Special Challenges: Bipolar and Epilepsy

Chairs: Gary Sachs, MD; Sophia Frangou, MD, PhD

Cognitive impairment is recognized as a frequent component of many chronic CNS disorders and represents an important cause of occupational and social disability. Common CNS disease entities are principally defined by an irregular course of recurrent acute non-cognitive manifestations that can make it difficult to discern the role of cognitive impairment as an independent aspect of the disease state. This session will focus on the challenges specific to targeting treatments for cognitive impairment associated with Bipolar disorder and Epilepsy. The session will review strategies, methods and measures that define the cognitive impairment associated with these conditions and consider trial designs for therapies aimed at reducing or preventing cognitive impairment.