title: Cognitive deficits as treatment targets in schizophrenia.
abstract: Cognitive impairment has emerged as an important new target in schizophrenia therapeutics in light of evidence that cognitive deficits are critically related to the functional of disability that is characteristic of the illness. Evidence is briefly reviewed supporting the idea that the cognitive impairment in schizophrenia is an attractive target for therapeutic intervention including: (1) there is a characteristic pattern of cognitive deficits that occur with very high frequency; (2) the deficits are relatively stable over time; and (3) cognitive deficits are relatively independent of the symptomatic manifestations of the illness. Thus, cognitive impairment appears to be a well-defined, reliable and distinct dimension of the illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA. jgold@mprc.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gold
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents