Correlates of cognitive impairment in first episode schizophrenia: The EUFEST study (original) (raw)

Course of cognitive deficits in first episode of non-affective psychosis: A 3-year follow-up study

Schizophrenia Research, 2013

Cognitive dysfunctions are critical determinants of the quality of life and functionality in schizophrenia. Whether the cognitive deficits present at an early stage, are static or change across one's lifespan is still under debate. This study aims to investigate the long-term (3 years) course of cognitive deficits in a large and representative cohort of first episode schizophrenia spectrum patients (N = 155),and evaluate their influence on disability. In addition, a healthy control sample (N = 43) was also studied for comparison. This study evaluates the performance of patients and controls in a battery of cognitive assessments using baseline, 1-year and 3-year follow-up designs. The results show that, although cognitively outperformed by the controls at any time, the cognitive performance of the patients improved similar to the controls in all cognitive functions except verbal and visual memory. Even though the course of cognitive performance across the sample as a whole was stable, the subgroup of patients who experienced a cognitive decline had worse functionality and lesser amelioration of negative symptoms. Overall, there is no significant deterioration in the cognitive function in a group of first episode schizophrenia spectrum disorder patients, with the possible exception of tasks that were associated with episodic memory. However, patients whose cognitive performance demonstrated a declining trend may present with a poorer progression in terms of clinical and disability variables.

1-YEAR Follow-Up Study of Cognitive Function in First-Episode Non-Affective Psychosis

Schizophrenia Research, 2008

The longitudinal course of primary cognitive dysfunction seen in schizophrenia has yet to be fully clarified. Whereas some studies in chronic patients have revealed a progressive decline in cognitive abilities, those studies with first-episode patients have indicated that initial cognitive deficits might remain stable over time.

Impact of Duration of Untreated Psychosis on Cognitive Function in Schizophrenia

Jurnal Psikiatri Surabaya

Background: Schizophrenia is a chronic and serious clinical syndrome with very aggravating psychopathology involving perception, cognition, emotion, and behaviour. Currently, cognitive dysfunction is seen as a core disorder of schizophrenia. Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP) refers to the period from the onset of psychotic symptoms to the first adequate administration of antipsychotics.Aims: This review aims to analyse the impact of DUP on cognitive function in schizophrenia.Methods: PubMed and Google Scholar were searched using the following keyword: (cognitive function) and (neurodevelopmental OR neurotoxicity hypothesis) and (duration of untreated psychosis or DUP) and (schizophrenia or psychosis or psychotic) using the journal publication filter for the 2014-2020 issue. We also used textbooks published in the last 10 years and were related to writing themes.Review: There are two different opinions about the impact of DUP on the cognitive function of schizophrenic patients: (...

Cognitive Functions in First Episode Psychosis

Introduction: Cognitive impairment is recognized as an important feature of psychosis in its early stages and is a determinant of prognosis and management of these disorders. Aim of the study: To test the cognitive functions in first psychotic episode in patients with disorders of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder and depression with psychotic disorder and to compare them to controls. Subjects and methods: The study included 254 patients diagnosed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders, 4 th edition (91 schizophrenics, 21 with schizoaffective disorder, 107 with bipolar disorder and 31 with psychotic depression) and experiencing their first psychotic episode. Seventy healthy volunteers matching as regard age and sex with patients were selected as controls. All subjects were subjected to cognitive evaluation by Trail Making Test, part B, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test 128, Benton Visual Retention Test and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Test. Results: All patients showed significant cognitive deterioration in all tests compared to control. On comparing patients to each other, there was no significant difference between schizophrenics and patients with bipolar disorder, but both showed marked deterioration in comparison to depressive group. Conclusion: Cognitive impairments are present in early stages of psychosis and need careful assessment and management.

Cognitive dysfunctions in medicated and unmedicated patients with recent-onset schizophrenia

Journal of Psychiatric Research, 2005

Schizophrenia is associated with impairments in many cognitive domains on which the influence of antipsychotics, whether conventional or atypical, remains unclear. We conducted a study of recent-onset schizophrenic patients (DSM IV) that included unmedicated (n = 19), and medicated (n = 19) patients matched for age and IQ. Both groups of patients had comparably low extra-pyramidal symptoms (EPS). Cognitive tasks included attentional tasks (alertness and divided attention tests), a working memory task (a verbal n-back test) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). After adjustment for the Total PANSS score, we found no significant difference between the two groups of patients in any of the cognitive tasks. When compared to a group of healthy controls (n = 20) matched for IQ level, unmedicated patients performed significantly worse in all cognitive tasks, with significantly longer reaction times for alertness, divided attention and working memory. These results confirm the presence of cognitive impairments in attentional and executive functions in recent-onset patients whether or not they are medicated. There was no evidence that either conventional or atypical antipsychotics had an influence on patients when EPS were excluded. Altogether, our results further support the idea that cognitive deficits in schizophrenia are enduring features per se and cannot be considered as secondary to psychiatric symptoms or to the adverse effects of medication. In addition our results suggest that antipsychotics do not have a major effect on these impairments.

Neurocognitive functioning before and after the first psychotic episode: does psychosis result in cognitive deterioration?

Psychological Medicine, 2010

Background. Cognitive impairment is considered to be a core characteristic of schizophrenia. The relationship between psychosis and cognitive deterioration, however, remains unclear. This longitudinal study investigated the neuropsychological functioning of patients before and after their first psychotic episode. Cognitive functioning of participants who later developed a psychosis was compared to that of people at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis who did not develop psychosis at follow-up and healthy controls.

Longitudinal study of cognitive function in first-episode and recent-onset schizophrenia

The American journal of psychiatry, 1999

OBJECTIVE Whether cognitive function in schizophrenia deteriorates, improves, or remains stable is a crucial question. Few studies have examined the longitudinal stability of cognitive function and the relationship between cognitive performance and clinical symptoms over time in a cohort of well-treated patients with schizophrenia. METHOD In the present study, 54 patients with first-episode and recent-onset schizophrenia completed a comprehensive cognitive test battery and were rated on symptom measures at index hospitalization and again after 5 years. RESULTS Performance IQ and full-scale IQ significantly improved, whereas verbal IQ did not change. Group performance improved on some of the neuropsychological tests, including the Circle A letter-cancellation task, free recall of logical memory test score, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Mean finger-tapping performance worsened over time, whereas performance on other neuropsychological tests did not change. Negative, psychotic, ...