[Affective disorders, antipsychotics and mood stabilizers: Therapeutic innovations]

Management of bipolar disorder has undergone many revisions in recent years as new agents and treatments have been developed and studied with variable success. In conjunction with the advent of novel therapies and indications, there has been an increase in the understanding of the phenomenology and neurobiology of bipolar disorder that has made the classification and management of the illness necessarily more sophisticated. However, there remains a significant delay of 8 years in detecting and diagnosing bipolar disorder, and a further need to improve treatments. However, this paper has emphasized the need to be aware of recent advances and the emerging uses of new pharmacological treatments in the management of bipolar disorder. It has also highlighted the need for tailoring management to the individual. In particular, the successful treatment of bipolar disorder requires achieving prophylaxis and preventing relapse. In this regard, maintenance therapy is of paramount importance, and thus the tolerability of agents needs to be considered throughout treatment and should be factored into all management decisions. At the centre is the individual with bipolar disorder and the need to maintain a healthy therapeutic relationship. However, it is important to note that the evidence synthesized in this paper serves only as a guide to the management of bipolar disorder and that, in clinical practice, all treatment recommendations require contextual interpretation, the consideration of local factors and the consultation of additional resources.