Theory of mind (ToM) has been proved to play a crucial role in social cognition and functioning. In our study, higher order mentalization performance of euthymic bipolar I patients were compared with that of healthy controls. The impact of demographic data, course of the disorder and patients’ current functioning were also considered while interpreting mentalization data.

The mentalizing performance (computerized faux pas task and false irony task), neurocognitive functioning, and IQ of twenty-three euthymic bipolar I patients and 31 matched (IQ, age) healthy controls were examined. In the patients group, the age at onset, the occurrence of psychotic symptoms, age, education, current employment status, and global functioning were also taken into account.

Bipolar patients scored significantly lower in false irony tasks than healthy controls (p< 0,02). The deficit in irony tasks positively correlated with the number of episodes. Among the examined variables, the performance in the faux pas task predicted most closely the functional outcome in bipolar I disorder. No correlation was found between the ToM and irony deficits and the occurrence of psychotic symptoms, the length of the bipolar disorder or neurocognitive functioning.

Our results showed impaired performance in faux pas and irony tasks, which correlates with the number of previous episodes. Additionally, the impairment of ToM functions predicts a worse functional outcome.