title: Case-control study of neurocognitive function in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder: an association with mania.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurocognitive impairments in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder may represent trait rather than state variables.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that euthymic patients with bipolar disorder would exhibit impairment in verbal learning and memory and executive function compared with healthy controls matched for age, gender and premorbid IQ.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty euthymic patients with bipolar disorder were matched, on a case-by-case basis, to twenty healthy community controls. Cases and controls were tested with a battery of neuropsychological tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Impairments were found in cases compared with controls in tests of verbal learning and memory. Verbal learning and memory correlated negatively with the number of manic episodes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Impaired verbal learning and memory may be a trait variable in bipolar disease. There are implications for adherence to medication and relapse and for the role of early treatment interventions. Prospective designs and targeting first-episode groups may help to differentiate trait v. disease process effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Glasgow, UK. Jonathan.Cavanagh@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: J T O
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Cavanagh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Beck
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.forename: D H R
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Blackwood
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric