Subjective Experiences of Bipolar Patients in The Residual or Remitted Phase

Aim: Patients with bipolar disorder often experience subtle impairment in residual or remitted phase although they do not show florid mood or psychotic symptom any more.This study investigated subjective experiences of bipolar patients during residual or remitted state.Methods: Sixty patients (29 males, 31 females) who were determined to be in remission or residual state from the acute phase were included in this study.All patients were assessed in two dimensions: subjective experiences and objective experiences.Subjective experiences were measured with the Korean version of the Frankfurter Beschwerde-Fragebogen (K-FBF) and Symptom Check List 90-R (SCL-90-R).Objective psychopathology was measured with the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).We then examined the relationship between subjective experiences and objective psychopathology.Results: A longer period of hospitalization was significantly correlated with lower K-FBF and SCL-90-R total scores.The K-FBF total score was not correlated with YMRS and PANSS scores.However, the SCL-90-R total score was significantly correlated with almost all objective psychopathology measures.Multiple regression analysis revealed that the subjective expereince measured by the total K-FBF score was predicted by the number of previous episodes.Conclusion: It is suggested that subjective experience of cognitive impairment is more trait dependent than state dependent in bipolar disorder.It is also suggested that subjective experiences are aggravated with the number of episodes, and hence it might be related to brain damage as the illness progresses.