@article{ref1,
title="Executive performance of depressed suicide attempters: the role of suicidal ideation",
journal="European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience",
year="2008",
author="Westheide, Jens and Quednow, Boris B. and Kühn, Kai-Uwe and Hoppe, Christian and Cooper-Mahkorn, Deirdre and Hawellek, Barbara and Eichler, Petra and Maier, W. and Wagner, M.",
volume="258",
number="7",
pages="414-421",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: Suicidal ideation has been related to cognitive rigidity whereas suicidal behaviour itself was associated with specific executive deficits. Yet it remains unclear if a distinct cognitive suicidal phenotype does exist. The aim of the present study was to further investigate the role of suicidal thinking for the neuropsychological performance in depressive suicide attempters. METHOD: Depressive inpatients after a recent suicide attempt, who either had present suicidal ideation (n = 14) or not (n = 15) and healthy controls (n = 29) were recruited. The groups were assessed by means of executive tasks designed to capture impulsive decision-making, and with verbal memory and attention tests. Self-rating measures of impulsivity and aggression were further applied. RESULTS: Only patients with current suicidal ideation showed executive dysfunctions with impaired decision-making being the most salient. Verbal memory and attention were reasonably intact in all patients. All patients reported increased aggression. CONCLUSION: Suicidal ideation is clearly associated with impaired cognitive performance. Our results suggest that executive deficits seen in depressive suicide attempters have a state-dependent component.<p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0940-1334",
doi="10.1007/s00406-008-0811-1",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00406-008-0811-1"
}