Targeting Cognition in Bipolar Disorder

There are no clinically available treatments for cognitive impairments in bipolar disorder despite intense research interest into novel treatments and a pressing clinical need for cognition treatments to improve prognosis, enhance functional recovery and reduce societal costs. The lack of effective treatments is partially due to major methodological challenges in the field.

The objectives of the task force are therefore to create:

For researchers: Guidance for the methodology and design of cognition trials in bipolar disorder based on the methodological lessons learnt from extant cognition trials.
For clinicians: Clinical recommendations on how to address cognitive impairments in the clinical management of bipolar disorder.
For patients: Patient booklet with information about the nature of cognitive impairments in bipolar disorder and a practical guide on how to facilitate cognitive capacity (sleep, alcohol, breaks, etc.) and for how to compensate for the cognitive problems in daily life.

Leads

Smiling woman portrait in a black blazer and white blouse, outdoors with blurred greenery in the background.

Kamilla Miskowiak,
Denmark

Members of Task Force

Vicent Balanzá, Spain

Christopher Bowie, Canada

Kate Burdick, USA

Andre Carvalho, Canada

Caterina del Mar Bonnin, Spain

Annemiek Dols, Netherlands

Flag of New Zealand showing the Union Jack in the upper left and four red stars with white borders on a blue field (Southern Cross).

Katie Douglas, New Zealand

Flag of the United Kingdom (Union Jack) with red, white, and blue cross design across a blue field.

Peter Gallagher, UK

Swiss flag: white cross centered on a red field.

Gregor Hasler, Switzerland

Lars Kessing, Denmark

Hanne Kjaerstad, Denmark

Flag of Brazil: green field with a yellow diamond, blue globe of stars, and a curved white band reading Ordem e Progresso.

Benny Lafer, Brazil

K. Eve Lewandowski, USA

Flag of Colombia: yellow top half with blue and red stripes below (three horizontal stripes).

Carlos Lopez-Jaramillo, Colombia

Anabel Martinez-Aran, Spain

Roger McIntyre, Canada

Richard Porter, New Zealand

Scot Purdon, Canada

Ayal Schaffer, Canada

Paul Stokes, UK

Solid red circle centered on a white background.

Tomiki Sumiyoshi, Japan

Ivan Torres, Canada

Dimosthenis Tsapekos, UK

Australian flag: blue field with Union Jack in the canton, a large white Commonwealth Star, and the Southern Cross constellation of white stars on the right.

Tamsyn Van Rheenen, Australia

Eduard Vieta, Spain

Lakshmi Yatham, Canada

Allan Young, UK

Jeff Zarp, Denmark

Task Force Updates

Publications:

2025

D.Tsapekos, M.Kalfas, J. M.Schandorff, et al., “Predicting Response to Pro-Cognitive Interventions in Mood Disorders: A Systematic Review by the International Society for Bipolar Disorders Targeting Cognition Task Force,” Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (2025): 1–28.

2024

Miskowiak KW, Obel ZK, Guglielmo R, et al. Efficacy and safety of established and off-label ADHD drug therapies for cognitive impairment or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in bipolar disorder: A systematic review by the ISBD Targeting Cognition Task Force. Bipolar Disord. 2024;26:216-239.

2022

Miskowiak KW, Seeberg I, Jensen MB, et al. Randomised controlled cognition trials in remitted patients with mood disorders published between 2015 and 2021: A systematic review by the International Society for Bipolar Disorders Targeting Cognition Task Force. Bipolar Disord. 2022;24:354–374.

2019

Miskowiak KW, Seeberg I, Kjaerstad HL, et al. Affective cognition in bipolar disorder: A systematic review by the ISBD targeting cognition task force. Bipolar Disord. 2019;21:686–719.