Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Mónica Miguélez-Pan, Esther Pousa, Jesús Cobo and Rosó Duño
Mental Health Department, Corporaciò Sanitària i Universitària Parc Taulí (Sabadell)
Background: There is a debate about the influence of executive functioning impairment in the functionality of Bipolar Disorder Type I, even when euthymic (EutBDI). The aim of this study was to explore this relationship, taking functional outcome from a multidimensional point of view. Methods: An extended neuropsychological battery of executive tests and measures of social functioning were administered to 31 EutBDI and 25 non-psychiatric patients. Percentage of patients scoring lower than -1.64 SD was calculated for each executive measure. This was compared in terms of clinical features to those with normal performance. Partial correlations and ANCOVA were applied between psychosocial and executive variables within the EutBDI-group. Results: Patients reached poorer scores in mental flexibility, plan implementing, set-shifting, and fluency (p<0.05). 76% of patients performed poorly on some of the executive tests, although only around 1/3 reached a clinical deficit (<-1.64SD). Executive functioning was related to some clinical, evolution, and treatment variables. A better use of leisure time, higher competence for independent living and holding a skilled type of profession were significantly associated with a better performance on planning, set-shifting, and fluency tasks. Conclusions: Persistent executive deficits in EutBDI may be related to their frequently reported difficulties in personaland occupational adjustment.
El rendimiento cognitivo ejecutivo afecta al funcionamiento general de pacientes ambulatorios eutímicos con trastorno bipolar tipo I. Antecedentes: existe un debate sobre la influencia de los déficits de funciones cognitivas ejecutivas en la funcionalidad de los pacientes con Trastorno Bipolar Tipo I (TB-I), incluso aquellos eutímicos. Nuestro objetivo es explorar esta relación de forma multidimensional. Método: se administró una amplia batería de tests neuropsicológicos y ejecutivos en una muestra de 31 TB-I eutímicos y 25 adultos sanos. Porcentajes de pacientes puntuando por debajo de -1.64DE se calcularon para cada medida ejecutiva, comparándolos clínicamente con aquellos con ejecuciones normales. Se aplicaron correlaciones parciales y ANCOVAS entre cada variable psicosocial y ejecutiva del grupo TB-I. Resultados: los pacientes puntuaron peor en flexibilidad mental, implementación de planes, atención dividida y fluencia (p<0.05). Un 76% de los pacientes realizaron pobremente los test ejecutivos, pero solo 1/3 alcanzó déficit clínico (<-1.64 SD). La función ejecutiva se relacionó con determinadas variables clínicas, de evolución y de tratamiento. Mejores resultados en tareas de planificación, atención dividida y fluencia se asociaron con un mejor uso del tiempo libre, mayores competencias para vivir independientemente y disfrutar de una profesión compleja. Conclusiones: los déficits persistentes en las funciones ejecutivas en pacientes bipolares eutímicos pueden relacionarse con las dificultades que refieren en su ajuste personal y ocupacional.
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https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2013.111