A significant difference in oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) rates was found between bipolar disorder patients and a control group during the Iowa Gambling Task, Dr. Yasuki Ono and associates reported.
While performing the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), patients with bipolar disorder had significantly lower oxy-Hb levels in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex and left prefrontal cortex than did those in the control group. Changes in oxy-Hb levels in the orbitofrontal cortex and profrontal cortex during the IGT were negatively correlated with total scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Oxy-Hb levels, however, were similar in both the bipolar disorder group and control group while taking a verbal fluency task.
“Although the IGT was useful for differentiating patients with [bipolar disorder] from control subjects, no significant differences in autonomic activity were observed,” noted Dr. Ono of the department of psychiatry and neurobiology at Kanazawa (Japan) University and associates.
Find the full study in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging (2015;233:1-8 [doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.04.003]).