Cited by 216Bipolar Disorder and TreatmentSchizophrenia research and treatmentPsychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending

Meta-analysis of Theory of Mind (ToM) impairment in bipolar disorder

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Bora, E., Bartholomeusz, C., Pantelis, C.·2016·Psychological Medicine

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Theory of mind (ToM) dysfunction is prominent in a number of psychiatric disorders, in particular, autism and schizophrenia, and can play a significant role in poor functioning. There is now emerging evidence suggesting that ToM abilities are also impaired in bipolar disorder (BP); however, the relationship between ToM deficits and mood state is not clear. METHOD: We conducted a meta-analysis of ToM studies in BP. Thirty-four studies comparing 1214 patients with BP and 1097 healthy controls were included. BP groups included remitted (18 samples, 545 BP patients), subsyndromal (12 samples, 510 BP patients), and acute (manic and/or depressed) (10 samples, 159 BP patients) patients. RESULTS: ToM performance was significantly impaired in BP compared to controls. This impairment was evident across different types of ToM tasks (including affective/cognitive and verbal/visual) and was also evident in strictly euthymic patients with BP (d = 0.50). There were no significant differences between remitted and subsyndromal samples. However, ToM deficit was significantly more severe during acute episodes (d = 1.23). ToM impairment was significantly associated with neurocognitive and particularly with manic symptoms. CONCLUSION: Significant but modest sized ToM dysfunction is evident in remitted and subsyndromal BP. Acute episodes are associated with more robust ToM deficits. Exacerbation of ToM deficits may contribute to the more significant interpersonal problems observed in patients with acute or subsyndromal manic symptoms. There is a need for longitudinal studies comparing the developmental trajectory of ToM deficits across the course of the illness.

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  • The reduced performance in social predictive tasks in BD is consistent with previous literature on theory of mind deficits in individuals with BD.

    “is consistent with previous literature on the theory of mind deficits in individuals with BD (Bora et al., 2016; Olivito et al., 2022).”
  • Social cognitive disturbances are present in autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.

    “While scant systematic direct comparisons have been conducted between bvFTD and the most relevant PPD, it is known that social cognitive disturbances are present in autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression (APA, 2013; Ladegaard et al. , 2014; Bora et al. , 2016; Bonfils et al. , 2017).”

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Budak EA (2011). Theory of mind and its relationship with clinical features and social functioning in remitted bipolar patients. Thesis. Istanbul. Bakırkoy Research and Training Hospital.
  2. Sakarya A (2012). Association of ToM deficits with insight and other cognitive functions among remitted schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients. Thesis. Ankara University.
  3. Stroup DF, Berlin JA, Morton SC, Olkin I, Williamson GD, Rennie D, Moher D, Becker BJ, Sipe TA, Thacker SB (2000). Meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology: a proposal for reporting. Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) group. Journal of the American Medical Association 283, 2008-2012.

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Authors
Bora, E., Bartholomeusz, C., & Pantelis, C.
Affiliations
The University of Melbourne (AU)
Corresponding author
Bora, E.
Venue
Psychological Medicine
Published
2015-10-12
Volume
46
Issue
2
Pages
253-264
ISSN
  • 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-8978
OpenAlex
W2271671804
Cited by
216
References
69
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 2
FWCI
2.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Health and Medical Research Council (628386)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
Keywords
theory of mind, bipolar disorder, social cognition, manic episodes, remitted bipolar disorder, mood states, interpersonal problems, neurocognitive impairment
MeSH terms
Bipolar Disorder, Humans, Theory of Mind

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