Decreased activation and subsyndromal manic symptoms predict lower remission rates in bipolar depression

Objective:Activation encompasses energy and activity and is a central feature of bipolar disorder. However, the impact of activation on treatment response of bipolar depression requires further exploration. The aims of this study were to assess the association of decreased activation and sustained remission in bipolar depression and test for factors that could affect this association.Methods:We assessed participants with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed) bipolar depression (n = 303) included in a comparative effectiveness study of lithium- and quetiapine-based treatments (the Bipolar CHOICE study). Activation was evaluated using items from the Bipolar Inventory of Symptoms Scale. The selection of these items was based on a dimension of energy and interest symptoms associated with poorer treatment response in major depression.Results:Decreased activation was associated with lower remission rates in the raw analyses and in a logistic regression model adjusted for baseline severi...