Effect of bipolar disorder on left frontal cortical responses to goals differing in valence and task difficulty.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
The behavioral activation system (BAS) dysregulation theory of bipolar disorder predicts that bipolar individuals will show an excessive increase in approach motivation during reward striving. Building on past research showing that the left frontal cortical region is involved in approach motivation, we predicted that individuals with bipolar disorder would evidence increased relative left frontal cortical activity in response to goal striving, particularly in response to positive challenges.

METHODS:
Right-handed individuals (age 18-24) with a bipolar spectrum diagnosis (n = 41) and individuals with no major affective psychopathology (n = 53) were presented with cues indicating that, on a given trial, an easy, medium, or hard anagram (scrambled word) would be presented in 7 seconds and that they would receive money or avoid losing money for the correct solution (10 anagrams of each of the 6 types). During this preparation period, electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha power was measured and hemispheric asymmetry indexes were computed.

RESULTS:
Compared with the nonbipolar individuals, individuals with bipolar disorder showed greater relative left frontal cortical activation in preparation for the hard/win trials. Whereas nonbipolar individuals showed a decrease in left frontal cortical activation from medium to hard win trials, bipolar individuals did not. In addition, among bipolar individuals, current self-reported activation related to greater left frontal activation to the hard/win trials.

CONCLUSIONS:
These results provide support for an integrative biopsychosocial model of bipolar disorder, BAS dysregulation theory, and suggest that relative left frontal activity, which may be involved in mania, is triggered by challenging and potentially rewarding events.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Harmon-Jones, Eddie (E); Abramson, Lyn Y (LY); Nusslock, Robin (R); Sigelman, Jonathan D (JD); Urosevic, Snezana (S); Turonie, Lee D (LD); Alloy, Lauren B (LB); Fearn, Meghan (M);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA. eddiehj(-atsign-)gmail.com

Grants: MH 52617 (Agency:United States NIMH) ; MH 52662 (Agency:United States NIMH)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Biological psychiatry (Biol Psychiatry), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Apr; vol 63 (issue 7) : pp 693-8

Dates: Created 2008/03/10; Completed 2008/04/03;

PMID: 17919457, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Affect
Bipolar Disorder - metabolism; physiopathology
Cerebral Cortex - metabolism; physiopathology
Electroencephalography
Female

Female
Frontal Lobe - metabolism; physiopathology
Functional Laterality - physiology
Goals
Humans
Male
Psychomotor Performance

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.