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Kognitive Defizite beim Burnout-Syndrom – Ein Überblick

Cognitive impairments accompanying the burnout syndrome – a review

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Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund

Durch die steigende Prävalenz des Burnout-Syndroms entwickelt sich dieses zu einem Thema zunehmenden wissenschaftlichen Interesses. Neben emotionaler Erschöpfung und Depersonalisation wirkt sich vor allem die persönliche Leistungseinschränkung auf gesellschaftliche und wirtschaftliche Aspekte aus. In den letzten Jahren wird diese Leistungseinschränkung immer häufiger mit kognitiven Beeinträchtigungen in Verbindung gebracht. Derzeit gibt es jedoch nur wenige objektive Studien zu kognitiven Defiziten bei Menschen mit Burnout-Syndrom. Dieser Artikel gibt einen Überblick über 16 Studien, die kognitive Fähigkeiten bei Personen mit Burnout-Symptomen untersuchten. Die Ergebnisse sind zum Teil widersprüchlich, was u. a. auf methodische Unterschiede zurückzuführen ist. Kognitive Defizit, welche von den meisten Studienautoren gefunden wurden, betrafen die Exekutiven Funktionen (v. a. Arbeitsgedächtnis, Aktualisieren und Überwachen von Gedächtnisinhalten, Hemmung automatischer/dominanter Antworten) und die Daueraufmerksamkeit. Multifaktorielle Ursachen werden bei der Entstehung der kognitiven Defizite vermutet.

Ausblick

Zielgerichtete Langzeitstudien sind notwendig, um die betroffenen kognitiven Funktionen zu identifizieren und eine Aussage über den kausalen Zusammenhang zwischen dem Burnout-Syndrom und spezifischen kognitiven Beeinträchtigungen treffen zu können.

Summary

Background

The rising prevalence of the burnout syndrome has increasingly moved it into the focus of scientific interest. In addition to emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, particularly reduced personal accomplishment has strong societal and economic effects. In recent years reduced personal accomplishment has increasingly been linked to cognitive impairment. However, up to now only a few studies have objectively assessed cognitive deficits in burnout patients. This article gives an overview of 16 studies which examined cognitive abilities in burnout patients. The findings are partly contradictory, probably due to methodical differences. Consensus has emerged concerning impairments of executive functions, i.a. vigilance, and memory updating and monitoring. Multifactorial causation may underlie the cognitive impairments.

Outlook

Targeted longitudinal studies are necessary in order to identify the affected cognitive functions and be able to make causal inferences on links between the burnout syndrome and specific cognitive impairments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Therapiezentrum Justuspark BVA, Bad Hall, Linzer Straße 7, 4540, Bad Hall, Österreich

    Karin Riedrich & Bernd Reininghaus

  2. Abteilung für Biologische Psychologie, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Universitätsplatz 2/DG, 8010, Graz, Österreich

    Karin Riedrich, Elisabeth M. Weiss & Ilona Papousek

  3. Abteilung für Gesundheitspsychologie, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Universitätsplatz 2/DG, 8010, Graz, Österreich

    Andreas Schwerdtfeger

  4. Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie, Medizinische Universität Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 2, 8036, Graz, Österreich

    Nina Dalkner & Eva Reininghaus

  5. Institut für Physiologie, Medizinische Universität Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 2, 8036, Graz, Österreich

    Helmut K. Lackner

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  1. Karin Riedrich
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Correspondence to Karin Riedrich.

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Interessenkonflikt

K. Riedrich, E. M. Weiss, N. Lackner, E. Reininghaus., I. Papousek., A. Schwerdtfeger, H. K. Lackner und B. Reininghaus geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.

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Riedrich, K., Weiss, E.M., Dalkner, N. et al. Kognitive Defizite beim Burnout-Syndrom – Ein Überblick. Neuropsychiatr 31, 24–31 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40211-017-0217-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40211-017-0217-2

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