Lack of insight in mood disorders.
BACKGROUND
The study's aim was to examine insight in mood disorders in relation to type of mood episode, psychotic state, and insight change over the episode.


METHODS
Fifty four patients with a manic or major depressive episode were interviewed for insight assessment at admission and discharge.


RESULTS
At admission, mania patients had more severe insight impairment that depressive ones, depressive patients with psychosis had poorer insight than those without psychosis, and mania patients had poor insight irrespective of the presence of psychotic symptoms. At discharge some insight impairment was observed in mania.


CONCLUSIONS
Lack of insight was a prevalent condition in psychotic depression and mania.


CONCLUSIONS
A global insight measure was used. Ratings of insight were not blind to the ratings of other symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Considering residual insight impairment in mania may be important to maximize compliance and to prevent relapse.
Peralta
V
V
Psychiatric Unit of the Virgen del Camino Hospital, Pamplona, Spain.
Cuesta
M J
MJ
D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012647:Self-Assessment