Dans cet article nous explorerons les capacités de récupération cognitive (mémoire et fonctions exécutives) après un épisode de burnout en s’intéressant également aux variables pouvant influencer cette récupération, c’est-à-dire : la dépression, l’anxiété, le névrosisme et les stratégies de régulation émotionnelle.

Vingt-deux patients ont été interrogés à deux reprises à un an d’intervalle. Les fonctions cognitives ont été évaluées avec différents outils : MEM-III, MEM-IV, GREFEX et BRIEF-A. Le Big Five Inventory français, le HADS et l’échelle de régulation des émotions ont été utilisés pour compléter le profil des participants.

Les résultats révèlent une amélioration significative de la mémoire auditive, visuelle immédiate et différée. Pour les fonctions exécutives évaluées par les tests, seules quatre des seize analyses effectuées montrent une amélioration significative. Les auto-évaluations de la BRIEF-A indiquent une amélioration sur l’indice exécutif global et l’indice de métacognition. Les niveaux d’anxiété et de dépression ne sont pas significativement différents un an après la première évaluation. Seuls les niveaux de burnout et de névrosisme ont significativement diminué.

Les atteintes en mémoire semblent temporaires et réversibles alors que les données sur les fonctions exécutives nous montrent un résultat plus mitigé, avec une grande différence dans la récupération cognitive évaluée par les tests et auto-évaluée par les patients. Sur toutes les éventuelles co-variables testées, seul le névrosisme semble avoir un lien avec la récupération cognitive chez les patients.

Cette étude contribue à une compréhension nuancée de la récupération cognitive post-burnout, soulignant la nécessité de recherches approfondies pour orienter les interventions cliniques et futures investigations dans ce domaine.

Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between burnout and cognitive difficulties, yet there is a paucity of longitudinal research on the subject. This study aims to conduct a one-year follow-up on patients who have experienced clinical burnout. Additionally, the literature suggests that variables such as depression, anxiety, neuroticism, emotional regulation strategies, and return to employment may influence cognitive recovery and the patient's perception thereof. Therefore, this study also seeks to delineate the potential roles of these variables in patients’ cognitive recovery.

We conducted two assessments with 22 patients (19 women and 3 men), with an average time lapse of 386.10days (SD=20.71) between evaluations. Cognitive functions were assessed using neuropsychological tests. Initially, the MEM-III and GREFEX were employed, while the MEM-IV (the only test altered between the initial encounter and follow-up) was used to assess memory in the second evaluation. The BRIEF-A questionnaire was utilized to evaluate executive functions. Additionally, the French Big Five Inventory, HADS, and the emotion regulation scale were employed to delve into the participants’ psychological profiles.

Significant improvements were observed in all memory domains evaluated, encompassing auditory, immediate visual, and delayed visual memory. Regarding executive functions assessed through tests, only four out of sixteen analyses demonstrated significant improvement. These analyses pertained to errors in the interference condition of the Stroop test, categories in the MCST, time for TMT B, and the number of words generated in literal fluency tasks. Self-assessments from the BRIEF-A indicated improvement in the overall executive index and metacognition index. Anxiety and depression levels did not significantly differ one year after the initial assessment. Only burnout and neuroticism levels showed a significant decrease. Furthermore, no differences were observed between patients who had resumed employment and those still seeking employment.

Memory impairments appear to be temporary and reversible, while executive function data reveal a more nuanced outcome, with a substantial difference between test-assessed recovery and patient self-evaluation. Test results indicate some improvements, particularly in tests assessing inhibition and mental flexibility. However, these improvements may be attributed to increased cognitive endurance, as these tests were administered last in the battery. Patient self-evaluations of executive functions may suggest increased confidence in their cognitive abilities. Exploring the role of self-esteem in the self-assessment of cognitive functions after burnout would be an intriguing avenue for further research. Finally, among all tested co-variables, only neuroticism seems to be associated with cognitive recovery in patients. Depression and anxiety do not consistently appear to have a predominant influence on the link between burnout and cognitive functions.

This study contributes to a nuanced understanding of post-burnout cognitive recovery. Executive and memory functions do not seem to evolve in the same manner. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of patients’ perceptions of their cognitive abilities. These findings underscore the necessity for in-depth research to guide clinical interventions and future investigations in this field.