_Method:_ We searched the biomedical literature on Medline, OVID, Proquest, and EMBASE for articles matching the MeSH terms “social cognition”, “theory of mind”, “emotion recognition”, “empathy”, and “emotional processing” to “bipolar disorder”, limiting the results to clinical studies with medium/high methodological quality, in Spanish or English and published in the last 20 years, in children and adults.
Social Cognition Deficit in Bipolar Disorder: Relevance and Rehabilitation Strategies
 
  Key words
 
 
  
   Bipolar disorder
  
 
 
  
   psychosocial adjustment
  
 
 
  
   theory of mind
  
 
 
  
   rehabilitation
  
 
Abstract
 Introduction
Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with <dis>significant impairment in social, work, and family functioning</dis>, even in euthymic state.
This could be explained by a <dis>social cognition deficit</dis>.
Objective
To review the findings on social cognition in bipolar patients through its main dimensions, and through the various stages of the illness.
_Method:_ We searched the biomedical literature on Medline, OVID, Proquest, and EMBASE for articles matching the MeSH terms “social cognition”, “theory of mind”, “emotion recognition”, “empathy”, and “emotional processing” to “bipolar disorder”, limiting the results to clinical studies with medium/high methodological quality, in Spanish or English and published in the last 20 years, in children and adults.
Results
We selected 83 items referring to this topic but only 24 specifically assessed social cognition in bipolar population.
Most studies showed a deficit in both the phases of relapse as well as in euthymic state.
_Discussion:_ From a neurocognitive perspective a number of explanations arise for this <dis>cognitive impairment</dis>, associated with the existence of subsyndromal affective symptoms.
Finally, we review the rehabilitation strategies that could be useful to reverse this deficit that carries important functional implications.
Abstract
 Introduction
Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with significant impairment in social, work, and family functioning, even in euthymic state.
This could be explained by a social cognition deficit.
Objective
To review the findings on social cognition in bipolar patients through its main dimensions, and through the various stages of the illness.
_Method:_ We searched the biomedical literature on Medline, OVID, Proquest, and EMBASE for articles matching the MeSH terms “social cognition”, “theory of mind”, “emotion recognition”, “empathy”, and “emotional processing” to “bipolar disorder”, limiting the results to clinical studies with medium/high methodological quality, in Spanish or English and published in the last 20 years, in children and adults.
Results
We selected 83 items referring to this topic but only 24 specifically assessed social cognition in bipolar population.
Most studies showed a deficit in both the phases of relapse as well as in euthymic state.
_Discussion:_ From a neurocognitive perspective a number of explanations arise for this cognitive impairment, associated with the existence of subsyndromal affective symptoms.
Finally, we review the rehabilitation strategies that could be useful to reverse this deficit that carries important functional implications.
_Method:_ We searched the biomedical literature on Medline, OVID, Proquest, and EMBASE for articles matching the MeSH terms “social cognition”, “theory of mind”, “emotion recognition”, “empathy”, and “emotional processing” to “bipolar disorder”, limiting the results to clinical studies with medium/high methodological quality, in Spanish or English and published in the last 20 years, in children and adults.