Disorientation in chronic psychiatric patients.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of chronic institutionalization on cognitive performance in chronic psychiatric patients with emphasis on age disorientation, a phenomenon that was found in previous research to occur in up to 25% of chronic schizophrenic patients.


METHODS
One hundred and ten chronic psychiatric patients, forming 4 main groups--schizophrenic patients, nonschizophrenic patients, institutionalized, and noninstitutionalized--were examined for age disorientation (inability to give one's chronological age correctly on request), and their Minimental State scores (MMSE) were compared across the 4 groups.


RESULTS
Twelve out of 43 patients (26%) who were institutionalized according to our definition were age-disoriented and had significantly lower MMSE scores than the other 3 groups. The chronic, noninstitutionalized schizophrenic group and the other chronic psychiatric patients, whether they were institutionalized or not, were negative for this phenomenon. One of the 12 age-disoriented patients was age delusional, and 5 of the 12 had a total MMSE score consistent with dementia (21 or lower).


CONCLUSIONS
Age disorientation is a specific phenomenon that characterizes a subgroup of chronically ill and institutionalized schizophrenic patients. It is unlikely that chronicity per se or prolonged hospitalization alone will lead to cognitive impairment.
Gabriel
A
A
Rehabilitation Service, Nova Scotia Hospital, Halifax.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001364:Awareness; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003704:Dementia / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009949:Orientation; D011936:Reality Testing; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology