Archives 1992-2013

1995, volume 4, issue 4

Diagnostyka obrazowa i neuropsychologiczna

Cognitive functions in affective disorders

EWA HABRAT
Postępy Psychiatrii i Neurologii, 1995, 4, 333-340

Major impairments of cognitive functions in affective disorders are discussed in the paper. Differences between cognitive impairments found in dementia, old age and in affective disorders are outlined, as well as the effect of the type and degree of cognitive dysfunctions on antidepressive treatment efficacy. Practical cues on how to inform patients and their families about these dysfunctions are given.

Diagnostyka obrazowa i neuropsychologiczna

MRI and CT investigation of neuroanatomical changes in the CNS in patients with affective disorders

Iwona Koszewska
Postępy Psychiatrii i Neurologii, 1995, 4, 341-352

An overview is presented of neuroimaging (MRI and CT) studies carried out in the years 1980-1995, dealing with the description and characteristics of the CNS in patients with affective disorders. Research findings indicate that atrophic changes are more frequent in this group of patients than in healthy controls. An analysis of relations between morphological abnormalities and clinical outcomes indicates a more severe course of the affective illness in patients with organic changes in the CNS.

Diagnostyka obrazowa i neuropsychologiczna

Neuropsychological impairment in schizophrenia

BERNICE A. MARCOPULOS
Postępy Psychiatrii i Neurologii, 1995, 4, 353-366

There is cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, most likely due to some kind of brain dysfunction which has yet to be precisely identified. Several brain regions have been implicated, including the frontal and temporal lobes. Patient show a great deal of heterogeneity in terms of what cognitive functions are impaired and how severe the impairment is. Approximately half of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia show significant cognitive impairment and evidence for cerebral atrophy on CT. Chronicity, length of hospitalization, or medications cannot fully account for these findings. Neuropsychological testing can aid in diagnosis, treatment planning and prognosis. Therapies which have been used for brain injured patients have been attempted with schizophrenic patients with some success. Neuropsychologists working in psychiatric settings can make a valuable contribution to the clinical evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and scientific study of persons with schizophrenia.

Diagnostyka obrazowa i neuropsychologiczna

Magnetic resonance imaging in schizophrenia

Marek Jarema, MARZANNA CHOMA
Postępy Psychiatrii i Neurologii, 1995, 4, 367-372

A review of the most recent literature on usefulness of MRI in schizophrenia is presented. The lack of any specific MRI changes in schizophrenic patients has been emphasized. The most frequently reported MRI abnormalities in schizophrenia include a decreased volume of either the brain, or of some cerebral structures, such as e.g. the frontal or temporal lobes. Lateralization of MRI abnormalities, as well as abnormalities found in either the structures connecting the cerebral hemispheres or in basal ganglia have been also reported.

Diagnostyka obrazowa i neuropsychologiczna

MRI study of the CNS characteristics in patients with bipolar affective disorder or schizophrenia

MARIA BERĘSEWICZ, Iwona Koszewska, STANISŁAW PUŻYŃSKI, WALDEMAR DUDEK, Renata Poniatowska, TERESA KRYST-WIDŹGOWSKA, RENATA KRAWCZYK
Postępy Psychiatrii i Neurologii, 1995, 4, 373-380

Subjects in the MRI study were 40 patients with bipolar affective disorder and 40 patients with schizophrenia. The most frequent CNS abnormalities in both these groups turned out to be: widening of the third ventricle and hyperintensive signals foci (observed in 25% of cases). Moreover, in patients with bipolar affective disorder a widening of the inferior (temporal) horn of the right lateral ventricle was found.

Diagnostyka obrazowa i neuropsychologiczna

The course of bipolar affective disorder related to CNS abnormalities investigated by MRI

STANISŁAW PUŻYŃSKI, MARIA BERĘSEWICZ, Iwona Koszewska, ANDRZEJ BIDZIŃSKI, WOJCIECH JERNAJCZYK, EWA HABRA, Renata Poniatowska
Postępy w Psychiatrii i Neurologii, 1995, 4, 381-390

MRI examination of 40 patients with bipolar affective disorders (mean age 42,2±5,7 years) indicated in 57,5 of the cases atrophic changes in cerebral cortex, and in 32,5% an increased ventricular system volume, especially of the third ventricle. In 25% of patients scattered foci of hyperintensive signals were found. No significant relationship was found between the presence of the aforementioned structural abnormalities in the brain and severity of the illness course, cognitive impairments, and EEG changes in the waking period. In patients with severe course of the illness and atrophic cortical lesions a decrease in the MAO/DBH blood index level was observed.

