Neurocognitive dimensions characterising patients with first-episode psychosis.
BACKGROUND
Assessment of neurocognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia is hampered by the multitude of tests used in the literature.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to identify the main dimensions of an assessment battery for patients with first-episode psychosis and to estimate the relationship between dimension scores and gender, age, education, diagnosis and symptoms.


METHODS
Eight frequently used neuropsychological tests were used. We tested 219 patients 3 months after start of therapy or at remission, whichever occurred first.


RESULTS
We identified five dimensions: working memory (WM); verbal learning (VL); executive function (EF); impulsivity (im); and motor speed (MS). Significant findings were that the MS score was higher for men, and the WM and VL scores were correlated with years of education.


CONCLUSIONS
Neurocognitive function in first-episode psychosis is described by at least five independent dimensions.
Friis
S
S
University of Oslo, Norway. svein.friis@psykiatri.uio.no
Sundet
K
K
Rund
B R
BR
Vaglum
P
P
McGlashan
T H
TH
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003071:Cognition; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D014706:Verbal Learning