Cognitive functioning and instrumental activities of daily living in late-life bipolar disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The authors report on the relationship between cognitive functioning and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) in elderly, clinically euthymic adults with bipolar disorder.


METHODS
Twenty patients with bipolar disorder (age range: 61-86 years) were administered comprehensive neuropsychologic testing. Structured in-home performance-based assessments of IADLs were performed in 19 of these patients.


RESULTS
Relative to age-equated comparators, bipolar subjects performed worse in information-processing speed and executive functioning. IADL performance was strongly correlated with these cognitive domains.


CONCLUSIONS
In euthymic elderly patients with bipolar disorder, decrements in information processing speed and executive functioning characterize cognitive function and are associated with poorer IADL performance.
Gildengers
Ariel G
AG
Advanced Center for Intervention and Services Research for Late-Life Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Bipolar Disorder Center for Pennsylvanians, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Butters
Meryl A
MA
Chisholm
Denise
D
Rogers
Joan C
JC
Holm
Margo B
MB
Bhalla
Rishi K
RK
Seligman
Karen
K
Dew
Mary Amanda
MA
Reynolds
Charles F
CF
Kupfer
David J
DJ
Mulsant
Benoit H
BH
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016651:Lithium Carbonate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D018692:Antimanic Agents; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D014635:Valproic Acid