It is estimated that about 1% of the population suffers from Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar disorder is often accompanied by significant deficits in executive function, cognitive ability, sustained attention, and spatial and verbal working memory. These deficits dramatically affect academic skills and daily functioning and may worsen with time. Children with bipolar disorder exhibit a profile of affect dysregulation, rapid mood cycling with mixed episodes, elated mood, impulsivity and irritability, increased energy and disinhibition. Because of these underlying deficiencies, an intervention like Cogmed Working Memory Training may help reduce these severe cognitive deficits in children with bipolar disorder and may prevent worsening of cognitive function and school performance as the child develops. There must be a multi-faceted approach to addressing a disorder as complex as bipolar disorder, but it is clear that improving foundational cognitive functioning is a useful first step.

Researchers are investigating if improving working memory and attention deficits in the developmental population with bipolar disorder may help address some of their schooling and daily life challenges. By using the Cogmed training program, it is expected that children with bipolar disorder will improve visuo-spatial working memory skills, possibly translating to better cognitive performance and better ability to pay attention at school and at home. Understanding these deficits and how to address them will ultimately generate principles for better intervention strategies that are more specific to bipolar disorder pathology.