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Executive functioning and theory of mind in euthymic bipolar disorder
Author(s) -
Olley Amanda L,
Malhi Gin S,
Bachelor Jennifer,
Cahill Catherine M,
Mitchell Philip B,
Berk Michael
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
bipolar disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.285
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1399-5618
pISSN - 1398-5647
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-5618.2005.00254.x
Subject(s) - stroop effect , cambridge neuropsychological test automated battery , psychology , bipolar disorder , verbal fluency test , executive functions , executive dysfunction , neuropsychology , mood , theory of mind , audiology , clinical psychology , neuropsychological test , cognition , cognitive psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , working memory , medicine , spatial memory
Objectives: To examine the nature of executive deficits in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Methods: Fifteen euthymic BD patients and 13 controls were administered a battery of executive tasks including verbal fluency, Stroop, Theory of Mind (ToM) tests and selected subtests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Self‐report and clinician ratings of mood and social and occupational functioning were also obtained. Results: There were no significant differences between BD patients and controls on the primary measures of the following executive tasks: verbal fluency, attentional set‐shifting, problem solving or planning. On secondary measures of speed, BD patients were slower to complete the first trial of the Stroop task (p = 0.001). Patients with BD committed more errors across all secondary measures. Patients performed poorly when compared with controls on tests of verbal ToM (p = 0.02), and although they performed non‐verbal ToM tasks at a level comparable to controls (p = 0.60), they were slower to initiate a response (p = 0.006). ToM was not significantly correlated with any measure of social and occupational functioning; however it correlated with the achievement scores of the CANTAB Stockings of Cambridge task (Pearson's r = 0.68, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Deficits found in euthymic bipolar patients suggest fronto‐subcortical pathway dysfunction. This is consistent with other neuropsychological and neuroimaging research that points to a trait deficit in BD. Further investigation is necessary perhaps using more real‐world tests.