Self-regulation in youth with bipolar disorder

Objectives: To examine the composition of self-regulation in pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) through the relationship between executive functions, emotion processing, and family environmental factors. Methods: 58 participants (36 with PBD and 22 controls), ages 12-17, were assessed using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT-II), Wisconsin Cards Sorting Test (WCST), Computerized Neurocognitive Battery Emotion Recognition Test-Facial Emotion Recognition Test (PENNCNB ER-40), and Expressed Emotion Adjective Checklist Questionnaire (EEAC). Results: Adolescents with PBD displayed significant deficits in all three spheres when compared to the control group. Emotion processing correlated negatively with inhibition and attention, and correlated positively with mental flexibility/working memory. Family environmental factors correlated negatively with mental flexibility/working memory and emotion processing, and positively with attention and inhibition. These correlations indicate that better inhibitory control, attention, and mental flexibility/working memory are associated with greater emotion processing and a fitter family environment. Conclusion: This study is the first to investigate all of the components of self-regulation deficits simultaneously in patients with PBD. Results suggest that self-regulation is essential for a comprehensive perspective of PBD and should be assessed in an integrative and multifaceted way. Understanding that self-regulation is impacted by the abovementioned factors should influence treatment and improve the functional impairments of daily life observed in this population.

Behavioral self-regulation in pediatric bipolar disorder and healthy offspring of bipolar patients

Objectives: This study investigated behavioral self-regulation problems using the Children's Hostility Inventory (CHI) in pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD), healthy offspring of bipolar disorder patients (HOBD), and healthy controls (HC) without previous history of psychiatric disorders. Methods: The CHI was administered to 41 consecutive children and adolescents diagnosed with PBD, to 16 HOBD, and to 22 HC. The inventory assessed irritability, expression, hostility, and aggression and was completed by the children with the help of their mothers. Adolescents and their respective parents were interviewed separately using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). Results: All subscales of the CHI presented statistically significant differences, except for the subscale assessing feelings of suspicion. Pairwise comparisons revealed consistently significant differences between the PBD group and controls, indicating more self-regulation difficulties in the PBD group, represented by high levels of hostility and aggressive behavior. There were no significant differences between the PBD and HOBD groups. Conclusions: Future studies should further investigate if such behavior is state-dependent or a trait of bipolar juvenile expression. Expression of hostility and irritability should be considered relevant targets in psychosocial approaches addressing this population.

Social cognition and bipolar disorder: pending questions and unexplored topics

Social cognition has gained prominence in psychiatric research, beginning with schizophrenia and more recently in bipolar disorder. Considering the relevance of this domain to interpersonal relationships and functionality, we aimed to explore the fundamental research and clinical issues regarding social cognition and discuss future directions and challenges in the field of bipolar disorder.

Microcephaly measurement in adults and its association with clinical variables

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To establish a microcephaly cut-off size in adults using head circumference as an indirect measure of brain size, as well as to explore factors associated with microcephaly via data mining. METHODS In autopsy studies, head circumference was measured with an inelastic tape placed around the skull. Total brain volume was also directly measured. A linear regression was used to determine the association of head circumference with brain volume and clinical variables. Microcephaly was defined as head circumference that were two standard deviations below the mean of significant clinical variables. We further applied an association rule mining to find rules associating microcephaly with several sociodemographic and clinical variables. RESULTS In our sample of 2,508 adults, the mean head circumference was 55.3 ± 2.7cm. Head circumference was related to height, cerebral volume, and sex (p < 0.001 for all). Microcephaly was present in 4.7% of the sample (n = 119). Out of 34,355 association rules, we found significant relationships between microcephaly and a clinical dementia rating (CDR) > 0.5 with an informant questionnaire on cognitive decline in the elderly (IQCODE) ≥ 3.4 (confidence: 100% and lift: 5.6), between microcephaly and a CDR > 0.5 with age over 70 years (confidence: 42% and lift: 2.4), and microcephaly and males (confidence: 68.1% and lift: 1.3). CONCLUSION Head circumference was related to cerebral volume. Due to its low cost and easy use, head circumference can be used as a screening test for microcephaly, adjusting it for gender and height. Microcephaly was associated with dementia at old age.

