Oral Uridine for Treatment of Bipolar Depression in Adolescents

The purpose of the study is to see if the investigational medication uridine reduces depression symptoms in adolescents with bipolar disorder. Uridine is a naturally occurring chemical that is made by the human liver. Uridine is part of a family of compounds called pyrimidines, and is normally involved in many of the body's processes such as the use of energy by cells. Uridine is considered experimental, because it has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat bipolar depression in adolescents. The study will use standard methods of assessing adolescent's mood, such as rating scales and questionnaires. In addition, the study will use Magnetic Resonance Imaging Spectroscopy (MRI/MRS) brain scans to see if levels of certain chemicals in the brain change when adolescents are treated with uridine. These scans use a magnet to create images of the brain, and do not expose patients to radiation.