PW01-16 - Neurocognitive Function in Bipolar Disorder: an Examination During Episode and in Remission

Abstract

Objectives

Cognitive function seems to be impaired during both the acute and euthymic phases of bipolar disorder. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of remission on cognitive functioning in bipolar disorder.

Methods

Attention, memory, verbal learning ability, visuospatial ability, executive functions and social cognition were assessed in 19 patients with bipolar-I patients during an episode of the illness and in remission as well as in 16 normal controls, using WAIS - Vocabulary, Block design, and Digit span, Stroop Test, Babcock Story Recall Test, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Trail Making Test (Trails A and B), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and Faux Pas Recognition Test. The two groups were matched for gender, age and education. Paired t-test was used to compare patients’ neuropsycholigical performance in episode and euthimic states and one-way ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni corrections for the between groups comparisons.

Results

Patients showed cognitive dysfunction in verbal learning, visospatial ability, executive functions and social cognition during both the acute and the euthymic phases in relation to the comparison group. Poorer performance in attention and working memory tasks was observed only in the acute phase of the illness. Performance in verbal learning and executive function tasks was significantly improved but still impaired in remission.

	BD-Ep (n = 19) Mean (SD)	BD-Rem(n = 19) Mean (SD)	t	p
WAIS - Vocabulary	9.6 (1.7)	9.9 (1.6)	- 1.55	.137	BD-Ep < NC BD-Rem < NC
WAIS - Block design	7.9 (2.2)	8.3 (1.9)	- 0.64	.532	BD-Ep < NC BD-Rem < NC
Stroop - Word	77.9 (19.2)	82.8 (19.8)	- 1.21	.243	BD-Ep < NC
Stroop - Colour	56.7 (14.8)	60.3 (12.9)	- 1.28	.218	BD-Ep < NC
RAVLT - Best learning	9.9 (2.6)	11.0 (2.8)	- 2.52	.021	BD-Ep < NC BD-Rem < NC
RAVLT - Delay recall	7.3 (3.3)	9.2 (3.5)	- 3.41	.003	BD-Ep < NC BD-Rem < NC
WCST - perseverative errors	19.5 (10.6)	13.5 (7.9)	3.21	.005	BD-Ep > NC
Trails B	181.0 (92.2)	167.1 (91.4)	1.28	.218	BD-Ep > NC BD-Rem > NC
Faux Pas - detection	35.0 (8.9)	37.8 (10.5)	- 1.15	.266	BD-Ep < NC BD-Rem < NC

[The effect of remission on cognitive functioning]

Conclusions

Patients with bipolar disorder exhibit similar profiles of cognitive impairment during the acute and the euthymic phases of the illness.