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An emotional Stroop functional MRI study of euthymic bipolar disorder
Gin S Malhi1, Jim Lagopoulos, Perminder S Sachdev
1School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. g.malhi@unsw.edu.au
Bipolar Disorders
|October 18, 2005
Summary
Euthymic bipolar patients show reduced brain activity in emotional processing regions, particularly the left ventral prefrontal cortex. This suggests a potential trait deficit affecting affective responses, even during periods of mood stability.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels.
- Euthymia refers to a state of normal mood in bipolar disorder, free from manic or depressive episodes.
- Understanding brain function during euthymia is crucial for identifying potential trait markers of the disorder.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain region activation during emotional processing in individuals with euthymic bipolar disorder.
- To identify neural correlates of affective responses in euthymia.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity in 12 euthymic bipolar patients.
- An emotional Stroop (eStroop) task with emotionally valent and neutral words was employed.
- Galvanic skin responses (GSR) were measured to assess physiological arousal.
Main Results:
- Euthymic bipolar patients exhibited diminished activation in cortical and subcortical brain regions compared to healthy controls.
- Specifically, reduced activation was observed in the left ventral prefrontal cortex.
- Patients showed slower reaction times but comparable accuracy to controls.
Conclusions:
- Euthymic bipolar patients may have impaired affective processing capabilities.
- Reduced left ventral prefrontal cortex activation supports the hypothesis of a potential trait deficit in bipolar disorder.
- Further research is needed to consider the influence of medication on these findings.
