Katia M’Bailara

Emotional hyper-reactivity in normothymic bipolar patients

BACKGROUND Normothymic states in bipolar disorders are generally considered to be devoid of severe symptoms. However, bipolar patients present subsyndromal symptoms for half of their lives, and often have comorbid psychiatric disorders. If we go beyond the concept of temperamental features, can we identify certain emotional characteristics distinguishing normothymic bipolar patients from normal controls? We previously showed, using self-completed questionnaires, that normothymic bipolar patients display higher levels of emotional lability and intensity than controls. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the emotional reactivity of normothymic bipolar patients, comparing such patients with a normal control group during an experimental mood induction procedure. METHOD We evaluated the subjective emotional reactivity of 145 subjects (90 control subjects and 55 normothymic bipolar patients), using an emotional induction method based on the viewing of a set of 18 pictures (6 positive, 6 negative, 6 neutral) extracted from the International Affective Picture System. Subjective valence and arousal were recorded with the Self-Assessment Manikin. We also recorded startle reflexes, triggered by a tone occurring during the viewing of two-thirds of the pictures. We controlled for confounding factors, such as concurrent treatments, in all analyses. RESULTS Normothymic bipolar patients and normal controls assessed valence and arousal similarly for positive and negative images. However, neutral images were considered more pleasant [F(1,143) = 8.4; p = 0.004] and induced a higher level of arousal [F(1,143) = 12.3; p = 0.001] in normothymic bipolar patients than in control subjects. Neutral pictures also triggered a stronger startle reflex in normothymic bipolar patients compared to controls [F(3,123) = 3.1; p = 0.03]. CONCLUSION Normothymic bipolar patients displayed emotional hyper-reactivity, mostly evidenced in neutral situations. This feature may be linked to emotional dysregulation and is a potential endophenotype and/or a risk factor for bipolar disorders. This trait may be responsible for vulnerability to minor stressful events in everyday life. These findings have potential implications for the daily management of bipolar disorder between crises.

Decreased brain tryptophan availability as a partial determinant of post-partum blues.

BACKGROUND The post-partum blues is a transient mood alteration affecting most women a few days after delivery. Its stereotypic pattern of symptoms and time course, peaking on post-partum day 3-5, is suggestive of biological determinants superimposed on psycho-social factors. This study was designed to evaluate the possible role of the serotonin system during this period through assessment of brain tryptophan availability. METHODS Blood samples from 50 women were collected just before (D0) and 3 days after (D3) delivery. Based on plasma concentration of tryptophan, amino acids competing with tryptophan for transport across the blood-brain barrier and on their respective affinities for this transporter, a brain tryptophan availability index (BTAI) was calculated and its variation correlated with the intensity of post-partum blues evaluated through the Kennerley and Gath score at D3. RESULTS The BTAI showed a -15% decrease between D0 and D3 (p < 0.01, paired t-test). This decrease was not supported by a drop in plasma tryptophan since its level rather increased (+19%). There was no evidence for change in placental indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase activity since the variation in plasma l-kynurenine (+12%) paralleled the change in tryptophan level. The decreased BTAI appeared the consequence of a dramatic increase in plasma levels of most amino acids, particularly the competitor aminoacids leucine, isoleucine, valine and tyrosine, during the early post-partum. This decrease in brain tryptophan availability was concomitant to the post-partum blues, whose intensity significantly correlated with the amplitude of BTAI variation (Pearsons coefficient -0.283, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION This study suggests that generalized, large amplitude metabolic and/or nutritional changes occurring in the early post-partum result in a transient decrease in brain tryptophan availability, partly accounting for the mood alteration referred to as the post-partum blues, a model for the triggering of puerperal mood disorder in vulnerable women.

Le baby blues : caractérisation clinique et influence de variables psycho-sociales

