RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: A global approach to factors responsible for functional impairment in patients with BD is necessary. METHOD: Ninety-three euthymic patients with BD [49 patients with SD (subthreshold depression) and 44 patients without SD] and 48 healthy controls were invited for evaluation of demographic, clinical, and cognitive characteristics. To define SD, the lower limit was HDRS ≥4 points and the upper limit was HDRS <9 points. Stroop test, California verbal learning test, digit-span test, controlled word association test, and clock drawing test were performed. Serum BDNF levels were measured. Additionally in the BD group; blood drug (lithium, valproic acid), leukocyte, C-reactive protein (CRP), TSH, and vitamin B12 levels were measured. RESULTS: We found no difference between serum BDNF levels of BD (n = 93) and controls. The cognitive performances of the BD group were worse than the control group (p < 0.001). Attention, working memory, and stroop performance of patients with SD were worse than patients without SD (p < 0.05). Verbal fluency, stroop test, and planning performance decreased as serum CRP level increased in patients with BD (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although the patient group with SD was in euthymia, their cognitive performance was worse than the group without SD. Poor cognitive performance in BD was associated with serum CRP levels.
Patients with SD are not in complete well-being, even in the euthymic period.SD symptoms in bipolar disorder cause cognitive impairment.Serum BDNF level is not affected in the euthymic period in bipolar disorder.High serum CRP levels are associated with poor cognitive performance.
