title: Emotional hyperreactivity as a core dimension of manic and mixed states.
abstract: Despite its obvious importance in mood disorders, characterization of emotional reactivity has been neglected in bipolar disorders. Concerning manic states and the current classification, the main criterion is the presence of an elevated or expansive mood. In contrast to this characteristic and often prolonged mood state, emotional reactivity refers to a brief evoked response to salient emotional stimuli. The goal of this study was to assess the intensity of emotional responses triggered by viewing slides in bipolar patients with manic or mixed states. Our hypothesis was that all emotional responses are exacerbated, whatever the valence of the stimuli. We compared 33 patients with manic or mixed states with 33 matched euthymic patients and 33 healthy control subjects. Arousal and attribution of valence were assessed while subjects viewed slides taken from the International Affective Picture System (positive, neutral and negative slides). Patients with manic or mixed states reported a higher arousal when viewing all types of slides in comparison with the other groups. Concerning attribution of valence, patients with manic or mixed states assessed neutral slides as more pleasant. When bipolar patients with manic and mixed states are placed in front of positive, neutral and negative slides, the slides trigger a higher intensity of emotions, whatever the valence of the emotional stimuli. These results strengthen the importance of emotional hyperreactivity as a core dimension in manic and mixed states in bipolar disorder.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Psychology, University Bordeaux Segalen, Bordeaux, France. katia.mbailara@u-bordeaux2.fr
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: M'Bailara
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Atzeni
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Colom
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swendsen
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gard
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Desage
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henry
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data