Resume Dans les jours qui suivent l’accouchement, la majorite des femmes presentent des fluctuations de l’humeur communement designees baby blues. Cette entite, bien qu’etant largement exploree, demeure difficile a caracteriser chez les jeunes meres. En effet, la presence de pleurs semble etre le symptome servant de reference. Pourtant, il parait essentiel de trouver d’autres signes pour le diagnostic et pour la comprehension du declenchement et de l’intensite du baby blues. Dans cette perspective, notre objectif etait dans un premier temps d’evaluer s’il existe un lien entre l’intensite du baby blues et des variables telles que le stress en rapport avec les soins du bebe, l’estime de soi face au role de mere et le soutien social, puis dans un second temps de caracteriser les symptomes du baby blues, en utilisant une analyse dimensionnelle fondee sur l’evaluation de 4 dimensions : la reactivite emotionnelle, les cognitions, la motricite, la motivation, plutot que sur leur tonalite triste ou euphorique. Ainsi, les resultats montrent que certaines caracteristiques socio-biographiques, la presence de vulnerabilites psychologiques (soutien social, estime de soi face au role de mere, stress en rapport avec les soins du bebe), le vecu de la grossesse et les evenements lies a la periode gravido-puerperale sont fortement lies a l’etat mental de la mere apres l’accouchement. De plus, la description clinique du baby blues met en valeur une hyperreactivite emotionnelle des meres 3 jours apres leur accouchement.

Group-based trajectory modeling: A novel approach to examining symptom trajectories in acute bipolar episodes

BACKGROUND Pattern analysis can aid understanding of trajectories of symptom evolution. However, most studies focus on relatively homogeneous disorders with a restricted range of outcomes, prescribed a limited number of classes of medication. We explored the utility of pattern analysis in defining short-term outcomes in a heterogeneous clinical sample with acute bipolar disorders. METHOD In a naturalistic observational study, we used Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) to define trajectories of symptom change in 118 bipolar cases recruited during an acute DSM IV episode: major depression (56%), (hypo)mania (26%), and mixed states (18%). Symptoms were assessed weekly for a month using the MATHYS, which measures symptoms independent of episode polarity. RESULTS Four trajectories of symptom change were identified: Persistent Inhibition, Transient Inhibition, Transient Activation and Over-activation. However, counter to traditional predictions, we observed that bipolar depression shows a heterogeneous response pattern with cases being distributed approximately equally across trajectories that commenced with inhibition and activation. LIMITATIONS The observational period focuses on acute outcomes and so we cannot use the findings to predict whether the trajectories lead to stable improvement or whether the clinical course for some clusters is cyclical. As in all GBTM, the terms used for each trajectory are subjective, also the modeling programme we used assumes dropouts are random, which is clearly not always the case. CONCLUSION This paper highlights the potential importance of techniques such as GBTM in distinguishing the different response trajectories for acutely ill bipolar cases. The use of the MATHYS provides further critical insights, demonstrating that clustering of cases with similar response patterns may be independent of episodes defined by mood state.

Neuropsychological functioning, age, and medication adherence in bipolar disorder

Objectives Poor adherence to medication is frequent in bipolar disorder (BD) and has been associated with several factors. To date, the relationship between low adherence and neuropsychological functioning in BD is still unclear. As age and neuropsychological functioning might have opposing influences on adherence, our aim was to investigate this link with a particular focus on the effect of age. Methods In a cross-sectional study, we included 353 patients divided into two age-groups (16–46; 47–71) from a French cohort diagnosed with BD (type I, II, NOS) and strictly euthymic. All patients had a standardized clinical and neuropsychological assessment and were categorized as high (n = 186) or low (n = 167) adherent based on their score from the Medication Adherence Rating Scale. Clinical information was collected based on a standardized interview and clinical validated scales. Neuropsychological performances were evaluated with an established standardized neuropsychological battery for bipolar disorder patients. After univariate analysis, neuropsychological and clinical predictors of low adherence were included in two age-specific stepwise multiple logistic regressions. Results A smaller number of hospitalizations (OR = 0.846, p = 0.012), a shorter illness duration (OR = 0.937, p = 0.003) and higher adverse effects (OR = 1.082, p<0.001) were associated with a greater risk of low adherence in the younger patients. In the older patients, low adherence was also predicted by a smaller number of hospitalizations (OR = 0.727, p = 0.008) and higher adverse effects (OR = 1.124, p = 0.005). Interestingly poor inhibition performance was also a significant predictor of low adherence in older patients (OR = 0.924, p = 0.030). Conclusions We found an age-specific relationship between cognitive functioning and adherence in patients with BD. Poor inhibition performances predicted low adherence in older patients only. Our results highlight the need to provide age-adapted therapeutic interventions to improve adherence in patients with BD.

