No abstract

Patients with depression have neuropsychological deficits in attention, memory, psychomotor speed, processing speed, and executive function. It is not clear, however, whether neurocognition in depression is impaired in a global or nonspecific way or if specific cognitive domains are selectively impaired. This naturalistic cross-sectional study employed a computerized neurocognitive screening battery to evaluate 38 depressed, drug-free patients, compared to 31 patients who responded to antidepressant monotherapy and to 69 healthy comparison subjects. There was evidence for global neuropsychological impairment in untreated depressed patients. In patients who had been successfully treated, performance was improved but not normalized. There was also evidence for specific depression-related deficits in executive function and processing speed but not in memory, psychomotor speed, or reaction time. Although depressed patients have global neurocognitive impairments, deficits in certain cognitive domains are more important than in others. In particular, impairments are noted in tests of executive control and in tests that demand effortful attention. Information processing speed is also impaired but not reaction time. Computerized testing in the clinic setting demonstrates a range of neurocognitive problems in patients with depression. These problems may have a bearing on treatment and outcome.

This study evaluates the performance of boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) taking into consideration familiality and comorbid psychiatric and learning disorders (LD). Sixty-five children with ADHD performed at developmentally lower levels of Copy Organization and Recall Style than did 45 controls. ADHD children with LD scored significantly lower on Copy Organization than did ADHD children without LD, whereas psychiatric comorbidity and familiality had no effect. These results suggest that a developmental analysis of the ROCF identifies organizational difficulties associated with ADHD and that these impairments cannot simply be attributed to comorbidities associated with ADHD.

Despite some recent favorable findings, there has not been strong empirical support for the validity of DSM-III-R--and now DSM-IV--personality disorder (PD) clusters. In this study, Axis II symptom ratings on 320 personality disordered patients were used to obtain dimensional scores for the 11 DSM-III-R PDs. The dimensional scores for the DSM PDs were subjected to a principal component analysis with orthoginal rotation. Three factors emerged having eigenvalues > or = than 1. The pattern of factor loadings for the individual PDs were not consistent with the DSM Cluster. Rather, the factor loadings were quite consistent with Millon's theory of personality. These results are discussed in light of the clinical benefits provided by employing empirically determined and theoretically anchored model for organizing the Axis II disorders.

Based upon recent trends among college students with ADHD and dialogue among postsecondary professionals, an alternative model of assessment that transcends test-centered approaches is proposed. With an emphasis on the development of more user-friendly and practical reports, the article also addresses differential diagnosis and comorbidity, medication management, and common maladaptive behavior patterns needing assessment, treatment, and prevention. The role of postsecondary service providers in using formal and informal assessment measures to determine reasonable accommodations and effective services is explored. Finally, practices that assist students in becoming self-determined adults are recommended.During the 1990s, college campuses began to report a growing number of students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who were seeking accommodations and services for their disability (McGuire,