. EBI-BD allows you to access to the available evidence quickly and to understand the true robustness of the results”, explains Michele De Prisco, a researcher in the IDIBAPS Bipolar and depressive disorders research group and first author of the study.
According to the authors, the platform can also help improve treatment adherence, once of the main challenges in bipolar disorder. “When people actively participate in decisions about their treatment and have clear, evidence-based information, they are more likely to feel involved in the therapeutic process,”, notes Vincenzo Oliva, also a researcher at IDIBAPS and co-first author of the study.
The team highlights the fact that, as an open-access and free tool, EBI-BD can help reduce inequalities in access to quality information, especially in primary care and in resource-limited settings. Moreover, the generated evidence synthesis could contribute to the development of future international guidelines. They note that the next step will be to evaluate how the platform performs in real-world clinical practice, and what impact it has on shared decision-making and patient outcomes.
Study of reference
Evidence based interventions for bipolar disorder across phases and age groups: living umbrella review, evaluation, analysis, and communication hub (U-REACH) project. Michele De Prisco et al. BMJ 2026; 394 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2026-100216
