title: Perception of facial expressions of emotion in bipolar disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Some studies have reported deficits in the perception of facial expressions among depressed individuals compared with healthy controls, while others have reported negative biases in expression perception. We examined whether altered perception of emotion reflects an underlying trait-like effect in affective disorder by examining facial expression perception in euthymic bipolar patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sensitivity to six different facial expressions, as well as accuracy of emotion recognition, was examined among 17 euthymic bipolar patients and 17 healthy controls using an interactive computer program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were found between euthymic bipolar patients and controls in terms of sensitivity to any particular emotion. Although initial analysis of the data suggested impairment in the recognition of fear among the patients, identification of this emotion was not relatively impaired compared with that of the other emotions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study did not find any conclusive evidence for trait-like deficits in the perception of facially conveyed emotions in bipolar disorder. Altered perception of facial expressions that has been found to accompany depressed mood may instead reflect mood-congruent biases.
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Centre, School of Neurology, Neurobiology and Psychiatry, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Helen R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Venn
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Montagne
authors.forename: Lindsey K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Michael Burt
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frigerio
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Perrett
authors.forename: Allan H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014796:Visual Perception