What goes up can come down? A preliminary investigation of emotion reactivity and emotion recovery in bipolar disorder

Abstract

Background How is emotion disrupted in bipolar disorder? Two studies are presented that adopt a multi-method approach to investigate emotion reactivity and emotion recovery in bipolar I disorder. Methods Across both studies, individuals with inter-episode bipolar disorder and healthy controls were shown three emotion-eliciting films (neutral, happy, and sad) and experiential and physiological responses were measured. In Study 1, bipolar (BD; n = 23) and non-clinical control (NC; n = 24) participants' emotional reactivity during film clips was assessed. In Study 2, a separate sample of BD (n = 23) and NC (n = 25) participants' emotion recovery was assessed after the film clips were assessed. Results Results indicated that the BD group exhibited increased self-reported positive emotion and respiratory sinus arrhythmia across all films compared to the NC group. There were no group differences in emotion recovery. Discussion Taken together, these results suggest that bipolar disorder is associated with increased positive emotion reactivity, but not emotion recovery, across contexts.

A profile approach to impulsivity in bipolar disorder: the key role of strong emotions

“…This finding is particularly notable when considered alongside a burgeoning literature suggesting that bipolar disorder is associated with context-insensitive elevations in positive emotion (cf. 34, 35): the type of emotion that people with bipolar disorder are most susceptible to experiencing also confers the greatest vulnerability to their behaving in rash and ill-considered ways. This profile suggests two potential targets for therapeutic intervention in bipolar I disorder: i) developing effective emotion regulation strategies to maintain healthy levels of positive emotion and ii) implementing plans for preventing impulsive behavior when strong positive emotions do unfold.…”

“…Bipolar disorder has been robustly linked to reward sensitivity (29–32) and to intense emotional experiences (33, 34), as well as difficulties regulating emotion (35, 36). Early results from studies in analog samples suggest reward and strong emotion may also represent important preconditions for impulsivity in bipolar disorder.…”

Valuing happiness is associated with bipolar disorder.

“…Remitted BD participants were selected to examine more stable patterns of emotional goals independent of current mood (Gruber, Harvey, & Johnson, 2009; Gruber, Harvey & Purcell, 2011). Both BD and CTL participants were recruited from the community using online advertisements and flyers posted in New Haven, CT and surrounding communities.…”

Psychopathology, everyday behaviors, and autonomic activity in daily life: An ambulatory impedance cardiography study of depression, anxiety, and hypomanic traits

“…The cardiac pre-ejection period (PEP), a measure of contractility that reflects beta-adrenergic sympathetic impact on the heart, is a common measure of sympathetic activity (Kelsey, 2012), especially in research on effort and motivational engagement (Obrist, 1976; Silvia et al, 2013). Heart rate variability (HRV) has been used as an index of parasympathetic activity or vagal control, and it has been proposed to be a physiological index of emotional functioning (Gruber et al, 2011; Kogan et al, 2013; Oveis et al, 2009). …”

“…Studies of bipolar disorder have variously reported elevated HRV (Gruber et al, 2015, 2011; Kang and Gruber, 2013), decreased HRV and increased LF/HF ratio (proposed to reflect the sympathovagal balance; Chang et al, 2014; Henry et al, 2010; Levy, 2014; Quintana et al, 2016), decreased HRV and decreased LF/HF ratio (Cohen et al, 2003), decreased HRV and no differences in the LF/HF ratio (Moon et al, 2013), and no differences in HRV (Todder et al, 2005). In addition, several studies have found that decreased HRV was associated with severity of mania symptoms (Chang et al, 2014; Henry et al, 2010).…”