The aim of our study is to evaluate, in a sample of bipolar (BD) eutimic patients, the association between depersonalization symptoms, facial emotions expression recognition and affective temperament.

95 bipolar eutimic patients (YMRS< 6 and HDRS< 8), are assessed with: SCID-P, TEMPS, SCI-DER1 e POFA (test of recognitionof facial emotions expression by Ekman e Friesen).

Throught a regression analysis we underline that, independently to panic disorder, the ipertimic temperament is associated with: major recognition of happiness (p < 0.001; β = -4,483) and minor recognition of anger (p = 0.005; β = 3,202) in BD patients with high scores in autopsychic depersonalization domain; major recognition of sadness (p = 0.001; β = -3,944) and minor recognition of anger (p = 0.005; β = 3,181) in BD patients with high scores in affective depersonalization domain. Moreover, the cyclotimic temperament is associated with: major recognition of surprise (p = 0.004; β = -3,233) and happiness (p = 0.044; β = -2,124) in BD patients with high scores in Derealization (DER-TOT); major recognition of surprise (p = 0.001; β = -3,792) and happiness (p = 0.018; β = -2,532) in BD patients with high scores in somatopsychic depersonalization domain.

The presence of depersonalization and derealization symptoms is associated with a selective deficit in the recognition of several emotions. in bipolar patients this selective deficit is dependent of type of affective temperament. Further research is warranted to replicate our clinical observation.