Is impulsivity a common trait in bipolar and unipolar disorders?

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Neuroscience
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Impulsivity is elevated in bipolar and unipolar disorders during mood episodes.
• Impulsivity between episodes is linked to relapse and poor treatment adherence.
• Limited data exists on trait impulsivity in euthymic (stable mood) patients with mood disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate trait impulsivity in euthymic patients with bipolar and unipolar mood disorders.
• To compare impulsivity levels between patients, healthy individuals, and unaffected relatives of bipolar patients.
• To examine the relationship between impulsivity and history of suicide attempts or substance abuse in these groups.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11A) to assess impulsivity.
• Compared BIS-11A scores across 54 bipolar patients, 25 unipolar patients, 136 healthy controls, and 14 unaffected relatives.
• Employed Games-Howell tests for pairwise comparisons and analyzed subgroups based on suicide attempt and substance use history.

Main Results:

• Bipolar and unipolar patients exhibited significantly higher overall impulsivity than healthy controls and unaffected relatives.
• Attentional impulsivity was elevated in patients and unaffected relatives compared to healthy controls, but not different among patients and relatives.
• Impulsivity was higher in patients with a history of substance use disorder but not significantly different between those with and without a history of suicide attempts.

Conclusions:

• Trait impulsivity is elevated in euthymia for bipolar and unipolar disorders, independent of current mood state.
• Past substance abuse is associated with higher impulsivity in these patient groups.
• Elevated attentional impulsivity in unaffected relatives may indicate a predisposition to affective disorders.