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Degree

PhD, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences : Psychology, 2005.

Abstract

Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a common psychiatric disorder characterized by poor mood regulation. Lesion and neuroimaging studies have identified a frontal-subcortical network in the brain that is involved in the disorder. Although there is evidence that links dysfunction in this network to mood dysregulation, it is less certain whether dysregulation in this same network affects the processing of external emotional cues. To examine this question, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans were obtained from a sample of asymptomatic patients with BPD (n=7) and a group of matched healthy subjects (n=8) while they performed affect- and gender-matching tasks. The results indicated equivalent performance between the groups with respect to accuracy and reaction time for both tasks, however the two groups demonstrated significantly different patterns of brain activity on fMRI activation maps. Specifically, healthy participants demonstrated significantly greater activation in the amygdalar and anterior cingulate regions, whereas the patient group relied on other brain regions. These findings suggest that affect processing in patients with BPD relates to dysfunction in the frontal-subcortical network, even in the absence of overt psychiatric symptoms.

Subject Headings

Psychology, Clinical

Keywords

Bipolar Disorder; Neuropsychology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Advisor

Dr. Paula K Shear

Pages

60p.

Document number: ucin1109353595
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1109353595

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