The longitudinal course of thought disorder in geriatric patients with chronic schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
This study longitudinally assessed previously validated dimensions of thought disorder--verbal underproductivity and disconnection--in geriatric schizophrenia and replicated previous cross-sectional differences in communication disorders.


METHODS
Two hundred twenty patients with chronic schizophrenia were assessed with the Thought, Language, and Communication Scale over a mean follow-up period of 2.3 years.


RESULTS
Patients had increases in verbal underproductivity but stable scores on disconnection over the follow-up period. Worsening in verbal underproductivity was associated with concurrent worsening in Mini-Mental State Examination scores and older age at baseline.


CONCLUSIONS
Verbal underproductivity worsens with aging and is associated with cognitive worsening, although disconnected speech is relatively stable. Some geriatric patients with schizophrenia may lose the skills necessary to report symptoms, leading to the impression that their clinical status is improving.
Bowie
Christopher R
CR
Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1425 Madison Ave, 4th Floor, Box 1230, New York, NY 10029, USA. christopher.bowie@mssm.edu
Tsapelas
Irene
I
Friedman
Joseph
J
Parrella
Michael
M
White
Leonard
L
Harvey
Philip D
PD
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014705:Verbal Behavior