Verbal memory plays a crucial role in people’s social and working lives, and a new study has found that it may also determine the risk of hospitalization for patients with bipolar disorder or depression. The study, which followed 518 patients over the years, found that poor verbal memory increases the risk of psychiatric hospitalization, with an approximately 84% increased risk of being admitted to a psychiatric ward if one has a clinically significant impairment in the ability to learn and remember verbal information. The researchers recommend that more attention should be paid to impaired memory in psychiatric treatment and that new treatment approaches are needed to help address the persistent memory and cognitive problems faced by around half of the patients with recurrent depression or bipolar disorder. As a psychiatrist, it is crucial to consider the impact of cognitive impairment, such as poor verbal memory, on the overall well-being and hospitalization risk of patients with mental illness.
Dr Olivia Davis, MD, Cure of Mind