Abstract Introduction Based on studies of the biographies of artists and on research in which modern diagnostic criteria were applied, it has been suggested that there is a relationship between bipolar disorder (BD) and creativity. Objective: To investigate the relationship between BD and creativity and whether creative capacity varies depending on mood state. Method We conducted a systematic search of the scientific literature indexed on the PubMed, ISI Web of Science, PsycINFO, and SciELO databases using the terms “bipolar” OR “bipolar disorder” OR “mania” OR “manic” AND “creativ*”. Original studies were selected that investigated samples of at least ten patients with BD using at least one psychometric instrument to assess creativity. Results Twelve articles met the selection criteria. The results of comparisons of BD patients with control groups without BD were heterogeneous. BD was not associated with higher levels of creativity than other mental disorders. When comparing BD phases, depression was associated with worse performance on creativity tests and patients in mania (or hypomania) were not distinguished from euthymia patients. Conclusion It was not possible to corroborate the hypothesis that individuals with BD are more creative than individuals without psychiatric diagnoses or than patients suffering from other mental disorders, which may be related to the cross-sectional rather than longitudinal designs of virtually all of the clinical studies.

Resumo Introdução Nos últimos anos, a associação entre temperamento e características clínicas dos transtornos de humor tem sido estudada. A maioria dos pacientes bipolares apresenta déficits na consciência de sinais e sintomas. A relação entre temperamento afetivo e insight em pacientes bipolares não tem sido relatada na literatura até o momento. Objetivo Avaliar a relação entre temperamento afetivo e insight no transtorno bipolar. Métodos Um grupo de 65 pacientes bipolares foi acompanhado por um ano. Os pacientes foram submetidos a uma avaliação clínica utilizando os critérios do Manual Diagnóstico e Estatístico de Transtornos Mentais, 5ª edição (DSM-5). O insight foi avaliado através da Escala de Insight para Transtornos Afetivos (ISAD), e o temperamento afetivo, através da TEMPS-Rio de Janeiro. A relação entre temperamento afetivo e insight foi explorada usando correlações de Spearman entre os escores de cada item da ISAD e as subescalas da TEMPS-Rio de Janeiro. Resultados Nas fases eutímicas, os bipolares com temperamento depressivo relacionaram-se com maior nível de insight sobre as consequências do transtorno; quando em mania, apresentaram melhor insight sobre ter um transtorno afetivo, apresentar alterações psicomotoras e sofrer de culpa ou grandiosidade. Da mesma forma, bipolares com maiores escores de temperamento ansioso, quando em mania, tiveram melhor percepção sobre alterações na atenção. Bipolares com escores mais altos de temperamento hipertímico, quando em mania, mostraram o pior insight sobre o curso do pensamento. Conclusão O nível de insight em pacientes bipolares, além de ser determinado pela fase da doença e por diversos sintomas, é influenciado pelo temperamento afetivo.

Abstract Introduction In recent years, the association between temperament and clinical characteristics of mood disorders has been studied. Most bipolar patients show deficits in their awareness of signs and symptoms. The relationship between affective temperament and insight in bipolar patients has not been carried out in the literature so far. Objective To evaluate the relationship between affective temperament and insight in bipolar disorder. Method A group of 65 bipolar patients were followed during a year. Patients underwent a clinical assessment and were diagnosed using criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5). Insight was evaluated through the Insight Scale for Affective Disorders (ISAD), and affective temperament, through the TEMPS-Rio de Janeiro. The relationship between affective temperament and insight was explored with Spearman rho correlations between scores on each item of the ISAD and on the TEMPS-Rio de Janeiro subscales. Results In euthymic phases, bipolars with depressive temperament were associated with a higher level of insight about the consequences of the disorder; when in mania, patients showed better insight about having an affective disorder, presenting psychomotor alterations, and suffering from guilt or grandiosity. Similarly, bipolar patients with higher scores of anxious temperament, when in mania, had better insight on alterations in attention. Bipolar patients with higher scores of hyperthymic temperament, when in mania, showed the worst insight about thought disorder. Conclusion In addition to being determined by the phase of the disease and several varying symptoms, the level of insight in bipolar patients is also influenced by affective temperament.

Resumo Introdução O estado afetivo pode influenciar o insight , especialmente a mania. No entanto, até o momento os estudos mostram que a depressão parece não prejudicar significativamente o insight . De acordo com o conhecimento dos autores, este estudo é pioneiro em avaliar como as alterações de insight na depressão bipolar se correlacionam com variáveis clínicas. Método Um grupo de 165 pacientes bipolares, com 52 pacientes apresentando episódios depressivos de acordo com os critérios do DSM-5, foi acompanhado por um ano. Os pacientes foram submetidos a avaliação clínica, e o insight foi avaliado utilizandose a Insight Scale for Affective Disorders (ISAD). Diferenças no insight de acordo com o objeto foram investigadas utilizandose ANOVA de medidas repetidas, comparando os escores dos quatro fatores da ISAD ( insight sobre sintomas, sobre sua condição, autoestima e relações sociais). Análises de correlação exploraram quais sintomas clínicos estiveram associados a redução de insight . Resultados Pior insight total correlacionou-se com ideação/tentativa de suicídio e com sintomas subsindrômicos de mania (elevação do humor, energia aumentada e interesse sexual). Pior insight sobre autoestima associou-se não somente a ideação/tentativa de suicídio, mas também a redução de atividade e alentecimento psicomotor. Pior insight sobre sintomas também mostrou correlação com alentecimento psicomotor. Melhor insight sobre ter uma doença afetiva associou-se a sintomas hipocondríacos mais intensos. Finalmente, pior insight sobre a condição esteve associado a sintomas psicóticos. Conclusão O estudo mostrou que, além da psicose, outros sintomas parecem se correlacionar com prejuízo de insight na depressão bipolar, como ideação suicida, redução de atividade e alentecimento psicomotor.

