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What is mood? Despite its crucial place in psychiatric nosography and cognitive science, it is still difficult to delimit its conceptual ground. The distinction between emotion and mood is ambiguous: mood is often presented as an affective state that is more prolonged and less intense than emotion, or as an affective polarity distinguishing high and low mood swinging around a baseline. However, these definitions do not match the clinical reality of mood disorders such as unipolar depression and bipolar disorder, and do not allow us to understand the effect of mood on behaviour, perception and cognition. In this paper, we propose a multidimensional and computational theory of mood inspired by contemporary hypotheses in theoretical neuroscience and philosophy of emotion. After suggesting an operational distinction between emotion and mood, we show how a succession of emotions can cumulatively generate congruent mood over time, making mood an emerging state from emotion. We then present how mood determines mental and behavioral states when interacting with the environment, constituting a dispositional state of emotion, perception, belief, and action. Using this theoretical framework, we propose a computational representation of the emerging and dispositional dimensions of mood by formalizing mood as a layer of third-order Bayesian beliefs encoding the precision of emotion, and regulated by prediction errors associated with interoceptive predictions. Finally, we show how this theoretical framework sheds light on the processes involved in mood disorders, the emergence of mood congruent beliefs, or the mechanisms of antidepressant treatments in clinical psychiatry.

The objective of this paper is to verify if traits and symptoms defined as pathological and maladjusted in certain contexts may produce adaptive effects in other contexts, especially if they occur in sub-threshold forms.A historical examination of how the symptoms of depression have changed in front of great social changes and an analysis of Sardinian migrants' thymic profiles toward several metropolises.Mood disorders have been increasing since the "English malady" in the 17th century, and we suppose that some forms of mood disorders might have an adaptive advantage. Otherwise, the increase of such an epidemic would have been self-limited. From a sociobiological point of view, it is highly probable that the environment of a rapidly evolving society can select people who are explorers and able to support accelerated biorhythms and that the condition of social change stimulates psychological and psychopathologic changes. It is also possible that hyperthymic persons modulate and create the new environment. If this model can explain the epidemic of mood disorders, its verification should guide future research.

Mixed states present nosologic and diagnostic challenges with a relative paucity of evidence to guide treatment. Mixed bipolar states are difficult to treat and are associated with a high neuropsychiatric morbidity, a high risk of suicide and a poor outcome. In DSM- 5, the definition of mixed episode has been removed (in DSM- IV TR: "juxtaposed full manic and depressive episodes"). Mixed symptoms are captured under a broader concept called "mixed features" that is applied to mania and depression. The classification of mixed states as defined in DSM- 5 is less restrictive than in DSM- IV TR and challenges us at methodological and therapeutic levels.The aim of this paper was to conduct an overview of the literature to ascertain the efficacy of pharmacotherapy of mixed states.A systematic review of the literature was conducted using PubMed.Manic symptoms of mixed episodes seem to show a good response to second generation antipsychotics and to divalproate. There is no evidence of differential efficacy for second generation of antipsychotics (SGAs). Lithium and carbamazepine may be effective in mixed states in monotherapy and perhaps benefit in combination with SGAs as second line. Combination pharmacological treatment of SGAs and moodstabilizers are common in mixed states. This pattern has the best literature evidence.There is a few evidence to help us to choose the right treatment for patients with mixed state. In light with the DSM 5, more drugs specifically designed to treat mixed state are needed.

Fasting during the Ramadan month is a cornerstone of Islam. Several disorders of the chronobiological rhythms occur during this month and impact on mood. Through this paper the authors provide a literature review of the impact of fasting on patients with bipolar disorders.A literature review using Mesh keywords through Medline database. From 1970 to 2011, articles in French and English were selected.Circadian rhythm refers to the approximately 24-hour cycles that are generated by an organism. Most physiological systems demonstrate circadian variations. Many hormones and other metabolisms, such as gastric pH, insulin, glucose, calcium and plasmatic gastrine, have been shown to exhibit circadian oscillation. The role of social rhythm in behaviors and its influence on circadian rhythms in humans is now obvious. It has been shown that the lack of concentration and irritability increased continuously during Ramadan month and reached its peak at the end of the month. Mood and vigilance are significantly decreased during the fasting month. Several authors have stated that the course of bipolar illness may be affected by the changes in social rhythm that occur during Ramadan (fasting month). Studies which have been devoted to this topic are sparse. Kadri et al., in 2000, studied 20 bipolar patients during the fasting month of Ramadan of 1417 (Hegirian calendar, corresponding to January 1997). Diagnosis of bipolar disorder was made according to ICD-10 criteria. Patients were assessed during the week before Ramadan, the second and the fourth weeks of the fasting month and the first week after its end, with the Hamilton Depression and Bech-Rafaelsen scales. The plasma concentration of lithium was also assessed. The main finding of the study was that 45% of the patients relapsed, 70% during the second week, and the remaining patients at the end of Ramadan. These relapses were not related to plasma concentration of lithium. Most of the relapses were manic (71,4%). Patients who did not relapse had more insomnia and anxiety during the second and third weeks of the study. The side effects of lithium increased and were seen in 48% of the sample, mostly dryness of the mouth with thirst and tremor. However, Farooq et al. in 2006 studied 62 bipolar patients during the fasting month of Ramadan 1427 (from 25 September to 24 October 2006). Serum lithium, electrolytes, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) were assessed, one week before Ramadan, mid Ramadan and one week after Ramadan. The side effects and toxicity were measured by symptoms and signs checklist. There was no significant difference in mean serum lithium levels at three time points. The scores on HDRS and YMRS showed significant decrease during Ramadan (F=34,12, P=0,00, for HDRS and F=15,6, P=0,000 for YMRS). Also the side effects and toxicity did not differ significantly at the three point's assessment.All physiologic parameters are influenced by the circadian rhythm, which is influenced in its turn by the food rhythm. So far, the results of these two main studies, with opposite results, do not help us advise bipolar patients to fast or not to fast. Other studies in this field are badly needed.

This paper examines whether atypical depression is still a valid entity as a diagnosis subtype in the light of publications with most recent antidepressants.First, we present the origins of the diagnosis sub-specification of atypical depression, which is based on a different drug response to tricyclic antidepressants and mono amino oxydase inhibitors. Secondly, we discuss the different definitions that can be found for the terms of atypical depression. We present more specifically the definition of atypical depression as it is described in the DSM-IV, with its most important criterion: mood reactivity. Then we present a review of scientific publications questioning atypical depression validity as a clinical syndrome (based on medline researches). We will see whether this diagnosis is still relevant with the latest drugs used to treat mood disorders. A special focus is made on the link between atypical depression and bipolar disorder, based on Benazzi's work.Most of publications confirm that atypical depression is a valid syndrome regarding first antidepressants clinical trials. Nevertheless, more studies with the latest antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics are needed to confirm this hypothesis. The link between atypical depression and bipolar disorders seems to be quite strong although it requires further investigations.There are very few double-blind drug trials focusing on atypical depressions and results need to be confirmed by trials with new drugs. Moreover, we regret that there are no studies including cerebral imagery. More studies are also needed on neurobiology and psychotherapy specificity.Atypical depression is still a useful concept, because of its specific clinical presentation, evolution and treatments, even if more studies should be done. Atypical depression could also be useful to diagnose more easily some bipolar disorders and should help clinicians to focus more on suicidal risks and addiction evaluation for these patients, considering the mood reactivity and the link with bipolar disorder. To conclude, we propose that atypical depression should still figure in the future DSM-V for these different reasons.