Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a severe psychiatric illness that is
characterized by episodes of extreme mood states. The affective components
of bipolar disorder have been studied extensively, but only recently have
investigators begun to systematically examine its cognitive concomitants.
Although executive dysfunction has been reported in this population,
especially while patients are manic, the tasks administered in many
previous studies have made it difficult to determine the specific
executive abilities that were compromised. The present study examined 15
patients with bipolar disorder who were manic, 18 who were euthymic, and
18 healthy participants. Tests were selected to evaluate two specific
aspects of executive functioning in these participants. The Object
Alternation Task was given as a measure of inhibitory control, and the
Delayed Response Task was included as a measure of spatial delayed working
memory. All groups performed similarly on the Delayed Response Task. On
the Object Alternation Task, however, the manic and euthymic patients
committed significantly more perseverative errors than healthy
participants. These results indicated that patients in the present sample
had relatively normal working memory abilities, but had a deficit in
behavioral self-regulation, which was evident across mood states.
(JINS, 2005, 11, 163–172.)Location of work: Center for Bipolar Disorders Research,
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine,
Cincinnati, Ohio.