Quality of life and impulsivity in bipolar disorder

Introduction
Bipolar disorder (BD) and other mood disorders are one of the highest leading causes of
global mental illness and often these diseases impair quality of life (QoL) among the people
who suffer from it. It not only is a psychological illness but a physiological illness as well,
affecting the way the body runs itself. A study in the May 2011 issue of Bipolar Disorders An
International Journal of Psychiatry and Neurosciences addressed the correlation between BD,
its comorbid conditions and how it can affect the QoL of those diagnosed.
The researches chose this subject because QoL of diagnosed persons with BD is
frequently very low. They are looking to better understand why so many patients about onethird - are unsatisfied with their QoL even after completing treatment for BD. The research was
made in an attempt to recognize relations between QoL and comorbid conditions in individuals
with BD including alcohol and drug abuse, anxiety and impulsivity, which is strongly related to
diminished QoL. If impulsivity can be connected to low QoL in persons diagnosed with BD,
there is a possibility of alternate BD treatments focusing on lessening impulsivity so individuals
may have a better control of their own actions, possibly preventing manic episodes and
increasing satisfaction in QoL. The researches hypothesized that high impulsivity among
individuals with BD would be related to impaired QoL even after controlling for potential
confounds such as neuropsychological deficits, medication adherence, and symptom levels.
(Victor et al 304)
Materials and Methods
The participants were asked to answer different questionaries specifically designed to
measure impulsiveness based on behavior and personality in different life situations. The

researches were looking to eliminate any possible interferences among participants by analyzing
different aspects of neurocognitive capabilities, as well as mood episode instabilities.
Participants were required to meet certain criteria to be admitted into the study including
having been diagnosed with bipolar I disorder (BD-I) along with comorbid conditions. But the
scale used by the researches, Quality of Life in Bipolar Disorder (QoL BD) only assessed
participants with BD. Based on the answers and scores from BIS-11 (Barratt) and PUM(Positive
Urgency Measure) the researches analyzed and excluded possible confounds and administered
farther evaluations to assess cognitive analysis, this way they could better examine BD directly
to QoL satisfaction without temporal interferences.
Results
The studies of QoL and impulsivity in BD were achieved according to expectations. After
all questionnaires and other possible tests were applied, the researches calculated and evaluated
the scores for each individual considering not only their possible comorbid conditions but other
variables such as demographic, cognitive or present treatments in the participants in order to
recognize any possible confounds for QoL of impulsivity. And the researchers found that after
controlling for specific conditions and lifetime comorbidities, the results did not show any
predictabilities of QoL.
Discussion
The hypothesis was confirmed and the achieved results have shown that decreased QoL
in BD patients is significantly related to the comorbid conditions. Individuals with disorders such
as alcohol abuse, anxiety and cognitive instability scored even lower in the QoL scale,
evidencing that comorbid conditions along with impulsivity have a high influence in QoL.

There were several limitations including whether long term research could be more
accurate in relation to more comprehensive conclusion based on personalities, behaviors and
treatments concurrent with study. And also the fact that the researches preformed a crosssectional study limits their overall evaluation as manic or depressive episodes can occur during
analytical time. Because of the limitations in the study, not all the concerns were addressed in
the study and researches believe even though the result may offer a better understanding of QoL
satisfaction in BD patients, more research should be performed. Participants should be
evaluated in a protracted period of time in order to build advanced scales based on symptoms
and treatments to predict more accurately QoL, as well as further exploring other angles of
impulsivity that can affect QoL analysis.

Bibliography
Barratt, E.S. BIS-11. 1 1 1994. 9 3 2016 <http://www.impulsivity.org/measurement/bis11>.
Victor SE, Johnson SL, Gotlib IH. "Quality of life and impulsivity in bipolar disorder." Bipolar
Disorders and international journal of psychiatry and neurosciences (2011): 303-309.