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Research paper thumbnail of Neuropsychological correlates of symptom profiles in first episode schizophrenia

Schizophrenia Research, 2004

This paper aimed to examine the relationship between the trichotomous symptom structure of psycho... more This paper aimed to examine the relationship between the trichotomous symptom structure of psychopathology and neuropsychological functioning in young people with first episode schizophrenia (FES), most of whom were receiving atypical antipsychotic medication. This was with a view to providing insight into the underlying pathophysiology of the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia. Fifty-three young people (aged 13-25 years) with FES participated in the study. Subjects completed a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological examination. Cognitive domain scores were correlated with composite scores relating to Disorganisation, Psychomotor Poverty and Reality Distortion. A significant association was identified between Disorganisation and Verbal Acquisition, Verbal Recall and Cognitive Flexibility. There were no significant associations between cognitive domains and either Reality Distortion or Psychomotor Poverty, nor with measures of depressive symptomatology. The present study provides preliminary evidence that symptoms associated with the Disorganisation factor are significantly associated with cognitive deficits suggesting impaired frontal-temporal functioning. Differences between the current findings and those of similar research may reflect the effects of different medication regimes, as well as the absence of illness chronicity.

Research paper thumbnail of Cognitive Functioning in Young People with First Episode Psychosis: Relationship to Diagnosis and Clinical Characteristics

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2004

Objective: To examine the extent and nature of neuropsychological deficits in adolescents and you... more Objective: To examine the extent and nature of neuropsychological deficits in adolescents and young people with first episode psychosis (FEP), and to determine whether the pattern and extent of neuropsychological deficits varied according to diagnosis. Method: A total of 83 FEP subjects aged 13–25 years, and 31 healthy controls completed a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests, grouped into 10 cognitive domains. First episode psychosis subjects were stratified into three diagnostic groups (schizophrenia, affective disorders, substance-induced psychosis) and differences in cognitive profiles were examined. The contribution of demographic and clinical characteristics to cognitive performance was also explored. Results: The schizophrenia group demonstrated significantly worse performance on tasks of verbal learning and memory than the affective disorders group. Compared to healthy controls, the schizophrenia group also demonstrated global impairment across the majority of c...

Research paper thumbnail of Relative Contributions of Psychiatric Symptoms and Neuropsychological Functioning to Quality of Life in First-Episode Psychosis

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2005

Objective: To repor t on the relationship between quality of life (QOL), psychiatric symptoms and... more Objective: To repor t on the relationship between quality of life (QOL), psychiatric symptoms and neuropsychological functioning in a sample of young people who have experienced a first episode of psychosis 2–3 years following initial presentation. Method: Fifty-one participants aged 15–27 years old completed the short form of the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-Brèf), a self-repor t instrument assessing physical, psychological, social and environmental aspects of QOL. A comprehensive neuropsychological batterywas administered. Measures of psychiatric symptoms including depression (as assessed by the Calgary Depression Scale), positive, negative and general psychopathology (as assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) were obtained. Results: Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the ability of neuropsychological measures and psychiatric symptoms to predict QOL. When neuropsychological variables were considered on their own, cognitive ...

Research paper thumbnail of Clinical profiles, scope and general findings of the Western Sydney First Episode Psychosis Project

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2005

Objective: To examine the clinical profile, treatment and social functioning of a communitybased ... more Objective: To examine the clinical profile, treatment and social functioning of a communitybased sample of young people presenting with their first episode of psychosis. Methods: Over a 2-year period, young people with their first episode of psychosis referred to early intervention services in two area mental health services in western Sydney were assessed with a battery of clinical, neuropsychological, psychophysiological and neuroanatomical measures. This paper reports the clinical results of the baseline section of the study. Results: Of the 224 referrals to the project, 94 subjects meet inclusion criteria and agreed to take part. Subjects were divided into three diagnostic groups – ‘Schizophrenia’, ‘Mood Disorders’ and ‘Mixed Psychosis’, the latter principally comprised of substance induced psychotic disorders. Subjects from the ‘Schizophrenia’ group differed significantly from the other two groups in that they had higher levels of negative symptoms and general psychopathology, ...

