Cognitive and neurological impairment in mood disorders

Along with psychological and vegetative symptoms (eg, sleep and appetite alterations), mood disorders may present with pre-eminent cognitive and neurological impairments. Cognitive symptoms include poor attention, memory, and executive function. Neurological symptoms are predominantly motor-related and include psychomotor retardation and excitation, in some cases so severe as to configure a syndrome of catatonia. Cognitive and motor symptoms range in severity and often are associated with decrements in mood status. Not all symptoms, however, follow this pattern. Some symptoms, especially cognitive, remain present in the euthymic phase of the illness. Certain neurological symptoms are tied to somatic treatments, such as antidepressant and neuroleptic medications. Better understanding of the relation among mood, cognitive, and neurological symptoms may help the pursuit of the underlying cerebral mechanisms and the management of mood disorders.