Understanding Emotional Fluctuations and Brain Activity in Bipolar Disorder Using MRI and Positive Emotion Training

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating how emotional states change over time in people with bipolar disorder BD compared to healthy individuals. The study aims to understand the brain processes behind mood instability and whether boosting positive emotions can help stabilize these changes. It focuses on adults with BD type I or II who are currently depressed or in a mixed state, compared to healthy controls without psychiatric history. Participants complete two visits a preparation session with interviews and questionnaires, followed by a brain MRI session. During MRI, they undergo resting-state scans and a special task called the Think and Regulate Affective States Task TReAT. This task involves recalling personal positive and negative memories, rating emotions, and practicing strategies to amplify positive feelings. Physiological measures like heart rate and breathing are recorded during scanning. Throughout the study, participants fill out mood and emotion questionnaires, provide descriptions of autobiographical events, and rate their emotional experiences during and after MRI. Researchers analyze brain imaging and physiological data to decode emotional states and measure brain network stability. The main outcomes include tracking emotional state patterns and brain network changes during the tasks, helping to clarify how the brain supports emotion regulation in bipolar disorder.

Decoding Emotional Dynamics in Bipolar Disorder