title: Vernier threshold and the parallel visual pathways in bipolar disorder: a follow-up study.
abstract: Magnocellular (M) and parvocellular (P) visual pathways participate in the processing of low contrast and colors of objects, respectively. The aim of this study was to investigate M and P pathway functions in bipolar disorder during a depressive episode and after the amelioration of symptoms. Participants (17 patients with type I bipolar disorder and 20 matched healthy controls) received two vernier tasks. During the M pathway test, stimuli were dots with low luminance-contrast (5%), whereas during the P pathway test, isoluminant blue dots were presented against a yellow background. Participants were asked to detect the direction of the horizontal displacement of the dots (left or right). The assessment was performed during a depressive state and during a clinically improved state after 2 months. During the depressive state, the patients showed significantly impaired M and P pathway functions, whereas during the clinically improved state, their performance was better and was statistically indistinguishable from that of the controls. In conclusion, M and P pathways are impaired in depressed bipolar patients. This deficit is ameliorated along with clinical improvement. Further studies are necessary to separately assess cortical and precortical stages of information-processing, and to exclude the possibility of general motivational and attentional impairments.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychiatry, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary. szkeri@phys.szote.u-szeged.hu
authors.forename: Szabolcs
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kéri
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benedek
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Janka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*