Sensory profiles as potential mediators of the association between hypomania and hopelessness in 488 major affective outpatients

- Sensory processing patterns play a role in the pathophysiology of major affective disorders.
- A direct/indirect effect of irritable/risk-taking hypomania has been suggested on depression-hopelessness.
- The clinical evaluation of sensory profiles may help to perform specific treatment interventions.

IntroductionExtreme sensory processing patterns may contribute to the pathophysiology of major affective disorders. We aimed to examine whether significant correlations exist between sensory profiles, hypomania, self-reported depression, and hopelessness and whether sensory profiles may be potential mediators of the association between hypomania and depression/hopelessness.MethodsThe sample consisted of 488 euthymic affective disorder patients of which 283 diagnosed with unipolar and 162 with bipolar disorder with an age ranging from 18 to 65 years (mean = 47.82 ± 11.67).ResultsLower registration of sensory input and sensory sensitivity significantly correlated with elevated self-reported depression, hopelessness, and irritable/risk-taking hypomania while sensation seeking and avoiding significantly correlated with elevated depression and hopelessness but not with irritable/risk-taking hypomania. Moreover, individuals with lower ability to register sensory input and higher hypomania showed higher self-reported depression than those with good registration of sensory information. According to SEM analyses, there was both a direct/indirect effect of irritable/risk-taking on depression-hopelessness with the mediation model explaining 48% of the variance in depression-hopelessness.LimitationsThe relatively small sample size and the cross-sectional nature of the study design do not allow the generalization of the main findings.ConclusionLow registration was associated with enhanced depressed mood and hopelessness while sensory seeking may be considered a resilient factor.