Poor memory, negative symptoms and abnormal movements in never-treated Indian patients with schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
Cognitive impairment, frequently found in patients with schizophrenia, may be associated with negative symptoms and dyskinesia. However, antipsychotic medication may be a confounding variable. These putative associations may be clarified by examining never-treated patients.


METHODS
Never-treated elderly schizophrenic patients (n = 19) living in south-east India were compared with treated patients (n = 25) and normal subjects (n = 55). Memory was assessed by the Wechsler Memory Scale, negative symptoms by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and dyskinesia by the Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale.


RESULTS
Normal subjects had a higher mean memory quotient than patients. There were no significant differences between never-treated and treated patients. Negative symptoms were associated with a poorer memory in the never-treated group. There was no association between memory and dyskinesia.


CONCLUSIONS
There is an association in never-treated patients between a poorer memory and negative symptoms, but not between a poorer memory and dyskinesia.
McCreadie
R G
RG
Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries.
Latha
S
S
Thara
R
R
Padmavathi
R
R
Ayankaran
J R
JR
D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents