Julia Volkert
Dr. Julia Volkert, Dipl.-Psych.
Associated member: May 2012 - April 2015
Dissertation title: Neuropsychology and Cognitive Remediation in Bipolar Disorder.
Abstract: Recent research points at the relevance and persistence of cognitive deficits in bipolar patients even beyond acute phases of depression or mania. Some bipolar patients don’t achieve their former level of cognitive performance, while others get well without any deficits. The aim of this PhD project is to investigate the relationship of the neuropsychological performance (measured by an elaborated test battery) and several features of bipolar patients. We would like to identify a “deficit- vs. non-deficit subgroup” within bipolar patients. This will help to improve future therapeutic interventions.
Several studies found a high association between cognitive impairments in mental disorders and low social and occupational functioning, which has in turn a negative effect on illness progression. Some intervention is needed to improve not only affective symptoms but also cognitive dysfunctions. Cognitive remediation (CR) is a new psychological treatment, which aims to improve cognitive function and coping skills. CR is e.g. routinely carried out in patients with schizophrenia. Although bipolar patients have less severe, but similar cognitive deficits like patients with schizophrenia, there is only little previous research on the efficacy of CR programs on bipolar disorder. We developed a tailored CR program and evaluate the PhD project the effect on bipolar patient’s objective neuropsychological performance, their subjective cognitive complaints, quality of life, and everyday social functioning. Furthermore we want to figure out, if CR has an effect on neuroplasticity. For this purpose we conduct the imaging technique near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to measure the frontal cortex activation prior and after the cognitive training program.
Principal Investigator:
Current position:
Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie,
Klinikum der J.W.Goethe-Universität
Heinrich-Hoffmann-Str. 10, 60528 Frankfurt am Main
http://www.psychiatrie.uni-frankfurt.de/mitarbeiter/volkert/index.html
Publications:
Weber, H., Kittel-Schneider, S., Gessner, A., Domschke, K., Neuner, M., Jacob, C.P., Buttenschon, H.N., Boreatti-Hummer, A., Volkert, J., Herterich, S., Baune, B.T., Gross-Lesch, S., Kopf, J., Kreiker, S., Nguyen, T.T., Weissflog, L., Arolt, V., Mors, O., Deckert, J., Lesch, K.-P., Reif, A., 2011. Cross-Disorder Analysis of Bipolar Risk Genes: Further Evidence of DGKH as a Risk Gene for Bipolar Disorder, but also Unipolar Depression and Adult ADHD. Neuropsychopharmacology.
Galimberti, D., Dell'osso, B., Fenoglio, C., Villa, C., Cortini, F., Serpente, M., Kittel-Schneider, S., Weigl, J., Neuner, M., Volkert, J., Leonhard, C., Olmes, D.G., Kopf. J., Cantoni, C., Ridolfi, E., Palazzo, C., Ghezzi, L., Bresolin, N., Altamura, A.C., Scarpini, E., Reif, A. (2012). Progranulin gene variability and plasma levels in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. PLoS One. 7(4).
