Expert invitation
Approximately 90 international experts are invited to participate in the panel.
International Delphi consensus project
Towards a Consensus Definition of Treatment-Emergent Affective Switch (TEAS)
International Delphi Study in Mood Disorders
Treatment-emergent affective switch (TEAS) remains one of the most clinically relevant and inconsistently defined phenomena in mood disorders. This international Delphi study aims to develop a transparent, clinically useful consensus definition through structured expert consensus.
Protocol-led
Study procedures are described in advance and will be linked through OSF.
Expert-based
Participation is by invitation to international clinicians and researchers.
Transparent
Results will be prepared for peer-reviewed publication.
About the study
Toward a shared operational definition of TEAS
Treatment-emergent affective switch remains one of the most clinically significant and inconsistently defined phenomena in mood disorders. Differences across definitions complicate clinical decision-making, the interpretation of research findings, and comparison across studies.
The aim of this project is to develop a consensus operational definition of TEAS through an international Delphi process involving invited experts in bipolar disorder, psychopharmacology, and mood disorders.
Study design
A structured international Delphi process
The study is designed to balance expert judgment, methodological transparency, and practical clinical relevance.
Round 1
Participants rate and comment on proposed operational criteria and related clinical domains.
Round 2
Items are refined and re-rated based on aggregated expert feedback.
Optional round
An additional round may be conducted if consensus requires further clarification.
Consensus document
The final definition and rationale are prepared for dissemination and publication.
Transparency
Open science statement
The full protocol is available through OSF. The project will report its procedures, consensus thresholds, and final results in a transparent format suitable for peer review.
Ethics statement
The study is an expert consensus project and does not involve patient recruitment, patient data collection, or clinical intervention. The study protocol has been reviewed and approved by the Independent Ethics Committee of the V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center.
Publication plan
The final consensus definition is intended to support clinical research, future guideline discussions, and harmonized reporting across studies of mood disorders.
Timeline
Protocol finalization
Protocol preparation, expert list development, and survey setup.
Delphi rounds
Two core survey rounds with an additional round if required.
Consensus manuscript
Analysis, manuscript preparation, and dissemination of findings.
Study team
International scientific coordination
The project is coordinated by researchers with expertise in bipolar disorder, clinical psychopharmacology, psychiatric genomics, and consensus methodology.
Evgeny D. Kasyanov, MD, PhD
Principal Research Fellow. Head, Department of Genomics of Mental Disorders.
V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology.
Initiator and overall coordinator of the project.
Egor Shchepkin, MD
PhD student, V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology
Technical implementation and primary statistical analysis.
Galina Mazo, MD, PhD
Associate Director for Innovative Scientific Development
Head of the Institute of Translational Psychiatry.
V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology.
Egor Chumakov, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, Saint Petersburg State University
Scientific Advisor to the study. Responsible for international coordination and expert communication.
Martin Alda, MD, FRCPsych
Professor of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Canada
Internationally recognized expert in bipolar disorder and lithium treatment.
Scientific Advisor to the study.
For invited experts
What is expected from panel members?
Invited experts will complete short Delphi questionnaires and provide structured ratings and comments on proposed criteria.
Will responses be identifiable?
Individual responses will be treated confidentially and reported in aggregate form for consensus analysis.
How will contributors be acknowledged?
The final authorship and acknowledgement approach will be described in the study protocol and communicated transparently to participants.
Contact
Project coordination
For questions about the study protocol, expert participation, or project coordination, please contact the TEAS Consortium team.