Journal
EUROPEAN PSYCHIATRY
Volume 29, Issue 4, Pages 226-232Publisher
CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2013.08.002
Keywords
Unipolar depression; Mania and bipolar disorder; MRI; Neuroscience other (neuropsychology)
Categories
Funding
- Academy of Finland
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Purpose: We evaluate for the first time the associations of brain white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with neuropsychological variables among middle-aged bipolar I (BPI), II (BPII) and major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and controls using a path model. Methods: Thirteen BPI, 15 BPII, 16 MDD patients, and 21 controls underwent brain MRI and a neuropsychological examination. Two experienced neuroradiologists evaluated WMHs on the MRI scans. We constructed structural equation models to test the strength of the associations between deep WMH (DWMH) grade, neuropsychological performance and diagnostic group. Results: Belonging in the BPI group as opposed to the control group predicted higher DWMH grade (coefficient estimate 1.13, P = 0.012). The DWMH grade independently predicted worse performance on the Visual Span Forward test (coefficient estimate -0.48, P = 0.002). Group effects of BPI and MDD were significant in predicting poorer performance on the Digit Symbol test (coefficient estimate -5.57, P = 0.016 and coefficient estimate -5.66, P = 0.034, respectively). Limitations: Because of the small number of study subjects in groups, the negative results must be considered with caution. Conclusions: Only BPI patients had an increased risk for DWMHs. DWMHs were independently associated with deficits in visual attention. (C) 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available