The Effects of CACNA1C Gene Polymorphism on Spatial Working Memory in Both Healthy Controls and Patients with Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder

The objective of the present study was to assess the performance of lithium treated euthymic bipolar patients in tests measuring spatial working memory (SWM), planning, and verbal fluency and to delineate the influence of gender on cognitive functioning. Fifty-nine euthymic bipolar patients, treated with lithium carbonate for at least 5 yr, were studied. Patients and controls underwent a neuropsychological assessment. Bipolar patients had significantly worse results than the healthy controls in the spatial memory and planning as well as verbal fluency tests. We detected a gender-related imbalance in the SWM results. Deficits in SWM were observed in male-only comparisons but not in female-only comparisons. The SWM scores were significantly poorer in male patients than in male controls. In female-only comparisons, female patients did not have significantly poorer SWM results in any category than their controls. Bipolar women scored worse in some other tests. The present study points to the different patterns of neuropsychological disturbances in female and male patients and suggests that sex-dependent differences should be taken into account in order to tailor the therapeutic intervention aimed at the improvement of cognitive functions.

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The effect of COMT val158met genotype on neural response and performance during spatial working memory in remitted patients with bipolar disorder

10.26226/morressier.5785edc9d462b80296c99997 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Hanne Kjaerstad

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Working Memory ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Neural Response ◽

Comt Val158met ◽

And Performance

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Brain Cortical Thickness and Surface Area Correlates of Neurocognitive Performance in Patients with Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Healthy Adults

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617711001081 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 17 (6) ◽

pp. 1080-1093 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

C.B. Hartberg ◽

K. Sundet ◽

L.M. Rimol ◽

U.K. Haukvik ◽

E.H. Lange ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Working Memory ◽

Surface Area ◽

Cortical Thickness ◽

Negative Relationship ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Neurocognitive Functioning ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Neurocognitive Performance ◽

Mri Scans

AbstractRelationships between cortical brain structure and neurocognitive functioning have been reported in schizophrenia, but findings are inconclusive, and only a few studies in bipolar disorder have addressed this issue. This is the first study to directly compare relationships between cortical thickness and surface area with neurocognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia (n = 117) and bipolar disorder (n = 121) and healthy controls (n = 192). MRI scans were obtained, and regional cortical thickness and surface area measurements were analyzed for relationships with test scores from 6 neurocognitive domains. In the combined sample, cortical thickness in the right rostral anterior cingulate was inversely related to working memory, and cortical surface area in four frontal and temporal regions were positively related to neurocognitive functioning. A positive relationship between left transverse temporal thickness and processing speed was specific to schizophrenia. A negative relationship between right temporal pole thickness and working memory was specific to bipolar disorder. In conclusion, significant cortical structure/function relationships were found in a large sample of healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. The differences that were found between schizophrenia and bipolar may indicate differential relationship patterns in the two disorders, which may be of relevance for understanding the underlying pathophysiology. (JINS, 2011, 17, 1080–1093)

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New insights into the endophenotypic status of cognition in bipolar disorder: Genetic modelling study of twins and siblings

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.115.167239 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 208 (6) ◽

pp. 539-547 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Anna Georgiades ◽

Fruhling Rijsdijk ◽

Fergus Kane ◽

Irene Rebollo-Mesa ◽

Sridevi Kalidindi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Working Memory ◽

Spatial Learning ◽

Genetic Relatedness ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Genetic Correlations ◽

Visual Spatial ◽

Affective Symptoms ◽

Genetic Modelling

BackgroundTwin studies have lacked statistical power to apply advanced genetic modelling techniques to the search for cognitive endophenotypes for bipolar disorder.AimsTo quantify the shared genetic variability between bipolar disorder and cognitive measures.MethodStructural equation modelling was performed on cognitive data collected from 331 twins/siblings of varying genetic relatedness, disease status and concordance for bipolar disorder.ResultsUsing a parsimonious AE model, verbal episodic and spatial working memory showed statistically significant genetic correlations with bipolar disorder (rg = |0.23|–|0.27|), which lost statistical significance after covarying for affective symptoms. Using an ACE model, IQ and visual-spatial learning showed statistically significant genetic correlations with bipolar disorder (rg = |0.51|–|1.00|), which remained significant after covarying for affective symptoms.ConclusionsVerbal episodic and spatial working memory capture a modest fraction of the bipolar diathesis. IQ and visual-spatial learning may tap into genetic substrates of non-affective symptomatology in bipolar disorder.

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Gender influences the detection of spatial working memory deficits in bipolar disorder

Bipolar Disorders ◽

10.1111/j.1399-5618.2008.00592.x ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 647-654 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Suzanne Lucia Barrett ◽

Christopher Kelly ◽

Robert Bell ◽

David John King

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Working Memory ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Memory Deficits ◽

Gender Influences

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Working memory networks and activation patterns in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: comparison with healthy controls

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.113.129254 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 204 (4) ◽

pp. 290-298 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

Christine Lycke Brandt ◽

Tom Eichele ◽

Ingrid Melle ◽

Kjetil Sundet ◽

Andrés Server ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Working Memory ◽

Large Scale ◽

Psychotic Disorders ◽

Brain Networks ◽

Memory Task ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Activation Patterns ◽

Patient Groups

BackgroundSchizophrenia and bipolar disorder are severe mental disorders with overlapping genetic and clinical characteristics, including cognitive impairments. An important question is whether these disorders also have overlapping neuronal deficits.AimsTo determine whether large-scale brain networks associated with working memory, as measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), are the same in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and how they differ from those in healthy individuals.MethodPatients with schizophrenia (n = 100) and bipolar disorder (n = 100) and a healthy control group (n = 100) performed a 2-back working memory task while fMRI data were acquired. The imaging data were analysed using independent component analysis to extract large-scale networks of task-related activations.ResultsSimilar working memory networks were activated in all groups. However, in three out of nine networks related to the experimental task there was a graded response difference in fMRI signal amplitudes, where patients with schizophrenia showed greater activation than those with bipolar disorder, who in turn showed more activation than healthy controls. Secondary analysis of the patient groups showed that these activation patterns were associated with history of psychosis and current elevated mood in bipolar disorder.ConclusionsThe same brain networks were related to working memory in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and controls. However, some key networks showed a graded hyperactivation in the two patient groups, in line with a continuum of neuronal abnormalities across psychotic disorders.

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Object alternation test—is it sensitive enough to detect cognitive dysfunction in obsessive–compulsive disorder?

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2004.06.016 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 19 (7) ◽

pp. 441-443 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Anne Katrin Kuelz ◽

Dieter Riemann ◽

Roland Zahn ◽

Ulrich Voderholzer

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Cognitive Dysfunction ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder

AbstractA computerized version of the object alternation test (OAT) was employed in unmedicated obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) patients and matched healthy controls. OCD patients performed normally on the OAT but scored below controls on a task assessing visuo-spatial working memory. The results challenge the concept of the OAT as a sensitive instrument for orbitofrontal dysfunction in OCD.

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