Affective Episodes Research Articles

The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome as a model to investigate the role of T-cells in psychosis?

Although bipolar disorder (BP) is associated with impaired quality of life (QOL), little is known about the clinical features associated with QOL. Better knowledge about this relationship may improve treatment.This cross-sectional and retrospective study of 160 bipolar outpatients is part of an extensive study battery that includes patient-rated QOL with the World Health Organization QOL-100. The subscale “overall QOL” was used for analysis. QOL was divided into subgroups denoted “low”, “mid”, and “high”. Clinical data such as disease-specific factors, treatment efforts, and lifestyle were gathered from personal interviews and medical records.Compared to mid QOL, single analysis adjusted for age and sex revealed that low QOL was associated with BP II diagnosis, no previous hospitalization, low grade of current lithium medication, high grade of current antiepileptic medication, short disease duration with lithium, long disease duration without lithium, inactive lifestyle, high BMI, young age, and pre-menopausal women. Compared to mid QOL, high QOL was associated with a hypomanic/manic first affective episode, low BMI, non-smoker, and not currently using anxiolytic or sedatives.No longitudinal QOL data were collected.QOL for bipolar patients is determined by serval factors that potentially could be altered. To improve QOL, lithium prophylaxis and lifestyle factors seem the most promising.

Neural basis of social cognition in bipolar disorder

This article review studies social and interpersonal functioning in patients with bipolar disorder (BD), and reports on the neurobiological underpinnings of the dysfunctions in emotion recognition, i.e. one of the main domains of social cognition. A bibliographical research of controlled studies from 1967 to 2015 was completed in PubMed and PsycINFO using the keywords: "fMRI", "emotion comprehension", "emotion perception", "affect comprehension", "affect perception", "facial expression", "prosody", "theory of mind", "mentalizing", "attributional style", "social perception", "empathy" and "bipolar disorder" or "unipolar depression". Limbic hyperactivity, with a lack of appropriate cortical control, has been reported in subjects with BD during social interactions. This is particularly evident during the acute affective episodes but may persist during the euthymic phases. Deficits in emotion regulation, including neural systems implicated both in voluntary and automatic emotion regulatory subprocesses, are present in DB, particularly for what pertains to social interactions and interpersonal functioning. Patients with bipolar disorder may present a dysfunction in the cortical ability to modulate the limbic system, which may show hyperactivity during social interactions. More studies are needed, including studies to evaluate treatment implications.

Epidemiology and socioeconomic impact of seasonal affective disorder in Austria

BackgroundSeasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a subtype of recurrent depressive or bipolar disorder that is characterized by regular onset and remission of affective episodes at the same time of the year. The aim of the present study was to provide epidemiological data and data on the socioeconomic impact of SAD in the general population of Austria. MethodsWe conducted a computer-assisted telephone interview in 910 randomly selected subjects (577 females and 333 males) using the Seasonal Health Questionnaire (SHQ), the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), and the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Telephone numbers were randomly drawn from all Austrian telephone books and transformed using the random last digits method. The last birthday method was employed to choose the target person for the interviews. ResultsOut of our subjects, 2.5% fulfilled criteria for the seasonal pattern specifier according to DSM-5 and 2.4% (95% CI=1.4–3.5%) were diagnosed with SAD. When applying the ICD-10 criteria 1.9% (95% CI=0.9–2.8%) fulfilled SAD diagnostic criteria. The prevalence of fall-winter depression according to the Kasper-Rosenthal criteria was determined to be 3.5%. The criteria was fulfilled by 15.1% for subsyndromal SAD (s-SAD). We did not find any statistically significant gender differences in prevalence rates. When using the DSM-5 as a gold standard for the diagnosis of SAD, diagnosis derived from the SPAQ yielded a sensitivity of 31.8% and a specificity of 97.2%. Subjects with SAD had significantly higher scores on the SDS and higher rates of sick leave and days with reduced productivity than healthy subjects. ConclusionsPrevalence estimates for SAD with the SHQ are lower than with the SPAQ. Our data are indicative of the substantial burden of disease and the socioeconomic impact of SAD. This epidemiological data shows a lack of gender differences in SAD prevalence. The higher rates of females in clinical SAD samples might, at least in part, be explained by lower help seeking behaviour in males.

Efficacy of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Bipolar Disorder with Mixed Features.

Introduction. Mixed states represent a frequent presentation of bipolar disorder, associated with higher resistance to psychopharmacology. Limited evidence supports the use of ECT in these patients. We aim to report our experience on treating bipolar mixed states with ECT. Methods. Retrospective data were collected from all bipolar patients submitted to acute ECT treatment, between June 2006 and June 2011. Three groups were created in terms of affective polarity of the episode. CGI rating was used to establish clinical remission and demographic and clinical variables were compared among groups. Long-term outcome was assessed through readmission measures, considering the use of continuation or maintenance ECT. Results. During the study time frame, a total of 50 ECT course treatments were performed on 41 bipolar patients. All affective episodes, except one mixed state, showed a positive clinical response. Patients with mixed state presentation tended to be younger and have an earlier first hospitalization than depressed patients. No differences were found in terms of ECT sessions performed, length of hospital admission, referral to continuation ECT treatment, number of readmissions, and time until next readmission. Conclusions. Our results support the effectiveness of ECT in patients experiencing a mixed affective state.

Alexithymia levels in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression and the effect of alexithymia on both severity of depression symptoms and quality of life

Objective: Aims of this study are to compare the alexithymia scores of patients with unipolar depression (UD), bipolar affective disorder depressive episode (BAD-D) and healthy controls, to explore the effects of alexithymia scores on both severity of depression symptoms and quality of life. Methods: Case group of the study is consisted of one hundred and eighteen UD diagnosed, forty eight BAD-depression diagnosed patients, based on DSM-IV-TR criteria. Control group of the study is consisted of ninety six people who had no history of psychiatric disease. Overall, 262 people had involved in the study. Sociodemographic and Clinical Data Form, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRDS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and SF-36 Quality of Life Scale are used for acquiring information of the patients. Results: Mean of age, gender, marital status, place for living, level of income of UD, BAD-D and control groups were similar. Statistically significant differences were observed in between UD, BAD-D and control groups, in terms of HRDS, TAS-20 and SF-36 scores. Mean group scores of UD and BAD-D group were higher than controls, in terms of all scales. However, mean points of UD and BAD-D groups were similar in terms of four scales. Patients with UD and BAD-D had positive relationship with TAS-20, BRDS and BDI; negative relationship between SF-36, significantly. In conclusion, it is found that alexithymia scores of UD and BAD-D groups were higher; quality of life scores were lower than controls. It is also observed that patients with higher alexithymia scores have more severe depressive symptoms and having a less sense of quality of life. Although our findings indicate that presence of alexithymia is important in depressive disorders, however no difference were found between alexithymia scores in patients with UD and BAD-D. Discussion: Alexithymia scores of all groups had positively related with depression, negatively related with quality of life. Our findings showed that, alexithymia is an important factor to the diagnosis of depressive disorders, however alexithymia is not a marker to make differential diagnosis of BAD-D and UD.

Mixed Episodes in Bipolar Disorders--Changes in DSM-5 and Treatment Recommendations

Mixed episodes in the course of affective disorders are challenging for any psychiatrist, because they are often characterized by a complicated and difficult treatment course (e. g. higher suicide rates) and a worse treatment outcome. In DSM-5, one of the main changes is that the diagnosis of a mixed episode was disestablished and replaced with affective episodes with so called "mixed features". This alteration markedly reduces the diagnostic threshold. The available literature on pharmacological treatment of mixed episodes is not sufficient; however, treatment with atypical antipsychotics, especially olanzapine and aripiprazole and the mood stabilizers valproate and carmabazepine has proved to be beneficial.