Diagnostyka obrazowa i neuropsychologiczna

MRI study of limbic structures in bipolar affective disorder

STANISŁAW PUŻYŃSKI, MARIA BERĘSEWICZ, Iwona Koszewska, EWA HABRAT, ANTONI KALINOWSKl, Renata Poniatowska, PIOTR KOZŁOWSKI
Postępy w Psychiatrii i Neurologii, 1995, 4, 391-399

CNS investigation by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a group of 40 patients with bipolar affective disorder indicate asymmetry of the temporal lobe structures, with predominance of abnormalities in the right cerebral hemisphere (widening of temporal horns of the right lateral ventricle, reduced width of right temporal lobe). Some characteristics of the course of affective illness (number of relapses 5, hospitalizations, disability due to the illness ineffectiveness of treatment with lithium carbonate) are more frequent in patients with the above-described temporal lobe structures asymmetry (including a widening of the Sylvian fissure [central sulcus]). The same patients demonstrated impairment of cognitive processes, in terms of inferior performance on some psychological tests from the Halstead-Reitan Battery.

Diagnostyka obrazowa i neuropsychologiczna

Relationship of hemispheric asymmetry of function to the CNS abnormalities assessed by MRI in bipolar affective disorder

EWA HABRAT, STANISŁAW PUŻYŃSKI, MARIA BERĘSEWICZ, Iwona Koszewska, TERESA KRYST-WIDŹGOWSKA, Renata Poniatowska
Postępy w Psychiatrii i Neurologii, 1995, 4, 401-407

A group of 40 patients (22 male and 18 female) with bipolar affective disorder were examined with lateralization tests from the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery and their performance was related to brain image obtained by means of MRI. The number of left-handers was somewhat lower than that in the general population. In the group of patients with bipolar affective disorder functional cerebral asymmetry was found to be different in men than that in women. In remission period no evidence was obtained indicating differences in hemispheric asymmetry of function between the group under study and the general population. No relationship was found between the size of particular cerebral structures measured by means of MRI and the hemispheric asymmetry of function. The study has confirmed the role of the corpus callosum for interhemispheric transfer, as well as the relationship between temporal lobes and cognitive functions in bipolar affective disorder.

Diagnostyka obrazowa i neuropsychologiczna

Cognitive functions in patients with bipolar affective disorder in remission and results of MRI investigation of the CNS

EWA HABRAT, MARIA BERĘSEWICZ, Iwona Koszewska, TERESA KRYST-WIDŹGOWSKA, Renata Poniatowska
Postępy w Psychiatrii i Neurologii, 1995, 4, 409-417

40 patients (22 males and 18 females) with bipolar affective disorder in remission were assessed using the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery. Their test performance was related to the MRI brain image. The patients under study had difficulty with problem-solving tasks, impaired interhemispheric transfer (particularly male patients), decreased motor skill of the dominant hand, and reduced strength of grip in both hands. No relationship was found between the patients' scores on the Halstead-Reitan Battery and their brain image obtained by MRI. On the other hand, patients with low scores differed from those scoring within or above the normal range on the Tactile Recognition and Tapping tests, in the structure of the left temporal lobe (wider left temporal lobe, thicker cortex of the parahippocampal gyrus, and wider Sylvian fissure), as well as of the right temporal lobe (widening of the temporal horn of the lateral ventricles, widened Sylvian fissure); moreover, both their right amygdala nucleus and the surface of the corpus callosum were smaller.

Diagnostyka obrazowa i neuropsychologiczna

An attempt at multi-dimensional assessment of organic mental syndromes

LUCYNA BURY, Marek Jarema, JAROSŁAW BIAŁEK, MARZANNA CHOMA, Alfreda Ruzikowska
Postępy w Psychiatrii i Neurologii, 1995, 4, 419-427

The aim of the study was to compare the evaluation of organic mental disorders presence and severity by means of clinical examination, psychological assessment, EEG and CT scan of the brain. Clinical examination of 31 patients with the organic mental syndrome symptoms was performed using an organic brain damage symptoms scale (OBDSS) and the Mini Mental State scale (MMS). In the psychological assessment "organicity" tests by Benton, Bender and Graham-Kendall were used. Moreover, EEG and CT of the brain at rest were performed. Significant correlations were obtained between the clinical examination with the OBDSS and MMS scales and the psychological assessment of organic mental symptoms severity. No statistically significant correlations were found between organic mental symptoms severity as assessed in the clinical or psychological examination and the EEG and CT findings. The only exception was a patient with abnormal EEG recordings in the occipital lobe who had significantly lower scores on the MMS. In contradistinction to the descriptive evaluation of CT scan abnormalities, there was a significant correlation between cranial-cerebral indices and graded clinical assessment of organic mental symptoms severity.