Comparison of Selective Attention in Different Phases of Bipolar I Disorder and General Population

Based on the fact that attention deficit is considered as a major neuropsychological deficit in bipolar disorder, the objective of this study was to compare selective attention in phases of mania, depression and euthymia between patients with bipolar I disorder and general population in Isfahan in 2016.
The study sample consisted of 59 people, including 15 patients in manic phase, 10 patients in depressive phase, 16 patients in euthymic phase, and 18 people in the control group who were selected through convenience sampling. Patients entered the study based on psychiatrist’s diagnosis of BID based on DSM-5, Young Mania Scale (YMRS, 1978) and the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D, 1960). The Symptom Checklist SCL-90-R (SCL-90-R V. 4. 1, 1976) and 36-item The Short Form Health Survey (SF36, 1993) were used for the control group. Computerized Simple Stroop Test V.4 (2014) was used to measure selective attention. Data were analyzed using One-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and Post Hoc tests. Measured parameters included: time test, error number, no response number, true response number, congruent and incongruent response time, interference number, and interference time.
The results showed that there was a significant difference between congruent and incongruent response time, and congruent response time in mania-control, depression-control, and incongruent response time in euthymia-mania, mania-control, depression-control (P Considering the weak performance of bipolar patients in selective attention in acute phases of the disorder and continuing this defect in the euthymic phase, it might be claimed that the severity of attention deficit in bipolar disorder is related to phases; However, further studies with greater sample size seem necessary.