Social rhythm disrupting events increase the risk of recurrence among individuals with bipolar disorder.

As outlined in the social zeitgeber hypothesis, social rhythm disrupting (SRD) life events begin a cascade of social and biological rhythm disruption that may lead to the onset of affective episodes in those vulnerable to bipolar disorder. Thus, the study of SRD events is particularly important in individuals with this chronic condition. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate (i) the extent to which SRD life events increased the risk of recurrence of a bipolar mood episode, and (ii) whether the social rhythm disruption associated with the event conferred an increased risk of recurrence, after accounting for the level of threat associated with the life event. We examined the effect of SRD events on recurrence during preventative treatment in a sample of 118 patients with bipolar disorder who achieved remission from an acute episode after receiving psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Life events were measured with the Bedford College Life Events and Difficulty Schedule and were rated for degree of SRD and threat. Time-dependent Cox proportional hazards models showed that having a higher SRD rating was significantly associated with an increased risk of recurrence, even when accounting for the threat effect of a life event and psychosocial treatment (hazard ratio=1.33, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.70, p=0.023). However, this finding fell below conventional levels of statistical significance when accounting for other covariates. Our findings lend partial support to the social zeitgeber hypothesis.

Comorbid obsessive–compulsive disorder with bipolar disorder: A distinct form?

We examined whether the patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD) and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) comorbidity may represent a distinct form of BD. The subjects diagnosed with BD (n=48), OCD (n=61), and BD with OCD (n=32) were compared in terms of several socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Previous history of suicidal attempts was more likely to be higher in BD–OCD group compared to the other two groups. A more episodic course of OCD, higher rates of rapid cycling, and the seasonality were found in BD–OCD patients. The frequency of bipolar II and NOS subtypes was more prevalent in patients with BD–OCD than in OCD patients. The first diagnosed illness was BD in the majority of BD–OCD cases. It was found that first affective episode was major depression in half of BD–OCD patients. Age at onset of BD was found to be earlier in BD–OCD group compared to pure BD patients. Bipolarity may not have a specific effect on the phenomenology of OC symptoms. The episodic course of OCD, seasonality, rapid cycling, earlier onset of BD, and impulsivity in BD–OCD patients may be indicative for a distinct form of BD.

Quality of Sleep in Patients With Bipolar I Disorder During Remission

Sleep disturbances have been noted not only during affective episodes in bipolar disorder, but also between affective episodes. The goal of this study was to assess and identify determinants of sleep quality in patients with bipolar I disorder. This cross-sectional study enrolled patients with bipolar disorder who were currently in remission. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Mood symptoms were evaluated using the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Ham-D). Adherence was assessed using the Medication Adherence Rating Scale. The mean age in the sample (N=103) was 37.4 years; 44.7% of the sample were men. On the basis of PSQI scores, 41 patients (39.8%) were poor sleepers. Poor sleepers had significantly higher Ham-D scores (mean score of 1.8 vs. 0.9, P=0.012) and higher rates of medication nonadherence (36.6% vs. 11.3%, P=0.002). The relationship between Ham-D scores and sleep quality did not remain significant when the sleep-related items on the Ham-D were removed. Logistic regression analysis suggested that medication nonadherence was the only independent predictor of poor sleep quality in this study. A significant proportion of patients with bipolar disorder who are in remission have sleep problems that seem to be independent of core symptoms of depression.