The association between social skills deficits and family history of mood disorder in bipolar I disorder

Objective: To compare social skills and related executive functions among bipolar disorder (BD) patients with a family history of mood disorders (FHMD), BD patients with no FHMD and healthy control (HCs). Methods: We evaluated 20 euthymic patients with FHMD, 17 euthymic patients without FHMD, and 31 HCs using the Social Skills Inventory (SSI) and a neuropsychological battery evaluating executive function, inhibitory control, verbal fluency and estimated intelligence. Results: Both BD groups had lower SSI scores than controls. Scores for one subfactor of the social skills questionnaire, conversational skills and social performance, were significantly lower among patients with FHMD than among patients without FHMD (p = 0.019). Both groups of BD patients exhibited significant deficits in initiation/inhibition, but only BD patients with FHMD had deficits in verbal fluency, both compared to HC. There were no associations between social skills questionnaire scores and measures of cognitive function. Conclusion: Euthymic BD patients have lower social skills and executive function performance than HC. The presence of FHMD among BD patients is specifically associated with deficits in conversational and social performance skills, in addition to deficits in verbal fluency. Both characteristics might be associated with a common genetically determined pathophysiological substrate.

Psychiatric and clinical correlates of rapid cycling bipolar disorder: a cross-sectional study

Objective: Rapid cycling (RC) is a feature of bipolar disorder (BD) that has been associated with worse outcome and more severe disability. Our goal was to investigate the association of demographic and clinical factors with RC. Methods: We compared RC and non-rapid cycling (NRC) BD patients from the Brazilian Research Network in Bipolar Disorder (BRN-BD) regarding age at onset of BD; total number of episodes; previous number of manic, depressive, mixed, and hypomanic episodes; polarity of the first episode; gender; number of suicide attempts; number of lifetime hospitalizations and lifetime history of at least one hospitalization; family history of mood disorder; clinical comorbidities such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, seizures; and current use of medications such as lithium, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, and antidepressants. Results: We studied 577 patients and found that 100 (17.3%) met the criteria for RC in the year before the investigation. RC patients had earlier age at onset, longer duration of disease, more lifetime depressive and manic episodes, higher number of suicide attempts, and higher rate antidepressant use. Conclusion: The presence of RC in the previous year was associated with specific clinical characteristics closely related to worse outcome in the course of BD.

Serum BDNF levels in unaffected first-degree relatives of patients with bipolar disorder

Objective: Unaffected relatives of bipolar disorder (BD) patients have been investigated for the identification of endophenotypes in an attempt to further elucidate the pathophysiology of the disease. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is considered to be implicated in the pathophysiology of BD, but its role as an endophenotype has been poorly studied. We investigated abnormal serum BDNF levels in BD patients, in their unaffected relatives, and in healthy controls. Methods: BDNF levels were obtained from 25 DSM-IV bipolar I disorder patients, 23 unaffected relatives, and 27 healthy controls. All BD patients were in remission. The unaffected subjects were first-degree relatives of the proband who had no lifetime DSM-IV diagnosis of axis I disorder. BDNF serum levels were determined by sandwich ELISA using monoclonal BDNF-specific antibodies. Results: There were no statistical differences in BDNF levels among BD patients, relatives, and healthy controls. Conclusion: Serum BDNF levels may not indicate high genetic risk for BD, possibly acting as state markers rather than trait markers of the disease.

Association between duration of untreated bipolar disorder and clinical outcome: data from a Brazilian sample

Objective: Bipolar disorder (BD) is often left untreated for long periods, and this delay in treatment correlates with unfavorable prognosis. The present study sought to assess the magnitude of duration of untreated bipolar disorder (DUB) in Brazil. We hypothesized that DUB would be longer in Brazil than in developed countries, and would be associated with poor clinical outcomes. Methods: One hundred and fifty-two psychiatric outpatients were evaluated for BD diagnosis, demographics, DUB, and clinical outcomes. Results: The mean age and mean DUB were, respectively, 38.9±10.8 and 10.4±9.8 years. An extended DUB was associated with early onset of BD (p < 0.001), depression as first mood episode (p = 0.04), and presence of BD in a first-degree relative (p = 0.012). Additionally, a longer DUB was associated with poorer clinical outcomes, such as elevated rates of rapid cycling (p = 0.004) and anxiety disorders (p = 0.016), as well as lower levels of current full remission (p = 0.021). Conclusion: As DUB may be a modifiable variable, better medical education regarding mental health, more structured medical services, and population-wide psychoeducation might reduce the time between onset and proper management of BD, thus improving outcome.

