Is theory of mind impairment a trait-marker in bipolar disorder?

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 216-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Ioannidi ◽  
G. Konstantakopoulos ◽  
P. Patrikelis ◽  
A. Economou ◽  
D. Sakkas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Acute Phase ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Learning Ability ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Trait Marker

ObjectivesPrevious studies have provided evidence for Theory of Mind (ToM) impairment in bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of the study was to determine whether ToM impairment can be considered as a trait- marker or a state characteristic of BD.MethodsToM was assessed in 29 patients with bipolar-I during an episode and in remission as well as in 29 pair-matched for age, gender and education level healthy controls. Three different ToM tests were used (multilevel assessment): First Order False Belief Stories, Hinting Test, Faux Pas Recognition Test. Attention, memory, verbal learning ability, visuospatial ability, executive functions were also assessed using WAIS – Vocabulary, Block design, and Digit span, Stroop Test, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Trail Making Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Paired t-test was used to compare patients’ neuropsychological performance in episode and euthimic states and one-way ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni corrections for the between groups comparisons.ResultsPatients showed significant impairments on ToM tasks in the acute phase compared to the control group. ToM deficits did not persist beyond mood episode, except patients’ poor performance on Faux Pas. Dysfunction in verbal learning, working memory, visospatial ability was found during both the acute and the euthymic phases in relation to the comparison group. Poorer performance in attention, immediate verbal memory and executive function tasks was observed only in the acute phase of the illness.ConclusionsImpairments in social cognition might reflect underlying general cognitive deficits and residual symptoms rather than representing a specific trait-marker in BD.

Agomelatine vs fluoxetine: Efficacy and improvement of cognitive functions in patients with MDD

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S405-S405
Author(s):  
E. Aydın ◽  
M. Güleç ◽  
E. Oral ◽  
A.G. Daloğlu
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Word Association ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Neurocognitive Functions ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionIn major depressive disorder (MDD) neurocognitive functions are impaired. In addition to melatonergic properties of agomelatine, via 5-HT2C antagonism it increases extracellular noradrenaline and dopamine in frontal cortex and may improve the neurocognitive functions of patients with MDD.Aims and objectivesTo investigate the extent of neurocognitive improvement and efficacy of agomelatine and fluoxetine in patients with MDD.Material and methodAgomelatine 25 mg/day (n: 24) and fluoxetine 20 mg/day (n: 24) were administered to drug-naive unipolar, non-psychotic, non-suicidal MDD patients according to DSM-IV. Evaluations were performed just before the treatment and at the sixth week of treatment via administering Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), Digit Span Test (DST), Trail Making Test (TMT-A/B), Stroop Test and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.ResultsBoth agomelatine and fluoxetine was found to be efficacious for the treatment of MDD (P < 0.05 for both). Further there was no difference between the antidepressant efficacy of two drugs. Both of the drugs improved measured neurocognitive functions (P < 0.05), except scores of DST (P > 0.05) and only fluoxetine improved significantly scores of COWAT (P < 0.05). Only in terms of TMT-B there was significant difference between groups and agomelatine was superior to fluoxetine (P < 0.05).ConclusionAgomelatine and fluoxetine were efficacious in treatment of MDD. Furthermore both of the drugs improved cognitive functions in patients with MDD. Superiority of agomelatine in improvement of executive functioning (TMT-B) is important and therefore it could be an appropriate choice for MDD patients who have pronounced executive disturbances.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Neuropsychological Disturbances and Cerebral Blood Flow in Bipolar Disorder

2005 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 227-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoni Benabarre ◽  
Eduard Vieta ◽  
Anabel Martínez-Arán ◽  
Margarida Garcia-Garcia ◽  
Francisco Martín ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Blood Flow ◽  
Cerebral Blood Flow ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Photon Emission ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Emission Computed Tomography ◽  
Neuropsychological Function ◽  
Adult Intelligence Scale ◽  
Bipolar Patients

Objective: To determine and correlate alterations in neuropsychological function and cerebral blood flow in bipolar patients. Method: Assessments included the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, Global Assessment Functioning, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Stroop test, Trail Making Test (TMT), California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) and phonetic verbal fluency/controlled oral word association tests. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was carried out with the administration of 99mTc-HMPAO. Forty-three outpatients out of 85 fulfilling RDC diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder and six healthy subjects were included in the study. SPECT and neuropsychological assessments were performed in 30 patients in manic (n = 7), hypomanic (n = 8), depressed (n = 12) or euthymic (n = 3) states. All assessments were carried out before starting treatment. Result: Several corrected correlations between neuropsychological function and cerebral blood flow (CBF) were identified: executive function (WCST) and striatal, frontal, temporal, cerebellum, parietal and cingulate CBF; memory (WMS, WAIS-Digits) and striatal, frontal, temporal and parietal CBF; attentional tasks (Stroop) and striatal, temporo-medial and parietal CBF; verbal learning (CVLT) and frontal, posterior temporal, cingulate and occipital CBF; psychomotor disturbances (TMT) and anterior temporal CBF; poorer intelligence performance scores (WAIS-Vocabulary) and cerebellum and parietal CBF. Conclusions: This study confirms the presence of functional disturbances in frontosubcortical structures, the cerebellum and limbic system in bipolar patients.

