title: Language impairment in euthymic, elderly patients with bipolar disorder but no dementia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurocognitive impairment is known to occur in euthymic bipolar patients, but language alterations have not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study is to examine the performance in language tests of a sample of elderly patients with bipolar disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 33 euthymic elderly patients with bipolar disorder but no dementia and 33 healthy individuals, matched for age and education, who were compared in terms of their CAMCOG global score and its subitems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The scores obtained in language-related abilities for patients and controls, respectively, were: language (total): 27.3 (1) and 28.5 (1), p < 0.0001; comprehension: 8.6 (0.5) and 8.9 (0.3), p = 0.006; production: 18.7 (1) and 19.6 (0.9), p = <0.0001; abstraction: 6.8 (1.1) and 7.3 (0.7), p = 0.016; verbal fluency: 16.3 (4.3) and 19.6 (4.1), p = 0.003.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A mild but significant impairment in language-related ability scores was detected when comparing patients and controls.
authors: Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM 27), Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil. radano@tecway.com.br
authors: Marcia
authors: M
authors: Radanovic
authors: Paula Villela
authors: PV
authors: Nunes
authors: Wagner Farid
authors: WF
authors: Gattaz
authors: Orestes Vicente
authors: OV
authors: Forlenza
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000849:Anomia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001938:Brazil; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D032882:Comprehension; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D007807:Language Tests; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012660:Semantics; D013068:Speech Production Measurement