Mood stability versus mood instability in bipolar disorder: A possible role for emotional mental imagery

► Patients with bipolar disorder were compared to controls on mental imagery measures. ► Patients had higher scores on several imagery measures, e.g. more vivid imagery of future events. ► Patients were divided into groups according to their level of mood stability. ► Patients with unstable (versus stable) mood had higher levels of intrusive prospective imagery. ► Prospective imagery correlated highly with current levels of anxiety and depression.