Research paper thumbnail of WSFEPP: neuropsychological function and diagnosis in early psychosis

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 2002

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to examine whether neuropsychological profiles of young first... more ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to examine whether neuropsychological profiles of young first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients varied according to diagnosis.Method A sample of 94 FEP patients aged 13–25 were recruited as part of The Western Sydney First Episode Psychosis Project. Subjects completed a comprehensive battery of tests, grouped into 10 cognitive domains. Differences in cognitive profiles were examined in three diagnostic groups (schizophrenia, mood disorders, mixed psychosis) and compared to healthy controls. Correlations between neuropsychological deficits and clinical characteristics were explored.Results Patterns of deficit were similar across diagnostic categories, but areas of selective deficit differentiated psychotic mood disorders from schizophrenia and other psychosis. Results indicated greater deficits in verbal learning and memory for schizophrenia than psychotic mood disorders. The Mood disorders group demonstrated selective deficits only on speeded processing tasks. Negative symptoms were associated with poorer neuropsychological functioning.Conclusions Results confirm that significant cognitive deficits are evident in early psychosis and are present regardless of traditional diagnostic categorizations. However, results indicate that schizophrenia and mood disorders can be distinguished on the basis of areas of selective deficit.

Research paper thumbnail of Neuropsychological functioning and diagnosis in early psychosis

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 2002

Page 1. POSTERS P01: Altering DUP and its effects P01.01 Duration of untreated psychosis and resp... more Page 1. POSTERS P01: Altering DUP and its effects P01.01 Duration of untreated psychosis and response in first-episode psychosis SA Chong1*, M. Subramaniam1, S. Verma1, YH. Chan2 1Institute of Mental Health and Woodbridge ...

Research paper thumbnail of Neuropsychological correlates of symptom profiles in first episode schizophrenia

Schizophrenia Research, 2004

This paper aimed to examine the relationship between the trichotomous symptom structure of psycho... more This paper aimed to examine the relationship between the trichotomous symptom structure of psychopathology and neuropsychological functioning in young people with first episode schizophrenia (FES), most of whom were receiving atypical antipsychotic medication. This was with a view to providing insight into the underlying pathophysiology of the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia. Fifty-three young people (aged 13-25 years) with FES participated in the study. Subjects completed a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological examination. Cognitive domain scores were correlated with composite scores relating to Disorganisation, Psychomotor Poverty and Reality Distortion. A significant association was identified between Disorganisation and Verbal Acquisition, Verbal Recall and Cognitive Flexibility. There were no significant associations between cognitive domains and either Reality Distortion or Psychomotor Poverty, nor with measures of depressive symptomatology. The present study provides preliminary evidence that symptoms associated with the Disorganisation factor are significantly associated with cognitive deficits suggesting impaired frontal-temporal functioning. Differences between the current findings and those of similar research may reflect the effects of different medication regimes, as well as the absence of illness chronicity.

Research paper thumbnail of Cognitive Functioning in Young People with First Episode Psychosis: Relationship to Diagnosis and Clinical Characteristics

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2004

Objective: To examine the extent and nature of neuropsychological deficits in adolescents and you... more Objective: To examine the extent and nature of neuropsychological deficits in adolescents and young people with first episode psychosis (FEP), and to determine whether the pattern and extent of neuropsychological deficits varied according to diagnosis. Method: A total of 83 FEP subjects aged 13–25 years, and 31 healthy controls completed a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests, grouped into 10 cognitive domains. First episode psychosis subjects were stratified into three diagnostic groups (schizophrenia, affective disorders, substance-induced psychosis) and differences in cognitive profiles were examined. The contribution of demographic and clinical characteristics to cognitive performance was also explored. Results: The schizophrenia group demonstrated significantly worse performance on tasks of verbal learning and memory than the affective disorders group. Compared to healthy controls, the schizophrenia group also demonstrated global impairment across the majority of c...

