Prepulse inhibition in euthymic bipolar disorder patients in comparison with control subjects.
Deficient prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle response, indicating sensorimotor gating deficits, has been reported in schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders. This study aimed to assess sensorimotor gating deficits in patients with euthymic bipolar. Furthermore, we analysed the relationships between PPI and clinical and cognitive measures.



Prepulse inhibition was measured in 64 patients with euthymic bipolar and in 64 control subjects matched for age, gender, education level and smoking status. Clinical characteristics and level of functioning were assessed in all participants using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST). Cognition was evaluated using the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) and the Stroop test as an additional measure of executive function.



Compared with controls, patients with bipolar disorder exhibited PPI deficits at 60- and 120-millisecond prepulse-pulse intervals. Among patients with bipolar disorder, PPI was correlated with the social cognition domain of the MCCB. PPI was not significantly correlated with other clinical, functional and neurocognitive variables in either group.



Our data suggest that PPI deficit is a neurobiological marker in euthymic bipolar disorder, which is associated with social cognition but not with other clinical, functional or cognitive measures.
Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Virgen de la Luz, Cuenca, Spain. emsanchez@sescam.jccm.es.|Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Spain. emsanchez@sescam.jccm.es.|Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain. emsanchez@sescam.jccm.es.
E M
EM
Sánchez-Morla
Innovation in Bioengineering Research Group, University of Castilla La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain.
J
J
Mateo
Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Virgen de la Luz, Cuenca, Spain.
A
A
Aparicio
Neurophysiology Unit, Hospital Virgen de la Luz, Cuenca, Spain.
M Á
MÁ
García-Jiménez
Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Virgen de la Luz, Cuenca, Spain.
E
E
Jiménez
Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Virgen de la Luz, Cuenca, Spain.
J L
JL
Santos
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D065808:Prepulse Inhibition; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013216:Reflex, Startle
bipolar disorder; cognition; euthymia; functioning; prepulse inhibition