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A follow-up of cognitive performance and diurnal salivary cortisol changes in former burnout patients.

Österberg, Kai LU ; Karlson, Björn LU ; Malmberg, Birgitta LU and Hansen, A M (2012) In Stress 15(6). p.589-600
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to determine whether recovery from burnout is associated with improved cognitive functioning, and whether such improvement is associated with changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and return to work. Forty-five former burnout patients were followed up after 1.5 years with a neuropsychological examination, diurnal salivary cortisol measurements, dexamethasone suppression test (DST), and self-ratings of cognitive problems. At follow-up, improved cognitive performance was observed on several tests of short-term memory and attention. Self-rated cognitive problems decreased considerably, but this decrease was unrelated to the improvement on neuropsychological tests. Diurnal salivary cortisol... (More)
The purpose of the study was to determine whether recovery from burnout is associated with improved cognitive functioning, and whether such improvement is associated with changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and return to work. Forty-five former burnout patients were followed up after 1.5 years with a neuropsychological examination, diurnal salivary cortisol measurements, dexamethasone suppression test (DST), and self-ratings of cognitive problems. At follow-up, improved cognitive performance was observed on several tests of short-term memory and attention. Self-rated cognitive problems decreased considerably, but this decrease was unrelated to the improvement on neuropsychological tests. Diurnal salivary cortisol concentrations at awakening, 30 min after awakening, and in the evening, did not change from baseline to follow-up, nor did the cortisol awakening response. However, slightly, but significantly, stronger suppression of cortisol in response to the DST was observed at follow-up. Improvements in subjective or objective cognitive functioning and changes in diurnal cortisol concentration were unrelated to the extent of work resumption. However, a decreased DST response at follow-up was partially related to improved cognitive performance and work resumption. The clinical implications are that burnout seems to be associated with slight and significantly reversible cognitive impairment, and that self-rated cognitive change during recovery poorly reflects objective cognitive change. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Stress
volume
15
issue
6
pages
589 - 600
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000309747400003
  • pmid:22168599
  • scopus:84867389849
  • pmid:22168599
ISSN
1607-8888
DOI
10.3109/10253890.2011.648972
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2ef70a4d-d886-4543-aa03-0e90795e9a29 (old id 2274072)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22168599?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:40:59
date last changed
2022-01-29 19:04:58
@article{2ef70a4d-d886-4543-aa03-0e90795e9a29,
  abstract     = {{The purpose of the study was to determine whether recovery from burnout is associated with improved cognitive functioning, and whether such improvement is associated with changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and return to work. Forty-five former burnout patients were followed up after 1.5 years with a neuropsychological examination, diurnal salivary cortisol measurements, dexamethasone suppression test (DST), and self-ratings of cognitive problems. At follow-up, improved cognitive performance was observed on several tests of short-term memory and attention. Self-rated cognitive problems decreased considerably, but this decrease was unrelated to the improvement on neuropsychological tests. Diurnal salivary cortisol concentrations at awakening, 30 min after awakening, and in the evening, did not change from baseline to follow-up, nor did the cortisol awakening response. However, slightly, but significantly, stronger suppression of cortisol in response to the DST was observed at follow-up. Improvements in subjective or objective cognitive functioning and changes in diurnal cortisol concentration were unrelated to the extent of work resumption. However, a decreased DST response at follow-up was partially related to improved cognitive performance and work resumption. The clinical implications are that burnout seems to be associated with slight and significantly reversible cognitive impairment, and that self-rated cognitive change during recovery poorly reflects objective cognitive change.}},
  author       = {{Österberg, Kai and Karlson, Björn and Malmberg, Birgitta and Hansen, A M}},
  issn         = {{1607-8888}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{589--600}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Stress}},
  title        = {{A follow-up of cognitive performance and diurnal salivary cortisol changes in former burnout patients.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10253890.2011.648972}},
  doi          = {{10.3109/10253890.2011.648972}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}