Objective: To determine the clinical characteristics and cognitive dysfunction of bipolar depression and unipolar depression.
Methods: Fifty patients with unipolar depression, 48 bipolar depression, and 50 normal controls were assessed with Hamilton Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Life Events Scale, and The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. General demographic data, clinical data, and the scores of recognitive function in the 3 groups were compared.
Results: The patients with bipolar depression occured at young age and had obvious family history compared with those with unipolar depression. The patients with bipolar or unipolar disorders had lower scores in most neuropsychological tests than those in the control group (P<0.05). The patients with bipolar depression in understanding memory and Wisconsin card sorting test were worse than those with unipolar depression (P<0.05).
Conclusion: There is cognitive dysfunction in patients with bipolar or unipolar disorder. Understanding memory and executive function damage may be cognitive features in bipolar disorder.