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Abstract Objective: Neurocognitive function studies in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder (BPD) and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) are limited, despite substantial literature on their clinical presentation. This study aims to comparatively evaluate the neuropsychological characteristics of children and adolescents diagnosed with BPD, DMDD, and those at risk for bipolar disorder. Method: We administered the neurocognitive battery to 120 participants aged 8-18 with BPD (n = 30), at-risk for bipolar disorder (n= 25), DMDD (n = 36) and healthy controls (n = 29). The neurocognitive battery included the Continuous Performance Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Color and Word Test, Trait Making Test A and B, California Verbal Learning Test-Child version. Results: There were significant impairments in sustained attention, processing speed, cognitive flexibility, response prevention, verbal memory, and working memory in the BPD and DMDD groups, and in sustained attention in the at-risk group compared with controls. Impairments in verbal memory remained in the BPD and DMDD groups after controlling for current IQ score. After excluding ADHD diagnoses, deficits in sustained attention persisted in the at-risk group versus controls. Conclusion: This study is the first to directly compare the neurocognitive profiles of children and adolescents with DMDD, BPD, and at risk for BD. The study highlights significant neurocognitive impairments within BPD and DMDD. The persistence of sustained attention deficits after excluding ADHD diagnoses suggests that sustained attention may be an endophenotype in the at-risk group.
Sivri et al. (Fri,) studied this question.