Research paper thumbnail of Relative Contributions of Psychiatric Symptoms and Neuropsychological Functioning to Quality of Life in First-Episode Psychosis

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2005

Objective: To repor t on the relationship between quality of life (QOL), psychiatric symptoms and... more Objective: To repor t on the relationship between quality of life (QOL), psychiatric symptoms and neuropsychological functioning in a sample of young people who have experienced a first episode of psychosis 2–3 years following initial presentation. Method: Fifty-one participants aged 15–27 years old completed the short form of the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-Brèf), a self-repor t instrument assessing physical, psychological, social and environmental aspects of QOL. A comprehensive neuropsychological batterywas administered. Measures of psychiatric symptoms including depression (as assessed by the Calgary Depression Scale), positive, negative and general psychopathology (as assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) were obtained. Results: Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the ability of neuropsychological measures and psychiatric symptoms to predict QOL. When neuropsychological variables were considered on their own, cognitive ...

Research paper thumbnail of Clinical profiles, scope and general findings of the Western Sydney First Episode Psychosis Project

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2005

Objective: To examine the clinical profile, treatment and social functioning of a communitybased ... more Objective: To examine the clinical profile, treatment and social functioning of a communitybased sample of young people presenting with their first episode of psychosis. Methods: Over a 2-year period, young people with their first episode of psychosis referred to early intervention services in two area mental health services in western Sydney were assessed with a battery of clinical, neuropsychological, psychophysiological and neuroanatomical measures. This paper reports the clinical results of the baseline section of the study. Results: Of the 224 referrals to the project, 94 subjects meet inclusion criteria and agreed to take part. Subjects were divided into three diagnostic groups – ‘Schizophrenia’, ‘Mood Disorders’ and ‘Mixed Psychosis’, the latter principally comprised of substance induced psychotic disorders. Subjects from the ‘Schizophrenia’ group differed significantly from the other two groups in that they had higher levels of negative symptoms and general psychopathology, ...

Research paper thumbnail of WSFEPP: neuropsychological function and diagnosis in early psychosis

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 2002

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to examine whether neuropsychological profiles of young first... more ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to examine whether neuropsychological profiles of young first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients varied according to diagnosis.Method A sample of 94 FEP patients aged 13–25 were recruited as part of The Western Sydney First Episode Psychosis Project. Subjects completed a comprehensive battery of tests, grouped into 10 cognitive domains. Differences in cognitive profiles were examined in three diagnostic groups (schizophrenia, mood disorders, mixed psychosis) and compared to healthy controls. Correlations between neuropsychological deficits and clinical characteristics were explored.Results Patterns of deficit were similar across diagnostic categories, but areas of selective deficit differentiated psychotic mood disorders from schizophrenia and other psychosis. Results indicated greater deficits in verbal learning and memory for schizophrenia than psychotic mood disorders. The Mood disorders group demonstrated selective deficits only on speeded processing tasks. Negative symptoms were associated with poorer neuropsychological functioning.Conclusions Results confirm that significant cognitive deficits are evident in early psychosis and are present regardless of traditional diagnostic categorizations. However, results indicate that schizophrenia and mood disorders can be distinguished on the basis of areas of selective deficit.

Research paper thumbnail of Neuropsychological functioning and diagnosis in early psychosis

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 2002

Page 1. POSTERS P01: Altering DUP and its effects P01.01 Duration of untreated psychosis and resp... more Page 1. POSTERS P01: Altering DUP and its effects P01.01 Duration of untreated psychosis and response in first-episode psychosis SA Chong1*, M. Subramaniam1, S. Verma1, YH. Chan2 1Institute of Mental Health and Woodbridge ...