title: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy in subsyndromal bipolar patients with a history of traumatic events: a randomized, controlled pilot-study.
abstract: Traumatic events are frequent in bipolar patients and can worsen the course of the disease. Psychotherapeutic interventions for these events have not been studied so far. Twenty DSM-IV bipolar I and II patients with subsyndromal mood symptoms and a history of traumatic events were randomly assigned to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (n=10) or treatment as usual (n=10). The treatment group received between 14 and 18 Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing sessions during 12 weeks. Evaluations of affective symptoms, symptoms of trauma and trauma impact were carried out by a blind rater at baseline, 2 weeks, 5 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and at 24 weeks follow-up. Patients in the treatment group showed a statistically significant improvement in depressive and hypomanic symptoms, symptoms of trauma and trauma impact compared to the treatment as usual group after intervention. This effect was only partly maintained in trauma impact at the 24 weeks follow-up visit. One patient dropped from Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing group whereas four from the treatment as usual group. This pilot study suggests that Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy may be an effective and safe intervention to treat subsyndromal mood and trauma symptoms in traumatized bipolar patients.
authors.affiliation: FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Psiquiatria i Medicina Legal, Doctorat de Psiquiatria i Psicología Clínica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Novo
authors.affiliation: FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Landin-Romero
authors.affiliation: FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Radua
authors.affiliation: FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vicens
authors.affiliation: Psychotraumatology Research Center, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.affiliation: EMDR Spain, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pomarol-Clotet
authors.affiliation: FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.affiliation: Mental Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.affiliation: FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: benedikt.amann@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Benedikt L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Amann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D057169:Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Bipolar disorder; Clinical trial; EMDR; PTSD; Subsyndromal symptoms; Traumatic events