title: Bipolar disorders and affective temperaments: a national family study testing the "endophenotype" and "subaffective" theses using the TEMPS-A Buenos Aires.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of affective temperaments between clinically unaffected relatives of bipolar patients and secondarily to investigate the impact of these "subaffective" forms on their quality of life (QoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed in seven sites across Argentina. We administered the scales TEMPS-A and Quality of Life Index to a sample of 114 non-ill first degree relatives of bipolar disorder patients ("cases") and 115 comparison subjects without family history of affective illness ("controls"). We used The Mood Disorder Questionnaire to rule out clinical bipolarity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean scores on all TEMPS-A subscales were significantly higher in cases, except for hyperthymia. The prevalence of affective temperaments, according to Argentinean cut-off points, was also higher, with statistical significance for cyclothymic and anxious temperaments. Regarding QoL, we found no significant differences between both groups, except for interpersonal functioning, which was better in controls. A detailed subanalysis showed significant effects of QoL domains for all temperaments, except for the hyperthymic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We used self-report measures. A larger sample size would have provided us greater statistical power for certain analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support the concept of a spectrum of subthreshold affective traits or temperaments - especially for the cyclothymic and anxious - in bipolar pedigrees. We further demonstrated that, except for the hyperthymic, quality of life was affected by these temperaments in "clinically well" relatives. Overall, our data are compatible with the "endophenotype" and "subaffective" theses for affective temperaments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina. gvazquez@palermo.edu
authors.forename: Gustavo H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: Claudia E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Schiavo
authors.forename: Aníbal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goldchluk
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Herbst
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piccione
authors.forename: Norberto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saidman
authors.forename: Hernán
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ruggeri
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Gerardo García
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Bonetto
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zaratiegui
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Padilla
authors.forename: Juan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Vilapriño
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calvó
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.forename: Sergio A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Strejilevich
authors.forename: Marcelo G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cetkovich-Bakmas
authors.forename: Kareen K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Akiskal
authors.forename: Hagop S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Akiskal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D001118:Argentina; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003527:Cyclothymic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007508:Irritable Mood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D010641:Phenotype; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament