title: Verbal episodic memory deficits in remitted bipolar patients: a combined behavioural and fMRI study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Episodic memory deficits affect the majority of patients with bipolar disorder (BD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study investigates episodic memory performance through different approaches, including behavioural measures, physiological parameters, and the underlying functional activation patterns with functional neuroimaging (fMRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  26 Remitted BD patients and a matched group of healthy controls underwent a verbal episodic memory test together with monitored autonomic response, psychopathological ratings and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during the verbal episodic memory test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to healthy controls, BD patients performed significantly worse during the episodic memory task. The results further indicate that verbal episodic memory deficits in BD are associated with abnormal functional activity patterns in frontal, occipital and limbic regions, and an increase in stress parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We aimed to minimise sample heterogeneity by setting clear criteria for remission, based on the scores of a depression (BDI II) and mania scale (BRMAS) and on the DSM IV criteria. However, our patients were not symptom-free and scored higher on BDI II scores than the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results are of interest for the treatment of cognitive symptoms in BD patients, as persistent cognitive impairment may hamper full rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany. viola.Oertel@kgu.de
authors.forename: Viola
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oertel-Knöchel
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reinke
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Feddern
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knake
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Knöchel
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prvulovic
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fußer
authors.forename: Tarik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karakaya
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loellgen
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Freitag
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pantel
authors.forename: David E J
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Linden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Bipolar disorders; Cognitive performance; Episodic memory; Neuroimaging; fMRI