Page 44 - Best Chapter Spring 2017

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“Bipolar is one of the most highly genetic disorders to manage their illness compared to patients who
of all time,” Dr. McElroy said. “It co-occurs with monitor their moods with an app alone. The study,
virtually every other psychiatric disorder. We call Dr. McElroy hopes, will show that feedback is

it the Rosetta Stone of psychiatry—meaning if critically important to monitoring bipolar disorder
we better understand bipolar disorder, it could and is more effective than information alone.

help us better understand many other psychiatric Results of the study were still unknown at the time
conditions.” of publication.

The Research Institute at Lindner Center of HOPE Such research is leading the way to a new era
focuses on treatments and therapies much larger of patient care that equips individuals suffering
than medications or drugs. The team explores from mental disorders to manage their disorders
different types of therapies and practices that could independently. The research is also opening up
improve patient outcomes. Dr. McElroy and her an entire world of interconnectivity between

team recently concluded a study on various methods disorders—helping clinicians, patients, families and
of self-monitoring of people with bipolar. caregivers understand how one mental disorder

can lead to others and where to begin uncovering

“We believe that the layers of these
the more We teach “We call it the Rosetta Stone of psychiatry— C0-Occurring
96°91‘? and enable meaning if we better understand bipolar °°“di”°“S f°r
them to self- treatment. For
menttet, the better disorder, it could help us better understand e,etmp1e, an

they can manage many other psychiatric conditions.” exciting and

their illness,” Dr. groundbreaking
McElroy said. area of research is in the connectivity between

obesity and mental illness.

The findings are not finalized, but the study sought

to show that when people are able to monitor their “Obesity is an epidemic in our society, and we’ve
moods and emotions with a computer program done research in the past decade that shows a strong
that provides feedback and options on how to connection between obesity and mental illness,”
handle their moods, the participants are better able Dr. McElroy said. “Both conditions are highly

44 BEST CI IAPTER