Short-term course of neuropsychological abilities in middle-aged and older adults with bipolar disorder.

摘要: There is growing recognition that bipolar disorder involves cognitive deficits which persist between affective episodes and account for a substantial portion of the disability associated with this illness (1, 2). Recent data suggest as many 50% euthymic older adults demonstrate clinically significant impairment relative to their age-matched peers in general population (3-5). Given fluctuating course symptoms typify condition, well cross-sectional evidence increase cumulative lifetime (6), patients may be prone fluctuations or long-term decline functioning. Such and/or would marked contrast schizophrenia. With exception subset chronically institutionalized/“poor outcome” (7, 8), schizophrenia appear remarkable stable among younger regardless acute changes severity psychotic (9-12). Despite clinical relevance potentially non-stable functions disorder, there are very few longitudinal studies later life. To our knowledge, only prior published study ability showed cognitively intact hospitalized mania at baseline, total 32% were found impaired 5- 7-year follow-up evaluation (13). However, preceding was limited by both small sample (N=25), lack comparison groups, measure used (cognitive defined an Mini-Mental State Examination below 25 30 points.) In present study, we conducted preliminary examination short-term abilities 42 community-dwelling middle-aged outpatients who received two comprehensive neurocognitive assessments, test-retest intervals ranging from 1 3 years. We first examined baseline differences group demographically-matched samples normal subjects (NCs; n=35) (n=35) on battery tests. then compared direction mean level change performance over time points across groups. also assessed degree variability controlling performance. hypothesized intermediate functioning NCs group. that, greater time. Finally, explored whether psychiatric symptom correlated