The Mechanisms of Psychopathology research group, led by Professor Trine Vik Lagerberg, is a multidisciplinary team based at the Division of Mental Health and Addiction at Oslo University Hospital (OUS) and the Department of Psychology, University of Oslo (UiO). Established as a core component of the Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), the group focuses on bridging the gap between psychological disease mechanisms and clinical applications to improve the lives of individuals with bipolar disorders.

Research Focus

The group aims to expand the understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying the significant symptom variation seen in bipolar disorders over time and between individuals. We integrate environmental, clinical and biological data, to identify determinants of illness trajectories and functional outcomes.

We have a particular interest in the early illness phases, where most of the group’s data collection is conducted in a specialized clinical unit at Nydalen District Psychiatric Centre for individuals early in the course of bipolar disorder to facilitate integrated research and clinical care.

Core Investigated Phenomena

Our research agenda is organized around several core phenomena that shape the illness course of severe mental health conditions:

• Substance Use Comorbidity: A major focus is the temporal relationship between mood and the use of alcohol, cannabis and nicotine. Our research explores how substance use patterns impact illness onset, symptom trajectories, and long-term functioning.
• Emotional Dysregulation: We investigate the prevalence and dynamics of affective lability and mood instability, recognizing them as critical treatment targets that often persist during euthymic periods.
• Chronorhythms and Sleep: We study chronorhythmic disturbances and sleep-wake cycles, utilizing both objective actigraphy and self-report tools to understand their role in affective relapses.
• Clinical Insight: We explore the relationship between clinical insight and illness characteristics. 

Research Goals

1. Better clinical understanding: To clarify how multiple factors interact to drive the heterogeneity of clinical presentations. Here, one of the aims is more tailored treatment to the individual patient. 
2. Technological Innovation: To develop and implement innovative digital tools for treatment support including symptom monitoring and enhanced self-management.
3. Psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions: To address unmet needs in the treatment of bipolar disorder, such as residual affective lability and comorbid substance use.

Activities and Current Projects