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Is theory of mind impairment a trait-marker in bipolar disorder?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

N. Ioannidi ,
G. Konstantakopoulos ,
P. Patrikelis ,
A. Economou ,
D. Sakkas ,
D. Ploumpidis  and
P. Oulis
N. Ioannidi
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
G. Konstantakopoulos
Affiliation:
First Department of Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece Section of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
P. Patrikelis
Affiliation:
First Department of Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece
A. Economou
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
D. Sakkas
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, General Hospital G. Gennimatas’, Athens, Greece
D. Ploumpidis
Affiliation:
First Department of Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece
P. Oulis
Affiliation:
First Department of Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece

Abstract

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Objectives

Previous studies have provided evidence for Theory of Mind (ToM) impairment in bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of the study was to determine whether ToM impairment can be considered as a trait- marker or a state characteristic of BD.

Methods

ToM was assessed in 29 patients with bipolar-I during an episode and in remission as well as in 29 pair-matched for age, gender and education level healthy controls. Three different ToM tests were used (multilevel assessment): First Order False Belief Stories, Hinting Test, Faux Pas Recognition Test. Attention, memory, verbal learning ability, visuospatial ability, executive functions were also assessed using WAIS – Vocabulary, Block design, and Digit span, Stroop Test, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Trail Making Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Paired t-test was used to compare patients’ neuropsychological performance in episode and euthimic states and one-way ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni corrections for the between groups comparisons.

Results

Patients showed significant impairments on ToM tasks in the acute phase compared to the control group. ToM deficits did not persist beyond mood episode, except patients’ poor performance on Faux Pas. Dysfunction in verbal learning, working memory, visospatial ability was found during both the acute and the euthymic phases in relation to the comparison group. Poorer performance in attention, immediate verbal memory and executive function tasks was observed only in the acute phase of the illness.

Conclusions

Impairments in social cognition might reflect underlying general cognitive deficits and residual symptoms rather than representing a specific trait-marker in BD.

Type
P01-215
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 26 , Issue S2: Abstracts of the 19th European Congress of Psychiatry , March 2011 , pp. 216
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2011
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