Cardiovascular risk factors in outpatients with bipolar disorder: a report from the Brazilian Research Network in Bipolar Disorder

Objective: Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality due to comorbid general medical conditions, particularly cardiovascular disease. This study is the first report of the Brazilian Research Network in Bipolar Disorder (BRN-BD) that aims to evaluate the prevalence and clinical correlates of cardiovascular risk factors among Brazilian patients with BD. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 159 patients with DSM-IV BD, 18 years or older, consecutively recruited from the Bipolar Research Program (PROMAN) in São Paulo and the Bipolar Disorder Program (PROTAHBI) in Porto Alegre. Clinical, demographic, anthropometric, and metabolic variables were systematically assessed. Results: High rates of smoking (27%), physical inactivity (64.9%), alcohol use disorders (20.8%), elevated fasting glucose (26.4%), diabetes (13.2%), hypertension (38.4%), hypertriglyceridemia (25.8%), low HDL-cholesterol (27.7%), general (38.4%) and abdominal obesity (59.1%) were found in the sample. Male patients were more likely to have alcohol use disorders, diabetes, and hypertriglyceridemia, whereas female patients showed higher prevalence of abdominal obesity. Variables such as medication use pattern, alcohol use disorder, and physical activity were associated with selected cardiovascular risk factors in the multivariable analysis. Conclusion: This report of the BRN-BD provides new data regarding prevalence rates and associated cardiovascular risk factors in Brazilian outpatients with BD. There is a need for increasing both awareness and recognition about metabolic and cardiovascular diseases in this patient population. .

Comorbidades médicas em pacientes ambulatoriais com transtorno do humor bipolar tipo I / General medical comorbidities in Brazilian outpatients with bipolar disorder type I

CONTEXTO: O transtorno do humor bipolar (THB) está associado a altas taxas de comorbidades médicas gerais (CMGs) e fatores de risco para problemas médicos, porém há escassos relatos sobre a prevalência dessas condições em brasileiros com THB. OBJETIVO: Descrever a prevalência de CMGs em uma amostra de pacientes com THB tipo I. MÉTODOS: Dados clínicos de 195 pacientes com THB tipo I foram revisados para identificação de CMGs. Pacientes com e sem CMGs foram comparados usando o teste não paramétrico Mann-Whitney e o teste qui-quadrado. RESULTADOS: Sessenta e três por cento dos pacientes relataram pelo menos uma comorbidade médica. As condições mais prevalentes foram: enxaqueca (31,8%), hipotireoidismo (24,1%), hipertensão (11,3%), traumatismo craniano (10,3%), asma (9,7%), epilepsia (8,2%), diabetes (5,1%), acidente vascular cerebral (2,1%) e hipertireoidismo (1%). Idade e duração da doença foram positivamente associadas à presença de CMGs (p < 0,001). CONCLUSÃO: Em concordância com relatos prévios, a maioria dos pacientes apresentou pelo menos uma doença médica. A principal limitação deste estudo reside no fato de o diagnóstico de CMGs ter sido baseado no autorrelato. Há escassos estudos visando à identificação de comorbidades médicas na população brasileira com THB e este estudo pode contribuir para melhor vigilância diagnóstica, avaliação, tratamento e diminuição da sobrecarga associada ao THB.

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder (BD) has been associated with high rates of general medical comorbidities (GMC) and medical risk factors. There have been scarce reports about this prevalence in Brazilian subjects with BD. OBJECTIVE: Describe the prevalence of GMC in a sample of BD type I patients. METHODS: Clinical records of 195 patients with BD type I were reviewed for identification of GMC. Patients with and without GMC were compared using the Mann-Whitney nonparametric test and the chi-Square test. RESULTS: Sixty-three percent of patients had at least one medical comorbidity. The most prevalent conditions were: migraine (31.8%), hypothyroidism (24.1%), hypertension (11.3%), traumatic brain injuries (10.3%), asthma (9.7%), epilepsy (8.2%), diabetes (5.1%), stroke (2.1%) and hyperthyroidism (1%). Age and duration of illness were positively associated with the presence of GMC (p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: In our study, in accordance with previous reports, the majority of patients presented at least one general medical disorder. The principal limitation of this study is the fact that diagnose of GMC was made based on self-report. There are scarce studies addressing GMC in the Brazilian population with BD and this report can contribute to improve diagnostic vigilance, assessment, treatment planning and decrease the burden associated with BD.

Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in bipolar disorder type I: an update for the clinician / Ideação suicida e tentativas de suicídio no transtorno afetivo bipolar tipo I: uma atualização para o clínico

OBJECTIVE: This article reviews the evidence for the major risk factors associated with suicidal behavior in bipolar disorder. METHOD: Review of the literature studies on bipolar disorder, suicidal behavior and suicidal ideation. RESULTS: Bipolar disorder is strongly associated with suicide ideation and suicide attempts. In clinical samples between 14-59 percent of the patients have suicide ideation and 25-56 percent present at least one suicide attempt during lifetime. Approximately 15 percent to 19 percent of patients with bipolar disorder die from suicide. The causes of suicidal behavior are multiple and complex. Some strong predictors of suicidal behavior have emerged in the literature such as current mood state, severity of depression, anxiety, aggressiveness, hostility, hopelessness, comorbidity with others Axis I and Axis II disorders, lifetime history of mixed states, and history of physical or sexual abuse. CONCLUSION: Bipolar disorder is the psychiatric condition associated with highest lifetime risk for suicide attempts and suicide completion. Thus it is important to clinicians to understand the major risk factors for suicidal behavior in order to choose better strategies to deal with this complex behavior.

OBJETIVO: O artigo revisa as evidências relacionadas aos principais fatores de risco associados ao comportamento suicida no transtorno bipolar. MÉTODO: Revisão de artigos da literatura em transtorno bipolar, tentativa de suicídio e ideação suicida. RESULTADOS: O transtorno bipolar está fortemente associado à presença de ideação suicida e a tentativas de suicídio. Em amostras clínicas, entre 14 por cento e 59 por cento dos pacientes apresentam ideação suicida e entre 25 por cento e 56 por cento têm pelo menos uma tentativa de suicídio ao longo da vida. Aproximadamente 15 por cento a 19 por cento dos pacientes com transtorno afetivo bipolar morrem por suicídio. As causas do comportamento suicida são múltiplas e complexas. Alguns preditores de comportamento suicida vêm sendo demonstrados consistentemente na literatura, tais como estado de humor atual, gravidade da depressão, ansiedade, agressividade, hostilidade, presença de comorbidades com outros transtornos do eixo I e eixo II, presença de estados mistos ao longo do curso da doença e história de abuso físico ou sexual. CONCLUSÃO: O transtorno bipolar é o transtorno psiquiátrico com maior risco ao longo da vida para tentativas de suicídio e suicídio completo. Sendo assim é importante para o clínico identificar os principais fatores de risco para comportamento suicida visando a escolha das melhores estratégias para lidar com esse comportamento complexo.

Facial emotion recognition in bipolar disorder: a critical review / Reconhecimento de emoções faciais: artigo de revisão

OBJECTIVE: Literature review of the controlled studies in the last 18 years in emotion recognition deficits in bipolar disorder. METHOD: A bibliographical research of controlled studies with samples larger than 10 participants from 1990 to June 2008 was completed in Medline, Lilacs, PubMed and ISI. Thirty-two papers were evaluated. RESULTS: Euthymic bipolar disorder presented impairment in recognizing disgust and fear. Manic BD showed difficult to recognize fearful and sad faces. Pediatric bipolar disorder patients and children at risk presented impairment in their capacity to recognize emotions in adults and children faces. Bipolar disorder patients were more accurate in recognizing facial emotions than schizophrenic patients. DISCUSSION: Bipolar disorder patients present impaired recognition of disgust, fear and sadness that can be partially attributed to mood-state. In mania, they have difficult to recognize fear and disgust. Bipolar disorder patients were more accurate in recognizing emotions than depressive and schizophrenic patients. Bipolar disorder children present a tendency to misjudge extreme facial expressions as being moderate or mild in intensity. CONCLUSION: Affective and cognitive deficits in bipolar disorder vary according to the mood states. Follow-up studies re-testing bipolar disorder patients after recovery are needed in order to investigate if these abnormalities reflect a state or trait marker and can be considered an endophenotype. Future studies should aim at standardizing task and designs.