High serum sodium level in affective episode associated with coronary heart disease in old adults with bipolar disorder.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the principal cause of excessive natural deaths in bipolar patients; however, electrocardiogram analyses and clinical features predicting CHDs in elderly bipolar patients remain limited. We sought to examine the relationship between CHDs, as determined by electrocardiogram, and clinical characteristics. We recruited bipolar I outpatients Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Health (DSM-IV) who were more than 60 years old and had at least one psychiatric admission. Subjects were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of CHD diagnosed by electrocardiogram analysis at entry of study. Clinical data were obtained by a combination of interviewing patients and family members and retrospectively reviewing medical records of the most recent acute psychiatric hospitalization. Eighty patients with bipolar disorder were enrolled. A total of 20 (25%) in the study had CHDs. The mean age at the time of entry into study was 67.6 ± 5.5 years old in group with CHD and 66.8 ± 6.8 years old in that without CHD. Among the clinical characteristics examined, higher mean levels of serum sodium and thyroxine during the acute affective phase as well as more first-degree family history with bipolar disorder were related to having CHD, particularly the serum sodium level. About one fourth of old bipolar patients have CHDs in both Asian and Western populations. Aging patients with bipolar disorder may have unique clinical factors (e.g., hypernatremia or elevated thyroxine) related CHDs that could warrant special attention in their psychiatric and medical care to minimize cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Outcome of cognitive performances in bipolar euthymic patients after a depressive episode: a longitudinal naturalistic study.

BackgroundCognitive functions have been investigated across depressed, manic, hypomanic, mixed and euthymic episodes of bipolar disorder, but the stability or the progression of cognitive impairment is still under research.ObjectiveThe purpose of the present study was to assess the outcome of cognitive functions in bipolar patients following a depressive episode, after a 6-month period in the absence of mood symptoms.Method63 bipolar patients were tested with a battery of neurocognitive tests both at baseline (during an acute depressive episode) and after 6 months of euthymia. The cognitive domains assessed included memory, attention, verbal fluency, processing speed and executive functions. Cognitive performances were compared with those of a control group (40 healthy control subjects), both in depression and in euthymia.ResultsPatients scored worse than control subjects in several cognitive domains, both in depression and euthymia. The most impaired cognitive functions were executive functions and verbal memory. Between the two moments of assessment bipolar patients obtained a significant improvement in memory, verbal fluency, attention and information processing speed. Psychomotor speed showed no difference between depression and euthymia.ConclusionsBipolar patients showed impairment in several cognitive domains during depression. A certain degree of impairment remained even after the remission of the affective episode in relationship with the executive functions. Between depression and euthymia, bipolar patients showed important cognitive improvements.

P.2.d.009 Cyamemazine and pancytopenia in a bipolar patient with psychosomatic complaints

Despite a plethora of studies, controversies abound on whether the long-term traits of unipolar and bipolar patients could be differentiated by temperament and whether these traits, in turn, could be distinguished from subthreshold affective symptomatology.98 bipolar I (BP-I), 64 bipolar II (BP-II), and 251 unipolar major depressive disorder (UP-MDD) patients all when recovered from discrete affective episodes) and 617 relatives, spouses or acquaintances without lifetime RDC diagnoses (the comparison group, CG) were administered a battery of 17 self-rated personality scales chosen for theoretical relevance to mood disorders. Subsamples of each of the four groups also received the General Behavior Inventory (GBI).Of the 436 personality items, 103 that significantly distinguished the three patient groups were subjected to principal components analysis, yielding four factors which reflect the temperamental dimensions of “Mood Lability”, “Energy-Assertiveness,” “Sensitivity–Brooding,” and “Social Anxiety.” Most BP-I described themselves as near normal in emotional stability and extroversion; BP-II emerged as labile in mood, energetic and assertive, yet sensitive and brooding; MDD were socially timid, sensitive and brooding. Gender and age did not have marked influence on these overall profiles. Within the MDD group, those with baseline dysthymia were the most pathological (i.e., high in neuroticism, insecurity and introversion). Selected GBI items measuring hypomania and biphasic mood changes were endorsed significantly more often by BP-II. Finally, it is relevant to highlight a methodologic finding about the precision these derived temperament factors brought to the UP–BP differentiation. Unlike BP-I who were low on neuroticism, both BP-II and UP scored high on this measure: yet, in the case of BP-II high neuroticism was largely due to mood lability, in UP it reflected subdepressive traits.We used self-rated personality measures, a possible limitation generic to the paper-and-pencil personality literature. It is therefore likely that BP-I may have over-rated their “sanguinity”; or should one consider such self-report as a reliable reflection of one's temperament? One can raise similar unanswerable questions about “depressiveness” and “mood lability.”As contrasted to CG and published norms, the postmorbid self-described “usual” personality is 1) sanguine among many, but not all, BP-I; 2) labile or cyclothymic among BP-II; and 3) subanxious and subdepressive among UP. It is further noteworthy that with the exception of BP-II, the temperament scores of BP-I and MDD were within one SD from published norms. Rather than being pathological, these attributes are best conceived as subclinical temperamental variants of the normal, thereby supporting the notion of continuity between interepisodic and episodic phases of affective disorders. These findings overall are in line with Kraepelin's views and contrary to the DSM-IV formulation of axis-II constructs as being pathological and sharply demarcated from affective episodes.