Abstract Introduction Affective state may influence insight, especially regarding mania. Nevertheless, studies have so far suggested that depression seems not to significantly impair insight. To the best of our knowledge, this study pioneers the evaluation of how insight variations in bipolar depression correlate with clinical variables. Method A group of 165 bipolar patients, 52 of whom had depressive episodes according to DSM-5 criteria, were followed during a year. All patients underwent clinical assessment, and insight was evaluated through the Insight Scale for Affective Disorders (ISAD). Repeated-measures ANOVA was calculated comparing scores on the four ISAD factors (insight into symptoms, the condition itself, self-esteem and social relationships) in order to investigate differences in insight according to different objects. Correlational analysis explored which clinical symptoms were linked to reduced insight. Results Worse total insight correlated with suicide attempt/ideation and fewer subsyndromal manic symptoms such as mood elevation, increased energy and sexual interest. Worse self-esteem insight was associated with not only suicide ideation/attempt but also with activity reduction and psychomotor retardation. Worse symptom insight also correlated with psychomotor retardation. Better insight into having an affective disorder was associated with more intense hypochondria symptoms. Finally, worse insight into having an illness was associated with psychotic episodes. Conclusion Our study found that symptoms other than psychosis – suicide ideation, psychomotor retardation and reduction of activity and work – correlate with insight impairment in bipolar depression.

Objetivo: Avaliar se o insight global sobre transtorno bipolar e sobre seus sintomas é afetado pelo estado de humor do paciente, usando a Escala de Insight para Transtornos Afetivos, uma escala de heteroaplicação para pacientes com transtorno do humor.Métodos: Noventa e cinco pacientes com transtorno bipolar foram avaliados e divididos em diferentes grupos de acordo com o estado de humor presente durante a avaliação (i.e., eutimia, mania e depressão). Dados sociodemográficos e clínicos (Escala de Depressão de Hamilton, Escala de Avaliação de Mania de Young e Escala de Impressão Clínica Global) foram registrados. Oinsight foi avaliado usando a Escala de Insight para Transtornos Afetivos.Resultados: Pacientes bipolares em mania apresentaram menor insightsobre sua condição do que pacientes em depressão ou eutimia, e menorinsight sobre seus sintomas do que pacientes em depressão, exceto para consciência de mudança de peso.Conclusões: A perda de insight durante a mania pode ter importantes implicações para aceitação do e aderência ao tratamento e precisa ser levada em conta no manejo clínico de pacientes bipolares.

Objective: To evaluate whether having general insight into bipolar disorder and its symptoms is affected by the mood state of the patient, using the Insight Scale for Affective Disorders, a hetero-application scale for people with mood disorders.Methods: Ninety-five patients with bipolar disorder were evaluated and divided into different groups according to the mood state presented during assessment (i.e., euthymia, mania and depression). Sociodemographic and clinical data (Hamilton Depression Scale, Young Mania Rating Scale, and Clinical Global Impressions Scale) were recorded. Insight was evaluated using the Insight Scale for Affective Disorders.Results: Patients with bipolar disorder in mania show less insight about their condition than patients in depression or euthymia, and less insight about their symptoms than patients with depression, with the exception of awareness of weight change.Conclusions: Loss of insight during mania may have important implications for treatment compliance and adherence and needs to be taken into account in the clinical management of people with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder (BD) has been associated with marked cognitive impairment, including euthymic periods. Attention is among the most compromised functions in BD. Changes related to learning, memory, and visuospatial abilities can be derived from these attention impairments. The objective of this article is to review the scientific literature on the performance of BD patients in attention tests. A systematic review was performed of controlled studies that assessed attention in patients diagnosed with BD aged between 18 and 65 years. The databases included Medline, LILACS, Cochrane Library, Institute for Scientific Information Web of Knowledge, and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and the search encompassed the period from 2008 to 2013. Only studies that had a minimum sample of 10 patients were included. A total of 110 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Compared with healthy control subjects, bipolar patients showed poorer attention performance. Compared with other mental disorders, BD was associated with poorer performance than unipolar depression but better performance than schizophrenia. When bipolar patients in different phases of the disease were compared with one another, the performance of euthymic patients was similar to or better than patients in a depressive state; moreover, manic patients performed worse than depressive patients. Attention is significantly impaired in BD. Attention impairment in BD is milder than in schizophrenia but greater than in unipolar depression. Attention impairment is possibly more severe in manic and depressed episodes than in euthymic periods.