OBJETIVO: Revisão da literatura de estudos controlados publicados nos últimos 18 anos sobre déficits no reconhecimento de emoções no transtorno bipolar. MÉTODO: Foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica no Medline, Lilacs, PubMed e ISI, selecionando-se o período de 1990 a junho de 2008. Foram incluídos apenas estudos controlados, que tivessem uma das amostras com mais de 10 participantes, totalizando 32 artigos. RESULTADOS: Bipolares eutímicos apresentaram prejuízo no reconhecimento de nojo e medo. Em mania, mostraram dificuldade para reconhecer medo e tristeza. Transtorno bipolar pediátrico e crianças de risco apresentam dificuldade para reconhecer emoções nos rostos de adultos e de crianças. Bipolares foram mais precisos para reconhecer emoções do que os pacientes esquizofrênicos. DISCUSSÃO: Pacientes com transtorno bipolar apresentam prejuízo no reconhecimento de nojo, medo e tristeza, os quais podem ser apenas em parte atribuídos ao estado de humor. No episódio maníaco, eles têm dificuldade para reconhecer medo e nojo. Entretanto, eles são mais precisos no reconhecimento de emoções do que pacientes deprimidos e esquizofrênicos. Crianças com transtorno bipolar apresentam tendência a julgar expressões faciais extremas como sendo de intensidade leve ou moderada. CONCLUSÃO: Déficits afetivos e cognitivos em bipolares sofrem variações dependendo do estado de humor. Estudos de seguimento, reavaliando pacientes após a remissão dos sintomas, são necessários para investigar se estas anormalidades refletem um estado ou traço da doença e se podem ser consideradas endofenótipos. Estudos futuros devem padronizar tarefas e metodologia.

Revisão das diretrizes da Associação Médica Brasileira para o tratamento da depressão (Versão integral) / Review of the guidelines of the Brazilian Medical Association for the treatment of depression (Full version)

OBJETIVO: A depressão é uma condição freqüente, em geral recorrente e de curso crônico, associada com níveis altos de incapacitação funcional. A Associação Médica Brasileira, por meio do projeto "Diretrizes", buscou desenvolver guias para diagnóstico e tratamento das doenças mais comuns. O objetivo deste trabalho é o de atualizar as Diretrizes desenvolvidas em 2003, incorporando novas evidências e recomendações. MÉTODO: A metodologia utilizada foi a proposta pela Associação Médica Brasileira para o projeto Diretrizes. Assim, o trabalho foi baseado em diretrizes desenvolvidas em outros países aliadas a artigos de revisão sistemáticos, ensaios clínicos randomizados e, na ausência destes, estudos observacionais e recomendações de grupo de experts. A atualização foi realizada a partir de novas diretrizes internacionais publicadas a partir de 2003. RESULTADOS: São apresentados dados referentes a prevalência, demografia, incapacitação, diagnóstico e subdiagnóstico de depressão. Em relação ao tratamento, são mostrados dados sobre a eficácia do tratamento medicamentoso e psicoterápico das depressões, além do perfil de custos e de efeitos colaterais das diferentes classes de medicamentos disponíveis no Brasil, além do planejamento das diferentes fases do tratamento. CONCLUSÃO: As diretrizes têm como objetivo servir de orientação para a tomada de decisões clínicas baseada nas evidências científicas da literatura disponível.

OBJECTIVE: Depression is a frequent, recurrent and chronic condition with high levels of functional disability. The Brazilian Medical Association Guidelines project proposed guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of the most common medical disorders. The objective of this paper is to present a review of the Guidelines Published in 2003 incorporating new evidence and recommendations. METHOD: This review was based on guidelines developed in other countries and systematic reviews, randomized clinical trials and when absent, observational studies and recommendations from experts. The Brazilian Medical Association proposed this methodology for the whole project. The review was developed from new international guidelines published since 2003. RESULTS: The following aspects are presented: prevalence, demographics, disability, diagnostics and sub-diagnosis, efficacy of pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment, costs and side-effects of different classes of available drugs in Brazil. Strategies for different phases of treatment are also discussed. CONCLUSION: The Guidelines are an important tool for clinical decisions and a reference for orientation based on the available evidence in the literature.