Comparación de biomarcadores inflamatorios en pacientes con trastorno afectivo bipolar tipo I y sujetos controles

IntroductionInflammatory changes have been described in different affective episodes, as well as in the euthymic phase of Bipolar I Disease. These changes have been proposed as possible peripheral markers of the disease. For this reason well-designed studies are needed to explore this hypothesis. ObjectiveQuantify and compare the serum levels of interleukins (IL) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) in bipolar I patients and healthy subjects, including the comparison between the affective episodes of the disease. MethodsCross-sectional study including 41 bipolar I patients and 11 healthy control subjects. Serum levels of IL-1B, IL-RA, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, and TNF were measured during the euthymic, depressive, and manic phases and were compared with the serum levels of the healthy subjects. ConclusionsManic phase patients had low education and high number of hospitalisations. Depressive phase patients showed high number of depressive episodes throughout life. No statistically significant differences were found in IL and TNF levels between bipolar I patients and healthy controls, or between the bipolar I subgroups (euthymic, manic and depressive states). An increase in the size of the sample is necessary in future studies, in order to enhance the statistical value of the results, and explore the inflammatory hypothesis of the bipolar disease.

Cerebral White Matter Lesions and Affective Episodes Correlate in Male Individuals with Bipolar Disorder.

BackgroundCerebral white matter lesions (WML) have been found in normal aging, vascular disease and several neuropsychiatric conditions. Correlations of WML with clinical parameters in BD have been described, but not with the number of affective episodes, illness duration, age of onset and Body Mass Index in a well characterized group of euthymic bipolar adults. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the associations between bipolar course of illness parameters and WML measured with volumetric analysis.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study 100 euthymic individuals with BD as well as 54 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled to undergo brain magnetic resonance imaging using 3T including a FLAIR sequence for volumetric assessment of WML-load using FSL-software. Additionally, clinical characteristics and psychometric measures including Structured Clinical Interview according to DSM-IV, Hamilton-Depression, Young Mania Rating Scale and Beck’s Depression Inventory were evaluated.ResultsIndividuals with BD had significantly more (F = 3.968, p < .05) WML (Mdn = 3710mm3; IQR = 2961mm3) than HC (Mdn = 2185mm3; IQR = 1665mm3). BD men (Mdn = 4095mm3; IQR = 3295mm3) and BD women (Mdn = 3032mm3; IQR = 2816mm3) did not significantly differ as to the WML-load or the number and type of risk factors for WML. However, in men only, the number of manic/hypomanic episodes (r = 0.72; p < .001) as well as depressive episodes (r = 0.51; p < .001) correlated positively with WML-load.ConclusionsWML-load strongly correlated with the number of manic episodes in male BD patients, suggesting that men might be more vulnerable to mania in the context of cerebral white matter changes.

