Theory of mind and facial emotion recognition in euthymic bipolar I and bipolar II disorders.

MARTINO D.J., STREJILEVICH S.A., FASSI G., MARENGO E., IGOA A.

PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH

ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2011 vol. 189 p. 379 - 384

0165-1781

The main aim of this study was to compare patients with euthymic bipolar I (BDI) and bipolar II (BDII) disorders and healthy controls inmeasures of social cognition. Additional aimswere to explore the association between social cognition performance with neurocognitive impairments and psychosocial functioning. Eighty one euthymic patients with BDI or BDII and 34 healthy controls were included. All subjects completed tests to assess verbal memory, attention, and executive functions. Additionally theory of mind (ToM) and facial emotion recognition measures were included. Psychosocial functioning was assessed with the GAF. Both groups of patients had lower performance than healthy controls in ToM, and a lower recognition of fear facial expression.When neurocognitive impairments and exposure tomedications were controlled, performance in ToM and recognition of fear facial expression did not allow predicting if a subject was patient or healthy control. Social cognition measures not enhance variance beyond explained by neurocognitive impairments and they were not independent predictors of psychosocial functioning. Impairments in facial emotion recognition and ToM are mediated, at least partly, by attention-executive functions de!cits and exposure to psychotropic medications. Likewise, social cognition measures did not contribute to variance beyond neurocognitive impairments.