Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Lisdexamfetamine for Bipolar Depression

There have been reports that stimulants may be effective for bipolar depression without
triggering mania. This study will examine whether lisdexamfetamine can improve depressive
symptoms over the course of eight weeks. Lisdexamfetamine is a prodrug stimulant that is
currently approved for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Participants take
the study drug or placebo in addition to a mood stabilizer. The study includes functional
magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine whether the
medication alters the response to affective stimuli or glutamate, glutamine, or GABA levels.
Neuropsychological testing is also included to determine whether the study drug improves
memory and attention in this population. The primary hypothesis is that lisdexamfetamine is
clinically effective in this population. The secondary hypothesis is that it will result in
an increased response to affective stimuli and altered neurotransmitter levels in the
anterior cingulate cortex.