Abstract
Differentiating between early-onset bipolar disorder (BD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be difficult.
Memory problems are commonly reported in BD, and forgetfulness is among the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. We compared children
and adolescents with BD (n = 23), ADHD combined type (ADHD-C; n = 26), BD + ADHD-C (n = 15), and 68 healthy controls on memory tests (Digit span, Children’s Verbal Learning Test-II). Further analyses were performed
on subgroups of BD (BD-I, BD-II/BD-NOS, with and without previous psychotic symptoms). All clinical groups demonstrated some
problems with free recall, but the BD subgroup with a history of psychotic symptoms had a more pervasive problem that also
included recognition and semantic clustering. The ADHD-C groups demonstrated the lowest performance on working memory. These
data suggest that children and adolescents with BD and previously psychotic symptoms may have inefficient encoding of verbal
material, whereas memory problems in ADHD-C appear more characterized by impaired free recall.
Memory problems are commonly reported in BD, and forgetfulness is among the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. We compared children
and adolescents with BD (n = 23), ADHD combined type (ADHD-C; n = 26), BD + ADHD-C (n = 15), and 68 healthy controls on memory tests (Digit span, Children’s Verbal Learning Test-II). Further analyses were performed
on subgroups of BD (BD-I, BD-II/BD-NOS, with and without previous psychotic symptoms). All clinical groups demonstrated some
problems with free recall, but the BD subgroup with a history of psychotic symptoms had a more pervasive problem that also
included recognition and semantic clustering. The ADHD-C groups demonstrated the lowest performance on working memory. These
data suggest that children and adolescents with BD and previously psychotic symptoms may have inefficient encoding of verbal
material, whereas memory problems in ADHD-C appear more characterized by impaired free recall.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-14
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-012-9631-x
- Authors
- Anne H Udal, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Sörlandet Hospital, P.O. Box 605, 4809 Arendal, Norway
- Bjørg Øygarden, Department of Rehabilitation, Sörlandet Hospital, Box 783 Stoa, 4809 Arendal, Norway
- Jens Egeland, Vestfold Mental Health Care Trust, Box 2267, 3103 Tønsberg, Norway
- Ulrik F Malt, Department of Neuropsychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, Oslo University Hospital-Rikshospitalet, POB 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway
- Berit Groholt, Institute of clinical medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 26, 0319 Oslo, Norway
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627