Kadakia A, Dembek C, Heller V, et al. - In this Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA), researchers sought to compare the relative effectiveness and tolerability of atypical antipsychotic (AAP) monotherapy in adults with bipolar depression. Efficacy measures involved a change in Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Clinical Global Improvement – Bipolar Disorder (CGI-BP), response, and remission. The largest improvement vs placebo was noted for lurasidone, olanzapine and quetiapine with cariprazine, exhibiting a smaller treatment effect in this NMA in adults with bipolar depression, which assessed change in depressive symptoms (assessed by MADRS) across short-term trials. For the treatment of bipolar depression, aripiprazole and ziprasidone were ineffective. The improvement in CGI-BP-S score for lurasidone was greater than for cariprazine and ziprasidone but comparable to quetiapine and olanzapine. Lurasidone and aripiprazole had similar weight gain to placebo in short-term studies.