Citation

Poletti S, Aggio V, Brioschi S, Dallaspezia S, Colombo C, Benedetti F. Psychiatry Clin. Neurosci. 2016; 71(5): 309-317.

Affiliation

C.E.R.M.A.C. (Centro di Eccellenza Risonanza Magnetica ad Alto Campo), University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/pcn.12497

PMID

28004481

Abstract

AIM: Studies have demonstrated neuropsychological deficits across a variety of cognitive domains in depression. These deficits are observable both in major depression (MDD) and in bipolar disorder (BD) and are present in each phase of the disorders, including euthymia. Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) have been associated to an increased risk to develop psychiatric disorders and cognitive deficits. The aim of the study was to assess neuropsychological performances in a sample of MDD and BD patients during a depressive episode compared to healthy controls and secondly to investigate if ACE affect the cognitive profile in the three groups.

METHOD: 76 bipolar patients, 57 MDD patients and 57 healthy controls underwent neuropsychological assessment for cognitive performances through the Brief Assessment of Cognition in schizophrenia (BACS) and Wisconsin Card Sorting tests (WCST).

RESULTS: Both bipolar and MDD patients obtained significantly lower domain scores across the entire battery compared to healthy subjects. Splitting the sample according to exposure to ACE (high and low), the differences observed in the whole sample persisted only in the subsample of those patients exposed to high ACE.

CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that cognitive impairment is present both in MDD and BD, whereas in different degrees of severity, and highlights the importance of early stress as moderator factor when investigating cognitive functions in mood disorders.

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Language: en