J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2013 Sep;52(5):318-326.

Neurocognitive Deficits in Patients with Remitted Bipolar I Disorder and Unaffected First-Degree Relatives

• Kim DH
• Kim J
• Joe S
• Won S

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Neurocognitive dysfunction may provide a marker of underlying neuropathology and disease vulnerability in bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to identify the differences and the profiles of cognitive deficits in euthymic bipolar patients and first-degree relatives of bipolar probands.
METHODS
Twenty four unaffected first-degree relatives of probands with bipolar I disorder (BD) were included in the study as an equal number of remitted BD patients and healthy controls who were matched on age, sex, years of education, and general intelligence. Cognitive assessments were performed using the Digit Span Test, Continuous Performance Test, Rey Auditory & verbal Learning Test, Complex Figure Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and Finger Tapping Test. The effect of subsyndromal symptomatology was controlled.
RESULTS
Patients showed significantly worse performance than healthy control subjects in several measures of attention, working memory, verbal learning and memory, visual memory (delayed recall), and verbal fluency (category). Relatives showed significant impairment in working memory. No differences were observed in sustained attention, cognitive flexibility, and psychomotor performance.
CONCLUSION
Findings of our study suggest that the deficit in working memory could be a potential endophenotypic marker of genetic vulnerability to BD. Verbal learning and memory impair ment appears to be more related to the fully developed BD.

Keyword

Bipolar disorder; Neurocognitive function; Remission; First-degree relatives; Endophenotype

MeSH Terms

Bipolar Disorder
Endophenotypes
Fingers
Humans
Intelligence
Memory
Memory, Short-Term
Pliability
Verbal Learning
Wisconsin

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