Left turning (swivel) in manic patients.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Bipolar disorder is a severe mental illness characterized by mood swings.
• Motor and spatial processing deficits are observed in patients with bipolar disorder during manic episodes.
• Asymmetric brain activity, particularly involving the striatum and dopamine, is implicated in psychosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate motor and spatial preferences in patients experiencing manic episodes.
• To explore the relationship between handedness, turning preference, and motor sequencing in bipolar mania.
• To examine potential links between observed behavioral asymmetries and striatal dopaminergic activity.

Main Methods:

• Nineteen inpatients with bipolar disorder in manic episodes and 19 healthy controls were recruited.
• Participants completed a two-button task requiring 180-degree turns to collect rewards.
• Performance was assessed on a motor sequencing task (Pin Test) measuring speed and accuracy with both hands.

Main Results:

• Significantly more right-handed manic patients exhibited a leftward turning preference compared to right-handed controls.
• Right-handed manic patients were significantly slower on the motor sequencing task than controls.
• A left hemi-spatial preference was observed in manic patients, suggesting lateralized brain function.

Conclusions:

• Right-handed manic patients display an unusual leftward turning preference, contrasting with controls' rightward preference.
• Motor sequencing deficits in manic patients suggest impaired motor control and planning.
• Left hemi-spatial preference in mania may be associated with asymmetric striatal dopaminergic activity, a potential biomarker for psychosis.