TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2008//
TI  - Executive performance of depressed suicide attempters: the role of suicidal ideation
JO  - European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience
A1  - Westheide, Jens
A1  - Quednow, Boris B.
A1  - Kühn, Kai-Uwe
A1  - Hoppe, Christian
A1  - Cooper-Mahkorn, Deirdre
A1  - Hawellek, Barbara
A1  - Eichler, Petra
A1  - Maier, W.
A1  - Wagner, M.
SP  - 414
EP  - 421
VL  - 258
IS  - 7
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 0940-1334
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00406-008-0811-1
ID  - ref1
ER  -