Is there evidence for an emotion-related bias in verbal learning or memory in individuals putatively high at risk for mania?

There is broad evidence that individuals with bipolar disorder show deficits in verbal memory and learning. Such deficits seem to be independent of acute mood episodes and to manifest after the onset of the disorder. Less research has been conducted in relation to more specific memory functions, particularly to verbal memory and learning for emotional information. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to investigate if there is evidence for an affective memory bias in at-risk individuals before the onset of affective disorder. We applied the Emotional Auditive Verbal Learning Test to individuals at risk for mania and at risk for depression, as well as to a control group. We hypothesized a mania-related memory bias for individuals at risk of mania. We found no evidence for an overall learning or memory deficit in the high-risk groups. All groups performed better learning and remembering neutral words compared to emotionally valenced words, however, contrary to our hypothesis there was no specific emotion-related learning or memory bias in the two high-risk groups. There was no evidence of impairments in verbal learning and memory overall and for emotional contents before the onset of affective disorders.