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Background: Distortions in time processing may be regarded as an endophenotypic marker of neuropsychiatric diseases; however, investigations addressing Bipolar Disorder (BD) are still scarce., Methods: The present study compared timing abilities in 30 BD patients and 30 healthy controls (HC), and explored the relationship between time processing and affective-cognitive symptoms in BD, with the aim to determine whether timing difficulties are primary in bipolar patients or due to comorbid cognitive impairment. Four tasks measuring external timing were administered: a temporal and spatial orienting of attention task and a temporal and colour discrimination task, for assessing the ability to evaluate temporal properties of external events; two other tasks assessed the speed of the internal clock (i.e. temporal bisection and temporal production tasks). Attentional, executive and working memory (WM) demands were equated for controlling additional cognitive processes., Results: BD patients did not show differences in external timing accuracy compared to HC; conversely, we found increased variability of the internal clock in BD and this performance was related to Major Depressive Episodes recurrence and WM functioning. Hence, variability of the internal clock is influenced by the progressive course of BD and impacted by variations in WM., Limitations: Future studies including BD patients stratified by mood episode will further specify timing alterations conditional to the current affective state., Conclusions: Our results shed new light on the clinical phenotypes of BD, suggesting that timing might be used as a model system of the ongoing pathophysiological process., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Studies showed that affective temperaments and attachment are associated with depressive symptoms, and that they bi-directionally influence each-other. The aim of this study is to explore mechanisms underlying the relationship between the affective temperaments (i.e., depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, hyperthymic and anxious), interview-based attachment, and depressive symptoms., Methods: A sample of 61 adolescents and young adults outpatients were asked to complete the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D). Attachment was assessed through the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and employing a dimensional approach to obtain continuous measures. Mediation models were performed with the affective temperaments as predictor, depressive symptoms as the criterion variable, and attachment dimensions as mediators., Results: Findings showed significant direct effects between all the affective temperaments and depressive symptoms. Only the cyclothymic (β = 0.22; SE = 0.1; 95% IC = 0.05, 0.42) and irritable (β = 0.21; SE = 0.09; 95% IC = 0.04, 0.4) temperaments showed an indirect effect on depressive symptoms through secure-insecure attachment. Dismissing attachment did not predict either the affective temperaments nor depressive symptoms. Preoccupied attachment significantly predicts depressive symptoms and, when controlling for it, the hyperthymic temperament no longer directly associates with depressive symptoms., Limitations: The cross-sectional study design limit conclusion about causation and directionality., Conclusions: Secure attachment could be a protective factor for depressive symptoms for individuals with a cyclothymic or irritable temperament. Differently, the hyperthymic temperament loses its protective role toward depressive symptoms when accounting for preoccupied attachment., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Many researchers who evaluated psychological distress during the transition to parenthood agree in identifying pregnancy as the most sensitive period for the onset of psychiatric symptomatology for both parents. Furthermore, research highlights a correlation between symptoms experienced by fathers in relation to those experienced by mothers., Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether dyadic functioning influences the level of psychiatric symptomatology in couples expecting their first child. Participants were 137 couples expecting their first child; they were recruited at the San Filippo Neri and the Santo Spirito hospitals in Rome (ASLROMA1). We used an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) to test the interdependence of both partners and the effect of dyadic relationships on psychiatric symptoms in the couple., Results: The overall test of distinguishability yielded a chi square value of 122.167 (23 df; p < .001). The actor-partner interdependence model showed significant paths between couple coping and psychiatric symptomatology. Specifically, we found that the quality of couple coping perceived by the mother negatively predicted maternal psychiatric symptomatology, and the quality of couple coping perceived by the father negatively predicted paternal psychiatric symptomatology. Furthermore, the quality of couple coping perceived by the father negatively predicted maternal psychiatric symptomatology., Conclusions: The results of this study confirm that dyadic adjustment is an important element for the development of effective interpersonal relationships. These data highlight the importance of promoting psycho-educational and clinical courses and programs for the development of social support with future parents., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors have no conflicts of interests to declare., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)