Neurocognition and Neuroimaging Features In Offspring Of Parents With Bipolar Disorder: A Comperative High Risk Study

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Neurocognition and Neuroimaging Features In Offspring Of Parents With Bipolar Disorder: A Comperative High Risk Study Gunes S. Can1*, Gozde Tuncinan1, Aysegul Ildız1, Neslihan Emiroglu1 and Aysegul Ozerdem1 1 Dokuz Eylül University, Türkiye Introduction: The psychopathological processes of the bipolar disorder(BD) haven’t been fully elucidated yet. Even though there are researches[1,2,3] which was included the healthy relatives of BD in the literature, limited information on the ultra-high risk(UHR) [4] and symptomatic individuals, who haven’t yet developed the disorder plays a role in this case. In recent years, longitudinal studies[5,6] with large sample have been conducted to describe the ‘risk group’ and predictors of BD. These studies showed that baseline anxiety/depression, baseline and proximal affective lability and proximal subsyndromal manic symptoms were the most important predictors of BD. Aim: The aim of this study is to reveal the differences of the structural brain changes and neurocognitive features of the UHR group by comparing with high risk(HR) and healthy control(HC) groups. The second goal of the study is to identify predictive and biologic features candidates of the disease. Method: In order to determine the high-risk groups for BD, the children of BD patients, who are aged between 15-30 have applied bipolar prodrome symptom scale–retrospective(BPSS–R) and structured clinical meetings. As a result of these; in the study, offsprings with subsyndromal manic symptoms or offsprings who had recurrens depressive disorder(DD) with high affective lability score(>3) on BPSS–R were included as UHR(n=21) group and offsprings who didn’t have any psychiatric disorders or offsprings with a psychiatric diagnosis without high affective lability score other than alcohol/substance abuse in the last six months, BD(1, 2, NOS (not otherwise specified)), recurrens DD, all schizophrenia spectrum disorders and autism spectrum disorders were included as HR(n=54) group. HC(n=50) group were included to compare with the UHR, HR groups. All the participants completed stop signal task(SST), barratt impulsiveness scale(BİS-11), neurocognitive test battery which evaluates the executive functioning, working memory, verbal, visual learning, speed processing and fluency. Beside this structure brain magnetic resonance imaging(brain MRI and diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)) were scanned. DTI data were analysed using FSL and result of ROI analysis were determined FA(fractional anisotropy) values. In statistical analysis of neurocognitive data, BİS-11, SST scores and FA values one-way ANOVA were performed to determine the group differences. Also statistical group analysis of the MRI data were performed by using QDEC tool of the FreeSurfer software package version v5.3.0. Results: In our study, executive functions, verbal, visual learning impairments were determined in both risk groups. Fluency and working memory impairments increased in UHR group compared to HR(p<0,05) and HC(p<0,000) groups. Furthermore; increased behavioural impulsivity(lack of response inhibition and interferance) wasn’t found in the UHR group; while the cognitive impulsivity(lack of planning and attention) increased according to the HR and HC groups in all the tests. In addition, there were changes in the grey matter volumes of the fronto-limbic regions and FA of the CC-body(corpus callosum)(p<0,002), fornix(p<0,005) of the white matter. Conclusion: Neurocognitive impairments and structural changes of the brain regions occur in the UHR individuals and some of these impairments are candidate for biological trait markers of the disorder and stage-specific changes could predispose them to developing the disorder.