Neurobiological and behavioural studies of affective instability in clinical populations: a systematic review

Matthew R Broome; Zhimin He; Mashal Iftikhar; Julie Eyden; Steven Marwaha

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.01.021

Neurobiological and behavioural studies of affective instability in clinical populations: a systematic review

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2015 Apr:51:243-54. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.01.021. Epub 2015 Feb 4.

Authors

Matthew R Broome¹, Zhimin He², Mashal Iftikhar³, Julie Eyden⁴, Steven Marwaha⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK; Warneford Hospital, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK. Electronic address: matthew.broome@psych.ox.ac.uk.
² Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College of London, London, UK.
³ Oxford University Medical School, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
⁵ Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK; Early Intervention Service, Swanswell Point, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust, Coventry, UK.

PMID: 25662294
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.01.021

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the neurobiological, psychophysical and behavioural measures of affective instability in clinical populations.

Data sources: A range of medical and psychological science electronic databases were searched (including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO). Hand searching and reference checking are also included.

Review methods: Reviews, systematic reviews, experimental and cross-sectional studies, providing affective instability in neurobiological and behavioural measurements in clinical populations. Studies were selected, data were extracted and quality was appraised.

Results: Twenty-nine studies were included, 6 of which were review studies (one a meta-analysis) and 23 of which were primary studies, across a wide variety of disorders including ADHD, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, severe mood dysregulation, major depression, and borderline personality disorder.

Conclusions: The bulk of the studies converge on the role of the amygdala, particularly in borderline personality disorders, and how it connects with other areas of the brain. Future research needs to extend these findings across diagnoses and development.

Keywords: Affective; Bipolar; Borderline; Dysregulation; Emotion; Instability; Lability; Mood; RDoC.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Brain / physiopathology*
Humans
Mood Disorders / physiopathology*