Breakfast Symposium: Clinical Relevance of "Trait-like" Impulsivity in Bipolar Disorder: to treat or not to treat.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Functional Neuroanatomy and Pathophysiology of Bipolar 1 Disorder
2. Impulsivity in Bipolar 1 Disorder, Treatment Delay, and the effect had on Vincent van Gogh
3. Role of Long-Acting Injectable (LAI) Antipsychotics and Identification of Patients Especially Well-suited for Treatment with LAIs

Literature Reference:

1. Strakowski et al. Functional neuroanatomy of bipolar disorder: A review of neuroimaging findings. Molecular Psychiatry 2005;10:105-106. 

2. Strakowski et al. Functional neuroanatomy of bipolar disorder: A consensus model. Bipolar Disord. 2012;14(4)1-7. 

3. Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11): Measures of general level of impulsivity. 

4. Patton et al. Factor structure of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. 1995;(6):768-74. 

5. The Complete Letters of Vincent van Gogh, Volumes 1-3, 3rd Edition, 2000. Bulfinch Press Book, Brown & Company, Boston

Abstract

Impulsivity can be defined as a predisposition to act without reflection or regard for consequences. There is emerging consensus that there is substantial clinical relevance associated with state- vs. trait-like impulsivity in bipolar disorder. Although it is clear that patients with bipolar disorder experience both state- and trait- like symptoms of mania, there is no clear consensus on how these presentations should be recognized, diagnosed and treated. This presentation will review the clinical relevance of impulsivity, the use of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale to assess the severity of impulsiveness, and the difference and clinical relevance to state- vs. trait-like impulsivity. Lastly, this presentation will review how impulsivity can affected career-development, family-life, social life, and the psychiatric symptoms experienced by Vincent van Gogh as a case report.