ABSTRACT
Neuropsychology is critical in evaluating the cognitive impairments that are present in nearly all the major mental illnesses because cognitive deficits are a strong predictor of functional outcome. Clinical neuropsychological interventions such as cognitive remediation have been specifically designed for psychiatric illness to address this burden. This chapter focuses on neuropsychological research on affective and anxiety disorders, which are more commonly encountered in any neuropsychologist's clinical practice. It aims to translate the research on bipolar, depressive, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders into a coherent summary that will be directly useful for the practicing clinician. The chapter describes the clinical presentation and epidemiology for each disorder, in addition to the nature of cognitive deficits and the mechanisms for impairment, if known. The incidence of psychiatric disorders peaks in late adolescence and young adulthood, with a significant number starting in childhood. The chapter discusses the functional significance of cognitive deficits for daily functioning.
