Research Article: The relationship between impulsive behaviors and adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in bipolar disorder
Abstract:
This study aimed to examine the relationship between impulsivity and adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in euthymic patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD) Type I.
One hundred and eleven outpatients diagnosed with BD Type I according to DSM-5 criteria, scoring ?7 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and ?5 on the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and in remission for at least two months were included. Impulsivity was assessed with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) and ADHD symptoms with the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS). Associations were evaluated with Spearman correlation analysis with Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) correction, and hierarchical multivariable linear regression. Sensitivity analyses addressed item-content overlap, influential observations, and medication effects.
A strong positive correlation was found between BIS-11 total and ASRS total scores (?=0.722; q<0.001); the ASRS Inattention and Hyperactivity-Impulsivity subscales were themselves moderately intercorrelated (?=0.600; p<0.001). Only 18.9% of patients scored ?72 on the BIS-11 (clinically significant range) and 28.8% screened positive on ASRS Part A. In the final regression model, ASRS total score was the strongest independent predictor of BIS-11 total score (B = 0.734; ?=0.676; p<0.001), together with Young Mania Rating Scale score (?=0.170; p=0.018; R 2 =0.573), an association that strengthened after excluding influential observations and after dichotomization (both p<0.01); variance inflation factors (1.04–2.61) indicated no multicollinearity. Both ASRS subscales remained independent predictors in subscale analysis (Hyperactivity-Impulsivity ?=0.436; Inattention ?=0.317; both p<0.001). The association persisted after removing shared item content (?=0.605; p<0.001), excluding influential observations, and adjusting for treatment regimen.
In euthymic BD Type I patients, self-reported impulsivity showed a strong, independent association with self-reported adult ADHD symptom burden, particularly the hyperactivity-impulsivity dimension, robust across sensitivity analyses. Because ADHD symptoms were assessed only by self-report screening, without a structured diagnostic interview, and because the design is cross-sectional, these findings reflect a symptom-level, not diagnostic, association and do not establish causality. They nonetheless support considering ADHD symptoms in the routine clinical evaluation of euthymic BD Type I patients.
Introduction:
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by a lifetime prevalence of approximately 1%, high rates of recurrence, comorbidity, and functional impairment ( 1 , 2 ). Current literature indicates that BD is not limited to acute mood episodes; rather, neurocognitive deficits persist even during remission (euthymic) periods ( 3 ). Among these deficits, impairments particularly affecting attention, executive functions, memory, and processing speed are considered trait characteristics of the disorder…
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