Ciężka depresja z nasilonymi zaburzeniami funkcji poznawczych czy otępienie?

Bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) is a chronic mental disorder characterised by high recurrence. There are numerous manic or hypomanic episodes in the course of the disease. Making a correct diagnosis can be difficult as patients most often turn for help in the depression phase; they also tend to interpret the hypomania phase as a state of very good mood and increased creativity, not identifying it with the disease. A depressive episode in the course of BPAD is characterised by the frequent coexistence of psychotic symptoms, excessive sleepiness and increased appetite. The first episode of the disease most often occurs at a young age. Apart from the typical symptoms of the depressive syndrome, we often observe accompanying cognitive disorders, which represent a group of symptoms causing significant discomfort and suffering to the patient. They most often intensify with the development of the disease and the number of subsequent episodes. In particular, the effectiveness of attention processes, executive functions and memory is weakened. These deficits have a negative impact on the patients' day-to-day functioning at school, in the workplace and in society, and severely impair it. The case report presented herein shows the difficulties in diagnosing severe cognitive disorders during a depressive episode in the course of BPAD and the difficulties in differentiating between them and dementia, as well as presents the effects of electroconvulsive therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]