Neuropsychological functions in patients with bipolar I and bipolar II disorder

Abstract

BP-I was characterized by reduced performance in verbal memory, working memory, psychomotor speed, and executive function, while BP-II patients showed a reduction only in working memory and psychomotor speed. Cognitive impairment existed in both subtypes of bipolar disorder, and was greater in BP-I patients. Rehabilitation interventions should take into account potential cognitive differences between these bipolar subtypes.

Are bipolar II patients cognitively impaired? A systematic review

“…Similarly, some authors suggest that BD I patients have more widespread cognitive dysfunction than BD II patients (Simonsen et al 2008 ;Hsiao et al 2009). In the study by Simonsen et al (2008) BD II patients showed reduced performance on certain measures of attention and executive function (working memory, verbal fluency and interference control), while the BD I group showed reduced performance on all verbal memory measures and on most measures of attention and executive function (working memory, fluency, interference control and set-shifting).…”

“…In another more recent study BD II patients in an interepisodic phase had an intermediate performance between BD I and healthy subjects (Hsiao et al 2009). In a study (Harkavy-Friedman et al 2006) assessing BD patients with a depressive episode, BD II patients had a worse performance in the Digit Symbol subtest, and performed worse than BD I patients in the Stroop Test.…”

“…In four out of nine studies, BD II patients scored significantly worse than control subjects or normative data in this domain (Martínez-Arán et al In contrast, deficits in verbal memory in BD II patients were not found in five studies (HarkavyFriedman et al 2006 ;Dittmann et al 2008 ;Savitz et al 2008 ;Simonsen et al 2008 ;Hsiao et al 2009), whereas in four of them a significantly worse performance in BD I patients was observed (Dittmann et al 2008 ;Savitz et al 2008 ;Simonsen et al 2008 ;Hsiao et al 2009). However, Harkavy-Friedman et al (2006) did not find significant differences between BD I and BD II patients with a depressive episode and suicide attempts and HCs.…”

Comparative study of personality traits in patients with bipolar I and II disorder from the five-factor model perspective

“…BD II has been shown to be a categorically different entity than BD I in genetic, [15][16][17] biological, 18 neuropsychological, 19 and clinical [20][21][22] aspects. Thus, BD II is not likely integrated with BD I at the level of personality traits as well.…”

“…6,[8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Regrettably, none of these studies presented separate data on BD I and BD II patients; rather, subjects included mixed BDI and BD II patients or only those with BD I. As BD II differs from BD I in genetic, [15][16][17] biological, 18 neuropsychological, 19 and clinical [20][21][22] aspects, the personality traits of individuals with BD II and BD I should be assessed separately.…”