title: Structure-function associations in hippocampus in bipolar disorder.
abstract: Hippocampus volume decreases and verbal memory deficits have been reported in bipolar disorder (BD) as independent observations. We investigated potential associations between these deficits in subjects with BD. Hippocampus volumes were measured on magnetic resonance images of 31 subjects with BD and 32 healthy comparison (HC) subjects. The California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT) assessed verbal memory function in these subjects. Compared to the HC group, the BD group showed both significantly smaller hippocampus volumes and impaired performance on CVLT tests of immediate, short delay and long delay cued and free recall. Further, smaller hippocampus volume correlated with impaired performance in BD. Post hoc analyses revealed a trend towards improved memory in BD subjects taking antidepressant medications. These results support associations between morphological changes in hippocampus structure in BD and verbal memory impairment. They provide preliminary evidence pharmacotherapy may reverse hippocampus-related memory deficits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Lara G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Chepenik
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spann
authors.forename: Jessica H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kalmar
authors.forename: Fay
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Womer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kale Edmiston
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pittman
authors.forename: Hilary P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Blumberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009929:Organ Size; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*