The purpose of this study was to assess the role of social cognition, together with other relevant clinical variables and measures of general cognition, in the global functioning of euthymic bipolar patients. Thirty-nine euthymic outpatients fulfilling DSM-IV-TR criteria for bipolar disorder type I or II were recruited and were divided in two groups: high (n = 19) and low (n = 20) global functioning. Both groups' performance was compared in verbal and nonverbal social cognition (Faux pas test and Facial Emotion Recognition test), sustained attention and executive function. The low-functioning group showed a significant impairment in both verbal and nonverbal measurements of social cognition compared with the high-functioning group. Globally, both bipolar groups showed a significant impairment in facial emotion recognition compared with a similar sample of healthy volunteers. Social cognition may play a significant role in the clinical-functional gap of bipolar patients.

There is a deficit of olfactory identification in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder that is correlated with a deficit in both verbal and non-verbal measures of social cognition.

Introduction:Bipolar patients show a significant degree of psychosocial disfunction even in euthymia. Recent studies have reported deficits in Theory of Mind and emotion recognition in BD. Our hypothesis is that social cognition deficit could be associated with a poor general functioning and psychosocial disadvantage in BD.Methods:A sample of 27 euthymic bipolar patients were recluted. Based on Global Assessment of Functioning, they were divided into two groups: good or low general functioning. Euthymia was defined as YMRS < 6 and HDRS < 8, during a 3-month period. Patients with high (n 18) and low (n 9) functioning were compared on several clinical variables and on social / general cognitive measures. Both verbal and non verbal Theory of Mind capacities were assesed (faux pas test and face emotion recognition test). Finally, sustained attention and executive functions were evaluated (Asarnow Test and WSCT).Results:High- and low-functioning groups did not differ with respect to demographic and clinical variables (age, sex, age at onset, years of evolution of illness, history of prior psychotic symptoms; p = n.s.). However, low-functioning group showed poorer performance than high-functioning group both in faux pas test (U Mann Whitney; p=0.035) and face emotion recognition (U; p = 0.021). In addition, low-functioning group also showed a significant impairment in general cognitive funtions such as sustained attention (U, p = 0.007) and executive funtions (U, p = 0.046).Conclusion:Social cognition deficit is associated with a poorer general functioning and psychosocial disadvantage.

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