Theory of Mind and Neurocognition in Bipolar Mania Patients and Their Unaffected First-Degree Relatives.

BACKGROUND

Cognitive impairment in manic patients involves neurocognitive and theory of mind (ToM) impairments. This study aims to investigate cognitive impairment among manic patients and their first-degree relatives (FDRs).

METHODS

A total of 31 manic inpatients, 31 unaffected relatives, and 30 healthy controls (HCs) were investigated using the Reading the Mind in Eye Test (RMET) and Hinting Task (HT). The intelligence quotient (IQ), attention, working memory, executive functions, fluency and processing speed were also assessed.

RESULTS

Patients and their relatives scored lower than controls on Theory of Mind reasoning and several neurocognitive measures. Regression analysis of the total sample indicated that a mania diagnosis or a FDR was strongly related to lower ToM reasoning performance. The deficits in ToM among patients were related to years of education.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to the comparable performance of ToM between patients and their relatives, the reasoning aspect of ToM may represent a trait marker for bipolar disorder (BD). The deficits in ToM in patients with BD are partly independent of neurocognition.