Childhood abuse, family history and stressors in older patients with bipolar disorder in relation to age at onset

ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to explore the family history of psychiatric disorders, childhood abuse, and stressors in older patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD) and the association of these variables with the age at onset of BD. MethodsThe Questionnaire for Bipolar Disorder (QBP) and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI-Plus) were obtained from 78 patients aged 60 and over to determine diagnosis, age at onset of the first affective episode, childhood abuse, family history of psychiatric disorders and past and recent stressful life events. ResultsIncreased family history of psychiatric disorders was the only factor associated with an earlier age at onset of BD. Less family history of psychiatric disorders and more negative stressors were significantly associated with a later age at onset of the first (hypo)manic episode. LimitationsAge at onset, history of childhood abuse, and past stressful life events were assessed retrospectively. Family members of BD patients were not interviewed. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that age at onset can define distinct BD phenotypes. More specifically there was a stronger heredity of BD and other psychiatric disorders in patients with an early age of onset of BD. Negative stressors may play a specific role in patients with a late age at onset of a first (hypo)manic episode.

DOES SCREENING WITH THE MDQ AND EPDS IMPROVE IDENTIFICATION OF BIPOLAR DISORDER IN AN OBSTETRICAL SAMPLE?

Women with bipolar disorder (BD) are at high risk for postpartum affective episodes and psychosis. Although validated screening tools are available for postpartum unipolar depression, few screening tools for hypomania/mania exist. Screening tools for BD in the postpartum period are essential for improving detection and planning appropriate treatment. We evaluated whether adding the Mood Disorders Questionnaire (MDQ) to the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) increased the identification of BD in the early postpartum period. Women (N = 1,279) who delivered a live infant and screened positive on the EPDS and/or MDQ at 4-6 weeks postbirth were invited to undergo an in-home Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). Positive EPDS and/or MDQ screens occurred in 12% of the sample (n = 155). In home SCID diagnostic interviews were completed in 93 (60%) of the mothers with positive screens. BD was the primary diagnosis in 37% (n = 34). Women with BD screened positive on the EPDS and/or MDQ as follows: EPDS+/MDQ+ (n = 14), EPDS+/MDQ- (n = 17), and EPDS-/MDQ+ (n = 3). The MDQ identified 50% (17/34) of the women with BD and 6 additional cases of BD when the MDQ question regarding how impaired the mother perceived herself was excluded from the screen criterion. Addition of the MDQ to the EPDS improved the distinction of unipolar depression from bipolar depression at the level of screening in 50% of women with traditional MDQ scoring and by nearly 70% when the MDQ was scored without the impairment criterion.

Bipolar affective disorder: A review of novel forms of therapy

Abstract Normothymic, antidepressant and antipsychotic pharmaceutics are, in accordance with international guidelines, employed both in the therapy and the prevention of bipolar disorder (BD). Long-term studies on the mechanisms of action of such medications, as well as on the pathogenetic background of BD, have led to the discovery of effective, albeit unconventional pharmacotherapeutic approaches. These methods have the potential to successfully treat mania and depression, as well as to counter affective episode relapse. Allopurinol - commonly used to treat gout, secondary hyperuricemia and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, acts by inhibiting the synthesis of uric acid, levels of which are often increased in manic patients. Due to this, an evaluation of the potential effect of allopurinol on the reduction of mania symptoms seems to be reasonable. Additionally, the numerable research papers coming out of research regarding the role of purine neurotransmitters in mood alterations, indicate that adenosine agonists act analogously to dopamine antagonists. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a supporting agent in the pharmacotherapy of depressive episodes in bipolar disorder, substantially accelerates mood stabilization in patients. In turn, memantine, known for its procognitive effect, not only has antimanic and normothymic properties, but also boosts the neuroprotective action of traditional lithium therapy. In view of the latest opinions, the subtle pro-inflammatory process is typical for the pathophysiology of bipolar disease. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) (a popular analgesic, antipyretic and antiphlogistic agent) may be useful in BD therapy. This is because that, via its effect upon cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), ASA modulates leukocyte recruitment in neuro-inflammation. Apart from the above-mentioned medications, this article introduces the results of recent investigations of ketamine, modafinil and tamoxifen, including their receptor mechanisms, as well as certain genetic aspects or elements of their pharmacodynamics, for use in BD therapy. We put forward that, possibly, more insightful cognition of these drugs will allow significant enrichment in the range of pharmacotherapy for BD in the near future.