Patient education interventions for colorectal cancer patients with stoma: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES To describe the various types of patient education interventions for colorectal cancer patients with stoma and to examine their effects on quality of life, psychosocial skills and self-management skills. METHODS A systematic review was performed. Six electronic databases were searched. Inclusion criteria were: studies about patient education applying quantitative methods including digestive stoma adults with colorectal cancer. The primary outcome was quality of life. Secondary outcomes were psychosocial and self-management skills. RESULTS Thirteen studies were identified and included. Five studies examined quality of life and three reported improvements. Patient education improved some psychosocial and self-management skills. Contrasting findings were reported for specific-disease quality of life, emotional distress, length of hospital stay, stoma complications and readmission rate. CONCLUSIONS Patient education has a positive impact on some psychosocial and self-management skills, indicating that this area should be developed. Contrasting findings were reported for quality of life. Methodologies are heterogeneous making it difficult to produce evidence-based guidelines. This article proposes tools to carry out further studies on this subject and to improve understanding. PRACTICE IMPLICATION Further education intervention for stoma patients with colorectal cancer should be standardized in terms of intervention, duration and outcome measures to compare intervention and determine best practice.

P01-232 - Group-based trajectory modeling a good model to explore sub-groups of recovery during acute bipolar mood episodes

Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) is a statistical method created to explore the heterogeneity of clinical groups based on their longitudinal outcomes by identifying distinct trajectories of change. This model can be applied to assess heterogeneity in responses to treatment. This pilot study explored the relevance of the GBTM associated with the dimensional evaluation of mood (MATHYS) to define trajectory of recovery in acute bipolar mood episodes on a short period of time during a naturalistic study. Method The sample consisted in 118 bipolar patients and all patients were recruited during an acute phase: 56% had a major depressive episode, 26% a manic or hypomanic episode, and 18% a mixed state using the DSM-IV criteria. Patients were assessed four times with MATHYS during a three weeks follow-up period. It is an observational study and treatment was prescribed as usual. We applied the GBTM method and MATHYS total score to define trajectories of recovery. Results This method allows identifying 4 trajectories of recovery. At Baseline, two of them started with a score of inhibition but with quite different evolutive profiles (stable inhibition versus improvement). The two others trajectories started with a score of activation (mild versus moderate) and showed a linear improvement of symptoms but with a more rapid recovery for the patients with the higher activation at baseline. Conclusion When considering the diagnosis of patients belonging in each trajectory, there model seems particular relevant to explore the high heterogeneity in response to treatment in bipolar patients during an acute depressive episode.

Labilidad afectiva e intensidad del afecto como dimensiones básicas de los trastornos bipolares durante el periodo eutímico

Los trastornos bipolares suelen definirse por estados de humor alternativos, pero una caracterizacion mas precisa del periodo eutimico podria proporcionar una comprension adicional de la fisiopatologia de estos trastornos. Sorprendentemente, pocos estudios han investigado las dimensiones afectivas esenciales en pacientes bipolares eutimicos. En el presente estudio, evaluamos a 179 pacientes bipolares eutimicos (puntuacion

Depressive mixed state: Evidence for a new form of depressive state in type I and II bipolar patients

Background A high proportion of unipolar and bipolar type II patients can present a depressive mixed state (DMX). This state is defined by an association of a major depressive episode with at least two specific hypomanic symptoms. This state seems underdiagnosed and this could have treatment implications. The aims of our study were: (i) to investigate the frequency of DMX in type I and II bipolar patients hospitalized for a severe or resistant depressive episode and (ii) to assess the therapeutic response in naturalistic conditions. Methods Forty-two consecutive bipolar patients referred by psychiatrists for a severe or resistant depressive episode were assessed using the French version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 5.0 (MINI 5.0), which assesses the suicide risk and provides DSM-IV diagnosis. The intensity of mood episodes was evaluated using the MADRS and Bech-Rafaelsen Mania Scale. One group of patients included patients presenting only depressive symptoms (ie, pure major depressive episode (MDE)), and the second group included patients with a major depressive episode and at least two specific hypomanic symptoms (DMX). Results Twenty-one patients (50%) had a pure MDE and 21 patients (50%) had a DMX. The treatment leading to recovery was very different in the two groups. Antidepressants were effective (77%) in MDE patients, whereas antipsychotics were effective (81%) in DMX. 38% of patients with a MDE also received a mood stabilizer versus 86% in the group of DMX. Five MDE patients (24%) and one DMX patient required electroconvulsive therapy. The suicidal ideations did not differ between the two groups (p = 0.7). Conclusions Some mood episodes in bipolar patients (type I and II) are characterised by depressive and hypomanic symptoms but do not meet criteria for mixed episode as defined by DSM-IV. These episodes are often diagnosed as depressive states, but are worsened by antidepressants and often considered as resistant depression. They rapidly respond to antimanic treatment. New categories of mood disorders should take into account this particular mixed state.