Neuropsychological impairments in patients with schizophrenia: stability and prediction of outcome.
OBJECTIVE
To assess neuropsychological impairments among fairly young schizophrenic patients over time, and relations between impairment and symptoms, drug type and dose.


METHODS
Clinical and neuropsychological data for 29 schizophrenic patients have been published earlier. Twenty of these patients were retested after 3 years using the same methods.


RESULTS
The patients displayed stable impairments in most neuropsychological tests. Vocabulary and focused attention improved over time, whereas response slowness became more pronounced. Symptoms varied considerably over time. A specific pattern of neuropsychological impairments, but not measures of psychopathology, predicted clinical outcome. Patients were unable to judge their test performance.


CONCLUSIONS
A few years after the first episode, our patients displayed a specific pattern of neuropsychological impairment, which predicted clinical outcome. One aspect of the impairment appears to be failure at self-monitoring.
Gråwe
R W
RW
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Medicine, University of Trondheim, Norway.
Levander
S
S
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011930:Reaction Time; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents