Patients with bipolar disorder type I (BD-I) who consume alcohol, experience stronger than average negative effects from this consumption, as it leads to lower adherence to treatment and increased...Show morePatients with bipolar disorder type I (BD-I) who consume alcohol, experience stronger than average negative effects from this consumption, as it leads to lower adherence to treatment and increased suicide attempts. Independently, excessive alcohol consumption is associated with lower reward anticipation, which is a mechanism that helps making decisions that minimize harm. Using the concept of reward anticipation, this observational and crosssectional study, aimed to understand the relation between BD-I and alcohol consumption. Understanding this relation could eventually help improve treatment of alcohol related problems among BD-I patients. First is hypothesized that BD-I diagnosis is related to more alcohol consumption, second that lower reward anticipation is related to more alcohol consumption, and third that lower reward anticipation is stronger related to more alcohol consumption in BD-I patients than control participants. Reward anticipation was studied both objectively, with a Monetary Incentive Delay Task (MID), and subjectively, with the Positive Valence Systems Scale (PVSS-21). This created an opportunity to include a fourth hypothesis that the MID and the PVSS-21 are correlated. In collaboration with the Erasmus MC, participants completed online surveys and games to measure reward anticipation and alcohol consumption. The participants included 35 BD-I patients (20 female, Mage = 55.94, SDage = 11.17) and 15 control participants (6 female, Mage = 49.08, SDage = 13.35). First, no relation between BD-I diagnosis and alcohol consumption (OR = .87, 95%CI [.21, 3.59]) was found. Second, no relation between reward anticipation (ORMID = 1.20, 95%CI [.91, 1.57]; ORPVSS = 1.01, 95%CI [.97, 1.05]) and alcohol consumption was found. Third, no stronger relation between reward anticipation (ORMID = 1.20, 95%CI [.88, 1.63]; ORPVSS = 1.00, 95%CI [.99, 1.01]) and alcohol consumption for BD-I patients was found. Fourth, no correlation between scores MID and the PVSS-21 was found (r (50) = .18, p = .21). The results, conflicting with previous research, are likely influenced by the small amount of alcohol consumed by the participants. Making it difficult to make conclusions about the relation between BD-I diagnosis, reward anticipation and alcohol consumption. Further research is recommended with a larger group of participants with more age distribution.Show less
