[Affective disorders and impulsivity]

Impulsivity is a complex and important phenomenon in mood disorders. Impulse control disorders, as defined in DSM, are more frequent in mood disorders especially in Bipolar Disorder type I, and are associated with a more severe course of illness. Dimensional studies demonstrate that impulsivity is a core manifestation of bipolar disorder both as state- and trait-dependent markers in patients. Comorbid substance use disorders are often associated with a higher level of impulsivity whereas the relation between suicidal behaviors and higher impulsivity remains uncertain. Moreover, neuropsychological tests were used to study correlation between clinical impulsivity and laboratory measurements of impulsivity. Level of correlation remains weak and several explanations are proposed in the literature.