Cognitive Dysfunction in Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Clinicians

A growing body of clinical and experimental evidence shows that neurocognitive dysfunction is a fundamental -- yet frequently ignored or misidentified -- component of bipolar disorder. The first comprehensive book of its kind, Cognitive Dysfunction in Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Clinicians compiles the latest data in neuropsychology, neuroimaging, neurogenetics, and functional outcomes research to enable clinicians to more effectively utilize pharmacological and psychotherapeutic techniques in their treatment of bipolar disorder.

This volume outlines and demystifies current knowledge about neuropsychological functioning in bipolar disorder in a reader-friendly, easy-to-understand guide for practitioners. Its 12 chapters, written by 23 internationally-renowned expert contributors, examine such topics as attentional and executive functioning, neuroimaging and genetic correlates of cognitive functioning, pharmacologic strategies, bipolar disorder in pediatric patients, and cognition across the life span. The book also includes helpful bulleted take-home points at the end of each chapter that summarize main concepts, as well as case vignettes and illustrative examples that depict the clinical application of specific neurocognitive principles.

Using relevant applications from cognitive neuroscience, Cognitive Dysfunction in Bipolar Disorder provides clinicians with a comprehensive overview of astounding breakthroughs in the assessment and treatment of patients with bipolar disorder. It plows new ground in the mental health industry, correcting distortions and laying the foundation for future clinical research in this rapidly expanding field.

American Psychiatric Publishing

A growing body of clinical and experimental evidence shows that neurocognitive dysfunction is a fundamental—yet frequently ignored or misidentified—component of bipolar disorder. The first comprehensive book of its kind, Cognitive Dysfunction in Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Clinicians compiles the latest data in neuropsychology, neuroimaging, neurogenetics, and functional outcomes research to enable clinicians to more effectively utilize pharmacological and psychotherapeutic techniques in their treatment of bipolar disorder.

This volume outlines and demystifies current knowledge about neuropsychological functioning in bipolar disorder in a reader-friendly, easy-to-understand guide for practitioners. Its 12 chapters, written by 23 internationally-renowned expert contributors, examine such topics as attentional and executive functioning, neuroimaging and genetic correlates of cognitive functioning, pharmacological strategies, bipolar disorder in pediatric patients, and cognition across the life span.

The book also comes with the added benefit of

• A review of neurocognitive domains, examples of their operation in everyday life, the neuroanatomical regions with which they are associated, and common tests used to assess their function
• Summarized data from large-scale clinical trials, including the National Institute of Mental Health Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) study
• Take-home points at the end of each chapter summarizing main concepts and “clinical pearls”
• Case studies and illustrative examples depicting the application of specific neurocognitive principles

Using relevant applications from cognitive neuroscience, Cognitive Dysfunction in Bipolar Disorder provides clinicians with a comprehensive overview of astounding breakthroughs in the assessment and treatment of patients with bipolar disorder. It plows new ground in the mental health industry, correcting distortions and laying the foundation for future clinical research in this rapidly expanding field.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Christine J. Choe, MD(Rush University Medical Center)
Description:This succinct book reviews research findings in various domains of cognitive functioning in bipolar disorder and their application to clinical practice.
Purpose:The stated purpose is to provide a "scientifically based, clinically relevant overview" of cognitive dysfunction in bipolar disorder. The book addresses a subject that has received less attention compared with cognition in other psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, and attempts to dispel the common belief that cognitive dysfunction plays a relatively minor role in bipolar disorder, especially the euthymic state.
Audience:The target audience includes clinicians who engage in psychotherapy and/or psychopharmacology. Although clinicians at various levels of familiarity with the study of cognition could benefit from this book, it is written with the assumption that readers have only a moderate level of knowledge in the field. This might include clinically oriented psychiatrists and psychologists.
Features:A brief review of definitions and common neuropsychological tests and an overview of research findings in cognition in bipolar disorder begin the book. Subsequent chapters are devoted to clinically relevant topics in cognition research, for example, the impact of comorbid symptoms, applications to psychotherapy, and cognitive effects of psychotropic medications. The last chapter presents recommendations for practitioners. The book is characterized by outstanding clarity and organization. The review of terminology in the first chapter serves as a good foundation for topics covered later in the book. Case vignettes, tables, and "Take-Home Points" are included in most chapters. The writing is succinct and free of jargon. Topics are covered fairly comprehensively, with careful delineation of the limits of current knowledge.
Assessment:This book succeeds in being a useful and comprehensive overview of cognitive dysfunction in bipolar disorder. The editors and authors have made a clear effort to make the material understandable and clinically relevant. It covers an area of study that has received relatively little attention until recently. For all of these reasons, I would highly recommend this book.

Joseph F. Goldberg, M.D., is Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, New York; and Director of the Affective Disorders Research Program at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Katherine E., Burdick, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in The Bronx, New York; and Director of the Neurocognitive Assessment Unit in the Division of Psychiatry Research of The Zucker Hillside Hospital, North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, in Glen Oaks, New York.