scholarly journals Acute Exercise Improves Prefrontal Cortex but not Hippocampal Function in Healthy Adults

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 791-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia C. Basso ◽  
Andrea Shang ◽  
Meredith Elman ◽  
Ryan Karmouta ◽  
Wendy A. Suzuki
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Aerobic Exercise ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Medial Temporal Lobe ◽  
Acute Exercise ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled

AbstractThe effects of acute aerobic exercise on cognitive functions in humans have been the subject of much investigation; however, these studies are limited by several factors, including a lack of randomized controlled designs, focus on only a single cognitive function, and testing during or shortly after exercise. Using a randomized controlled design, the present study asked how a single bout of aerobic exercise affects a range of frontal- and medial temporal lobe-dependent cognitive functions and how long these effects last. We randomly assigned 85 subjects to either a vigorous intensity acute aerobic exercise group or a video watching control group. All subjects completed a battery of cognitive tasks both before and 30, 60, 90, or 120 min after the intervention. This battery included the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised, the Modified Benton Visual Retention Test, the Stroop Color and Word Test, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, the Digit Span Test, the Trail Making Test, and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test. Based on these measures, composite scores were formed to independently assess prefrontal cortex- and hippocampal-dependent cognition. A three-way mixed Analysis of Variance was used to determine whether differences existed between groups in the change in cognitive function from pre- to post-intervention testing. Acute exercise improved prefrontal cortex- but not hippocampal-dependent functioning, with no differences found between delay groups. Vigorous acute aerobic exercise has beneficial effects on prefrontal cortex-dependent cognition and these effects can last for up to 2 hr after exercise. (JINS, 2015, 21, 791–801)

Are theory of mind impairments a trait marker of bipolar disorder?

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. S425
Author(s):  
S.L. Romero Guillena ◽  
O. Santamaria ◽  
B.O. Plasencia Garcia de Diego ◽  
R. Navarro ◽  
F. Gotor Sanchez-Luengo
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Trait Marker

The evolution of cognitive functioning in adolescents with early onset psychosis

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S345-S346
Author(s):  
A. Bohus
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Early Onset ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Psychotic Episode ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Spatial Learning And Memory ◽  
Early Onset Psychosis ◽  
One Year

IntroductionCognitive deficits (executive functions, verbal and spatial learning and memory, visual processing and attention) are a fundamental trait of schizophrenia.ObjectiveThe main objective of this study is to compare the cognitive functioning in psychotic adolescents at the psychosis onset and after one year, using psychological tests.MethodsThis is a longitudinal study, during a period of two years and a half. Twenty-eight patients with first psychotic episode agreed to participate to this study and were assessed during their hospitalization in a university clinic for child and adolescent psychiatry in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The diagnosis was based on DSM-IV criteria. All the patients were initially assessed for intelligence level using Raven Test and those with mental retardation were excluded. After one year, sixteen adolescents from the initial group were reassessed. The cognitive functioning was assessed with Trail Making A and B, verbal fluency tasks, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. The results from patients group were compared with those from healthy controls.ResultsThe results show weaker global cognitive performance from adolescents with early onset psychosis, initially and at one-year evaluation, than the healthy adolescents from the control group.ConclusionsThis results are consistent with those of previous studies. The adolescents with early onset psychosis show multiple cognitive impairments initially and one year after the psychosis onset.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals The Characteristics of Cognitive Impairment in ALS Patients Depend on the Lateralization of Motor Damage

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 650
Author(s):  
Umberto Manera ◽  
Laura Peotta ◽  
Barbara Iazzolino ◽  
Antonio Canosa ◽  
Rosario Vasta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Visual Memory ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
Als Patients ◽  
Fluency Test

(1) Background: Cognitive features of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have never been specifically analyzed according to the lateralization of motor impairment. In the present study we investigated the cognitive performances of ALS patients to describe the relationship between motor and cognitive dysfunction, according to site and side of disease onset. (2) Methods: Six-hundred and nine ALS patients underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation at diagnosis in Turin ALS Centre Tests included—mini-mental state examination (MMSE), frontal assessment battery (FAB), trail-making test A/B (TMT A-B), digit span forward and backward (digit span FW/digit span BW), letter fluency test (FAS), category fluency test (CAT), Rey auditory verbal learning test (RAVLT), Babcock story recall test (BSRT), Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test (ROCFT), Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), Raven’s coloured progressive matrices (CPM47). Cognitive performances of patients, grouped by side and site of onset, were statistically compared using z-scores, as appropriate. (3) Results: Bulbar patients and bilateral spinal onset patients (Sbil) were generally characterized by lower cognitive performances in most neuropsychological tests, when compared to patients with lateralized onset (right-side spinal onset, Sri and left-side spinal onset, Sle). Digit span backward and visual memory task (ROCFT) median z-scores were significantly higher, reflecting a better cognitive performance, in Sri patients when compared to bulbar/Sbil patients, while verbal memory tasks (RAVLT and BRST) resulted in significantly higher scores in Sle patients. Our results are in keeping with hemispheric functional lateralization of language and visuospatial abilities. (4) Conclusions: In ALS patients, as in other neurodegenerative diseases, we found a direct relationship between lateralized motor and cognitive features.

