Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Bipolar Disorder01:30

Bipolar Disorder

1.2K
Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental health condition marked by significant mood fluctuations, including episodes of mania and depression. Elevated energy levels, heightened mood or irritability, impulsive behavior, reduced sleep needs, rapid speech, racing thoughts, inflated self-esteem, and distractibility characterize mania. Individuals with bipolar disorder often alternate between depressive and manic states, with periods of emotional stability lasting an average of six months to a year.
1.2K
Mania and Antimanic Drugs: Overview01:24

Mania and Antimanic Drugs: Overview

708
Mania, a psychological condition characterized by elevated mood, increased energy, and reduced sleep need, is part of the bipolar disorder cycle. The exact cause of mania isn't entirely known, but it is thought to be a combination of genetic, environmental, and neurological factors. Bipolar disorder involves alternating manic and depressive episodes. Mood stabilizers like lithium, antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants help manage these episodes. Lithium carbonate is particularly effective as...
708
Understanding the Self01:28

Understanding the Self

366
The self is a central aspect of human identity, encompassing an individual’s beliefs, emotions, perceptions, and experiences. It is a cognitive and psychological construct that enables individuals to interpret their traits and behaviors, influencing how they perceive themselves and interact with the world. While personality consists of stable and enduring characteristics, the self is shaped by self-perception and social experiences. This distinction highlights the dynamic nature of the...
366
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping02:05

Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping

44.9K
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
44.9K
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia01:27

Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia

922
Depressive disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by pervasive feelings of sadness, diminished pleasure in life, and a significant impact on daily functioning. These conditions are most prevalent in individuals during their 30s and affect women at twice the rate of men. Contrary to popular belief, younger individuals are generally more susceptible to these disorders than older adults. Two key types of depressive disorders include Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and...
922
Self-Discrepancy Theory02:45

Self-Discrepancy Theory

19.0K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.  
19.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Functional Outcome Prediction in Young Adults With Mental Health Symptoms Using Machine Learning and Large Language Models: Longitudinal Observational Study.

JMIR mental health·2026
Same author

Multimodal Psychophysiological Assessment of Craving in Patients With Alcohol Dependence During Virtual Reality Cue Exposure: Exploratory Single-Arm Clinical Study.

JMIR serious games·2026
Same author

Frequency and Correlates of Inaccurate Psychiatric Diagnoses in 401 Adults Hospitalized for Major Depressive Disorder: A Comparison of Clinical vs. Research Interview-Based Diagnoses.

CNS spectrums·2026
Same author

Childhood maltreatment is linked to transdiagnostic age- and sex-specific cortical thinning and reduced amygdalar volume in young adults.

European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology·2026
Same author

Rethinking Cognitive Interventions in Bipolar Disorder: Feasibility and First Insights From Metacognitive Group Training (MCT-Bipolar).

Clinical psychology & psychotherapy·2026
Same author

Adverse childhood experiences in children and youth experiencing homelessness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The Lancet. Public health·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
09:14

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Published on: March 14, 2025

1.2K

Decreased medial prefrontal cortex activation during self-referential processing in bipolar mania.

Dorrit Herold1, Tatiana Usnich2, Stephanie Spengler2

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Ruppiner Kliniken, Brandenburg Medical School, Neuruppin, Germany.

Journal of Affective Disorders
|May 29, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Patients with bipolar mania show reduced medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activation during self-referential tasks. This is linked to higher alexithymia, suggesting altered emotional processing in mania.

Keywords:
Bipolar disorderFunctional magnetic resonance imagingManiaMedial prefrontal cortexSelf-referential processing

More Related Videos

Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
08:42

Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression

Published on: May 19, 2015

11.3K
Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
07:30

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study

Published on: August 18, 2020

7.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
09:14

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Published on: March 14, 2025

1.2K
Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
08:42

Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression

Published on: May 19, 2015

11.3K
Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
07:30

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study

Published on: August 18, 2020

7.9K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • Bipolar disorder mania is associated with altered self-referential processing, including decreased self-focus and distractibility.
  • Depression shows increased medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activation during self-referential tasks, contrasting with mania's presumed pattern.
  • Alexithymia, difficulty identifying/describing emotions, is hypothesized to be higher in mania and linked to mPFC activity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate neural activity in the mPFC during self-referential processing in patients with bipolar mania.
  • To assess levels of alexithymia in patients with bipolar mania and their correlation with mPFC activation.
  • To compare neuroimaging findings in mania with known patterns in depression.

Main Methods:

  • Compared blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data in 14 patients with bipolar I mania and 14 healthy controls.
  • Participants performed a self-referential task, indicating personal relevance of presented pictures.
  • Assessed alexithymia using the Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS).

Main Results:

  • Patients with mania exhibited significantly decreased mPFC activation during self-referential processing compared to controls.
  • Mania patients displayed higher levels of alexithymia, characterized by difficulties in emotional identification and description.
  • A significant negative correlation was found between mPFC activation and alexithymia scores.

Conclusions:

  • Reduced mPFC activation in mania during self-referential processing may underlie decreased self-focus and increased distractibility.
  • The negative correlation with alexithymia supports the link between emotional processing deficits and altered self-referential neural activity in mania.
  • These findings present a neuroimaging and clinical pattern opposite to that observed in depression.