title: Neurocognitive effects of aripiprazole in adolescents and young adults with bipolar disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with bipolar disorder have neurocognitive impairments, which are associated with poor functional outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the neurocognitive effects of aripiprazole in adolescents and young adults with bipolar disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a 24-week, observational, prospective study performed in Taiwan. Participants in the study were clinically diagnosed as having bipolar disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV). In total, 28 patients participated and were administered aripiprazole. Neurocognitive function was assessed as a change from baseline in the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 28 patients had a mean age of 18.5 ± 3.3 years. During the 24-week aripiprazole treatment, these patients had significant improvements in omission score (χ(2) = 7.83, P = 0.050) and detectability scores (χ(2) = 13.79, P = 0.003) in the CPT, and perseverative errors (χ(2) = 17.42, P = 0.001) in the WCST. The WCST perseverative errors scores were significantly associated with general symptom scores in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) (β = - 1.34, P = 0.024). No significant differences were found between the neurocognitive functions of patients with manic, depressive and mixed episodes from baseline to week 24.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adolescents and young adults with bipolar disorder experienced significant neurocognitive function improvements after treatment with aripiprazole. A randomized, controlled design is warranted to determine whether these improvements are associated with aripiprazole or the course of bipolar disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, Keelung, and Chang Gung University School of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Liang-Jen
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chin-Bin
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Yu-Shu
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ching-Shu
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Wen-Jiun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Miao-Chun
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Chih-Ken
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015363:Quinolones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D000068180:Aripiprazole