Brief report International prescribing patterns for mood illness: The international mood network (IMN) Sivan Mauer a , Rami Alahmari a , Paul A. Vo hringer a,b , Derick E. Vergne a , H. Lo vdahl c , E. Correa b , A. Patkar d , C. Pae e , S. Strejilevich f , S. Dalley a , S. Nassir Ghaemi a,g,n a Mood Disorders Program, Tufts Medical Center; Tufts University Medical School, Boston, MA, USA b Departamento de Psiquiatria, Hospital Clinico Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile c Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway d Duke University, Durham, NC, USA e Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea f Favoloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina g Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA article info Article history: Received 19 May 2014 Accepted 23 May 2014 Available online 2 June 2014 Keywords: Mood disorders Database Psychotropic drugs Prescriptions International Patterns abstract Objective: To show the feasibility of creating an international network that will build a common database for mood disorders research, and to present initial data on prescribing patterns worldwide. Methods: An international research database was organized with clinicians and researchers actively treating mood disorders. Participating sites were asked to provide data on 10–50 subjects initially. This work was conducted under the auspices of a committee with representatives from North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Data was pooled from multiple sites using a centralized online system and then analyzed. Each site received IRB approval for its participation in the IMN and the Tufts Medical Center IRB provided approval for the entire project. Limitations: More than half of the population came from one country (United States) and there is the possibility of cultural bias. Results: Among the 186 subjects enrolled in the IMN, a majority of subjects were prescribed mood stabilizers including lithium (64%), lamotrigine (37%), valproate (31%), and carbamazepine (3%). 79% had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder type I, II or NOS and 21% had a diagnosis of MDD. 81% of subjects used antidepressants at some point. 25% experienced antidepressant-induced mania and 26% had antidepressant-related rapid cycling. Mood stabilizers were prescribed more in Europe (86%), neurolep- tics in South America (70%), and antidepressants in Asia (58%). Conclusions: The results confirm the diversity and feasibility of an international mood disorders database. Important regional differences in psychotropic drug treatment of mood illnesses were observed, with more mood stabilizer use in Europe and South America, and more antidepressant use in non-European populations. & 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V. 1. Introduction Psychotropic drug prescribing for mood illnesses is variable within and between countries. Few studies have sought to document varia- tions in treatment for depression and bipolar illness. In this report, we describe the formation of a new multicenter international research collaboration, the International Mood Network (IMN). This paper addresses the feasibility of constructing a large mood disorders cohort, with internet-based infrastructure, using multiple sites around the world, and presents the first IMN data about clinical, demographic, and treatment patterns in mood disorders in three different continents. 2. Methods An international research database was organized by commu- nicating and collaborating with clinicians and researchers actively treating mood disorders, who were identified through personal links and professional societies, such as the International Society Contents lists available at ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jad Journal of Affective Disorders http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.05.049 0165-0327/& 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V. n Corresponding author at: Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111, USA. Tel.: þ1 617 636 5735; fax: þ1 617 636 7795. E-mail address: nghaemi@tuftsmedicalcenter.org (S.N. Ghaemi). Journal of Affective Disorders 167 (2014) 136–139