Executive Function Deficits in Patients after Cerebellar Neurosurgery

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Mak ◽  
Ernest Tyburski ◽  
Łukasz Madany ◽  
Andrzej Sokołowski ◽  
Agnieszka Samochowiec
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Regulatory Processes ◽  
Perseverative Errors

AbstractThe cerebellum has long been perceived as a structure responsible for the human motor function. According to the contemporary approach, however, it plays a significant role in complex behavior regulatory processes. The aim of this study was to describe executive functions in patients after cerebellar surgery. The study involved 30 patients with cerebellar pathology. The control group comprised 30 neurologically and mentally healthy individuals, matched for sex, age, and number of years of education. Executive functions were measured by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Stroop Color Word Test (SCWT), Trail Making Test (TMT), and working memory by the Digit Span. Compared to healthy controls, patients made more Errors and Perseverative errors in the WCST, gave more Perseverative responses, and had a lower Number of categories completed. The patients exhibited higher response times in all three parts of the SCWT and TMT A and B. No significant differences between the two groups were reported in their performance of the SCWT and TMT with regard to the measures of absolute or relative interference. The patients had lower score on the backward Digit Span. Patients with cerebellar pathology may exhibit some impairment within problem solving and working memory. Their worse performance on the SCWT and TMT could, in turn, stem from their poor motor–somatosensory control, and not necessarily executive deficits. Our results thus support the hypothesis of the cerebellum’s mediating role in the regulation of the activity of the superordinate cognitive control network in the brain. (JINS, 2016, 22, 47–57)

Do patients with better neuro-cognition have better theory of mind?

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S140-S140
Author(s):  
J. Mrizak ◽  
A. Arous ◽  
R. Trabelsi ◽  
A. Aissa ◽  
H. Ben Ammar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
St Number ◽  
Learning Test ◽  
Sorting Test

IntroductionTheory of mind (ToM) has repeatedly been shown to be compromised in many patients with schizophrenia (SCZ). By contrast, the association between ToM deficits and neuro-cognitive functioning (NF) remains uncertain.ObjectivesTo investigate the association between ToM functioning and neuro-cognitive functioning in SCZ.MethodsFifty-eight outpatients with stable SCZ completed the intention-inferencing task (IIT), in which the ability to infer a character's intentions from 28 short comic strip stories is assessed. They also completed a neuro-cognitive battery comprising the following tests: the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test–Revised (HVLT-R), the Letter Digit Substitution Test (LDST), the Stroop Test (ST), the “Double Barrage” of Zazzo (DBZ), the Modified Card Sorting Test (MCST), Verbal Fluency (VF), the Trail Making Test-Part A (TMT-A) and the Digit Span (DS).ResultsThe performance in the IIT significantly correlated with performance in some neuro-cognitive tests including efficiency in DBZ, number of uncorrected mistakes in ST, number of correct categories in MCST and the time needed to succeed the TMT-A. No correlations were found between performance in the ITT and in memory tasks (HVLT-R and DS).ConclusionsToM may rely on some neuro-cognitive functions (mainly attention and executive functioning). Elucidating the exact relationship between ToM and NF may be useful as both are targeted in specific psychotherapeutic interventions.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Neuropsychological profile of patients with bipolar depression in remission

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 543-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanja Totic-Poznanovic ◽  
Dragan Marinkovic ◽  
Dragan Pavlovic ◽  
Vladimir Paunovic
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Bipolar Depression ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Bipolar Affective Disorder ◽  
Control Group ◽  
State Variables ◽  
Neuropsychological Profile ◽  
Clinical Measures

Aim. To determine if the patients with bipolar affective disorder, after the depressive phase, would exhibit cognitive impairment in remission. Methods. Twenty three euthymic patients with bipolar disorder were matched, on a case-by-case basis, to twenty-one healthy subjects in the control group, for the presence of the symptoms of depression. The patients and the control group were tested with a battery of neuropsychological tests. Results. Impairments were found in the patients compared with the control group in tests of verbal learning and memory and in tests of executive function. Verbal learning and memory, as well as executive functions, did not correlate either with the clinical indices of patients, or with the demographic and baseline clinical measures of depression. Conclusion. Impaired verbal learning and memory and executive functions may represent a trait rather than the state variables in bipolar disorder.

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