Mood fluctuations in people putatively at risk for bipolar disorders.

Objectives: The dysregulation of the Behavioural Activation System (BAS) is discussed as a vulnerability marker for bipolar disorders, resulting in fluctuations of activity and mood. People putatively at risk for bipolar disorders (BD) should therefore show mood fluctuations.

Method: Using the "Hypomanic Personality Scale" (HPS) three groups of young adults with high (N=17), medium (N=19), and low scores (N=18) were selected and completed a 28-day diary including CES-D and PANAS.

Results: People at risk for bipolar disorders exhibited high levels of manic symptoms, positive and negative affect. They also generally reported more mood instability.

Conclusions: The results support the hypothesis that fluctuations of mood and symptoms might be a core characteristic of the hypothesized vulnerability for BD. These fluctuations of mood were, however, not restricted to positive affect as a dysregulation of the BAS would suggest.