Recent Perceived Stress, Amygdala Reactivity to Acute Psychosocial Stress, and Alcohol Use in Adolescents/Young Adults With Bipolar Disorder

Abstract

Psychosocial stress negatively effects the clinical course of bipolar disorder. Studies primarily focused on adults with bipolar disorder suggest that the impacts of stress are progressive, i.e., response sensitizes with age. The neural mechanisms underlying stress sensitization are not yet known, nor how those mechanisms impact the clinical course of bipolar disorder, e.g., underlie the high rates of alcohol use disorders. This study investigated how acute psychosocial stress effects amygdala reactivity and alcohol misuse in youth with bipolar disorder, compared to typically developing youth.