Prevalence and impact of comorbid alcohol use disorder in bipolar disorder: A prospective follow-up study.

Alcohol use disorder may very well increase the likelihood of affective episodes in bipolar disorder, but prospective data on survival are inconsistent. The authors examined the prevalence of alcohol use disorders and their impact on the risk of relapse. A total of 284 consecutively admitted International Classification of Diseases-10 bipolar I (n = 161) and II (n = 123) patients were followed up naturalistically over a period of 4 years. The prevalence of alcohol use disorders was higher in bipolar II disorder than in bipolar I disorder (26.8% vs 14.9%; χ(2) = 5.46, p = 0.019), with a global prevalence of alcohol use disorders of 20.1% in the whole sample. A total of 8.7% of bipolar I patients suffered from alcohol abuse and 6.2% from alcohol dependency, whereas 13% bipolar II patients had alcohol abuse and 13.8% alcohol dependency. Male bipolar subjects had a higher prevalence of alcohol use disorders than female patients (38.3% vs 12.8%; χ(2) = 21.84, p-value < 0.001). The presence of alcohol use disorders was associated with an increased risk of depressive relapse in bipolar I patients (Cox regression analysis hazard ratio = 2.7, p = 0.005). The increased risk was not modulated by medication. Our data underline the negative long-term impact of alcohol use disorders on bipolar disorder with more depressive bipolar I episodes and the importance of its detection and treatment.

Bipolar disorder with comorbid attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder. Main clinical features and clues for an accurate diagnosis.

To study the prevalence of attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adult patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and identify differential clinical features for a better diagnosis. A total of 163 euthymic bipolar out-patients were screened for ADHD with the ASRS.V1 and the WURS at a BD Unit. Patients with a positive screening were assessed with the CAADID, at an ADHD unit. Sociodemographic and clinical features of the groups with and without ADHD were compared. Lifetime prevalence of comorbid ADHD was 17.9% (10.5% for adult ADHD and 7.4% for childhood ADHD). The BD + ADHD group showed more suicidal behaviour although less severe. Comorbidity was also more common, especially regarding substance use disorders. Nevertheless, these patients did not show more affective episodes or hospitalizations and suffered more atypical but less melancholic depression. However, they required more treatment with psychotherapy and valproate. One-third of positive screenings at the ASRS were false; a severe course of BD was the hallmark of this subgroup. Adult patients with BD and ADHD show differential clinical features, but not a more severe course of BD. Comorbidity with substance abuse is a big issue, deserving special clinical attention. Better screening tools are necessary to avoid overdiagnosis of comorbid ADHD in BD.

Low self-compassion in patients with bipolar disorder

BackgroundEmerging research suggests that low self-compassion may be linked to psychopathology and in particular depressive symptoms. To further elucidate this topic, the present study investigated self-compassion in patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD). MethodThirty remitted BD patients were compared to thirty age- and sex matched controls on the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). The BD patients also completed the Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale (ASRM), the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI-10) and further reported their illness history on a survey sheet. ResultsThe BD patients were found to have significantly lower self-compassion than controls. In addition, self-compassion correlated positively and significantly with life-satisfaction but no significant correlations with functional impairment, internalized stigma or frequency of past affective episodes were found. LimitationsThe small sample size entailed reduced statistical power. ConclusionsBy suggesting that self-compassion is reduced and possibly linked to life-satisfaction in BD, the findings highlight a potential vulnerability meriting further investigations.