Research article summary (published 30 Dec 2003):

Neuropsychological performance in pediatric bipolar disorder.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND: Growing awareness of childhood bipolar disorder necessitates further cognitive neuroscience research to determine unique developmental differences between pediatric and adult onset bipolar disorder. We sought to examine whether neuropsychological function in children with bipolar disorder resembles that in adults with the illness and to extend our knowledge about cognitive function in pediatric bipolar disorder. METHODS: We administered a computerized neuropsychological test battery known as the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery to a sample of 21 children and adolescents with bipolar disorder and compared them with 21 age- and gender-matched controls. RESULTS: In comparison to controls, children with bipolar disorder were impaired on measures of attentional set-shifting and visuospatial memory. Post hoc analyses in pediatric bipolar disorder subjects did not show significant associations between neuropsychological performance and manic symptomatology or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery data presented here in pediatric bipolar disorder fit well within the broader framework of known neurocognitive deficits in adult bipolar disorder. Our pediatric bipolar disorder subjects demonstrated selective deficiencies in attentional set-shifting and visuospatial memory. Our work suggests altered ventrolateral prefrontal cortex function, especially when linked to other lesion and neuroimaging studies.

Author information

Author/s: Dickstein, Daniel P (DP); Treland, Julia E (JE); Snow, Joseph (J); McClure, Erin B (EB); Mehta, Mona S (MS); Towbin, Kenneth E (KE); Pine, Daniel S (DS); Leibenluft, Ellen (E);

Affiliation: National Institute of Mental Health Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1255, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Biological psychiatry (Biol Psychiatry), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2004-Jan; vol 55 (issue 1) : pp 32-9

Dates: Created 2004/01/06; Completed 2004/04/28; Revised 2005/01/21;

PMID: 14706422, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - complications Bipolar Disorder - complications Child Cognition Disorders - diagnosis; etiology Female

Humans Male Memory Neuropsychological Tests Space Perception Visual Perception

Related articles

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

• Abnormal executive function in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: the effect of stimulant medication and age on spatial working memory. 30 Jul 2001
• Psychiatric phenomenology of child and adolescent bipolar offspring. 30 Mar 2000
• The interface between ADHD and language impairment: an examination of language, achievement, and cognitive processing. 28 Feb 2000
• Specific language impairment with or without hyperactivity: neuropsychological evidence for frontostriatal dysfunction. 30 May 2000
• Heterogeneity of childhood conduct disorder: further evidence of a subtype of conduct disorder linked to bipolar disorder. 29 Apr 2001
• DSM-IV mania symptoms in a prepubertal and early adolescent bipolar disorder phenotype compared to attention-deficit hyperactive and normal controls. 30 Dec 2001
• Neuropsychological performance in DSM-IV ADHD subtypes: an exploratory study with untreated adolescents. 30 Oct 2002
• Parental reports of executive dysfunction in adolescents with bipolar disorder. 29 Nov 2002
• Gender differences in a clinic-referred sample of attention-deficit-disordered children. 30 Dec 1990

See 100+ related articles.

Related Article Map

Legend: - FREE Full text Article. - Abstract only. - Title only. More help.

See a large map of 100+ related articles.