Impaired recognition of happy facial expressions in bipolar disorder. Issue 4 (9th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lawlor-Savage, Linette; Sponheim, Scott R.; Goghari, Vina M.
• Is Part Of: Acta neuropsychiatrica. Volume 26:Issue 4(2014:Aug.)
• Page Start: 253
• Page End: 259
• Publication Date: 2014-04-09
• Subjects: Neuropsychiatry -- Periodicals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1017/neu.2014.6
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0924-2708

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="abs1" sec-type="general"> <title>Background</title> <p>The ability to accurately judge facial expressions is important in social interactions. Individuals with bipolar disorder have been found to be impaired in emotion recognition; however, the specifics of the impairment are unclear. This study investigated whether facial emotion recognition difficulties in bipolar disorder reflect general cognitive, or emotion-specific, impairments. Impairment in the recognition of particular emotions and the role of processing speed in facial emotion recognition were also investigated.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs2" sec-type="methods"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Clinically stable bipolar patients (<italic>n</italic> = 17) and healthy controls (<italic>n</italic> = 50) judged five facial expressions in two presentation types, time-limited and self-paced. An age recognition condition was used as an experimental control.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs3" sec-type="results"> <title>Results</title> <p>Bipolar patients' overall facial recognition ability was unimpaired. However, patients' specific ability to judge happy expressions under time constraints was impaired.</p> </sec> <sec id="abs4" sec-type="conclusion"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Findings suggest a deficit in happy emotion recognition impacted by processing speed. Given the limited sample size, further investigation with a larger patient sample is warranted.</p> </sec> </abstract>