Citation

Martins DS, Hasse-Sousa M, Petry-Perin C, Arrial-Cordeiro RT, Rabelo-da-Ponte FD, Lima FM, Rosa AR, Bücker J, Gama CS, Czepielewski LS. Psychiatry Res. 2019; 274: 345-351.

Affiliation

Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psiquiatria e Ciências do Comportamento, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Prédio Anexo, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90035-903, Brazi. Electronic address: lczepielewski@hcpa.edu.br.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.psychres.2019.02.046

PMID

30851597

Abstract

Maltreatments in childhood may have implications for neurodevelopment that could remain throughout life. Childhood trauma seems to be associated with the onset of bipolar disorder (BD), and its occurrence might accentuate the overall disease impairments related to cognitive deficits in BD. We aimed to evaluate the effects of a history of childhood trauma to estimated intellectual functioning (IQ) of individuals with BD. We included 72 subjects with BD during euthymia. Participants underwent a clinical interview and were assessed through the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Most prevalent trauma subtypes were emotional abuse and neglect (54.1%). A linear regression model that included perceived childhood trauma, family history of severe mental disorders, age at diagnosis and psychotic symptoms during the first episode as main factors showed that only childhood trauma had a significant effect in predicting estimated IQ. Therefore, the history of childhood trauma in individuals with BD may play a role in intellectual development, suggesting that adversities during development result in decreased general cognitive abilities. These results reinforce the need to promote early interventions to protect childhood and to promote the well-being of children, contributing to the growth of healthy adults.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Bipolar disorder; Childhood trauma; Cognition; IQ; Intellectual functioning; Maltreatment