IQ stabilization in childhood-onset schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the long term IQ trajectory for childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) in an expanded, prospective longitudinal study.


METHODS
Seventy children meeting DSM criteria for schizophrenia were tested at 2 year intervals with age appropriate Wechsler intelligence tests and repeated administration of information and comprehension WISC subtests even after age 18. For a subgroup with 31 patients, pre-NIH IQ test administrations were available including 18 pre-psychotic and 13 post-psychotic subjects. The pattern of IQ performance over time was determined using mixed model regression analysis.


RESULTS
No progressive cognitive decline was seen up to 13+ years post psychosis onset. For the subgroup of subjects with pre-illness scores, there had been an initial steep decline in IQ, from about 2 years prior to 1.7 years after onset of psychotic symptoms, as reported for adult patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The level long-term trajectory of IQ measures in COS appears stable, similar to that reported for adult onset patients. For COS, level cognitive functioning extends up to 13+ years post psychosis onset, in spite of chronic illness and concomitant, progressive loss of cortical gray matter.
Gochman
Peter A
PA
Child Psychiatry Branch, NIMH Bldg 10, Rm. 3N202 Bethesda, MD 20892-1600, USA. peterg@codon.nih.gov
Greenstein
Deanna
D
Sporn
Alexandra
A
Gogtay
Nitin
N
Keller
Barbara
B
Shaw
Philip
P
Rapoport
Judith L
JL
D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012561:Schizophrenia, Childhood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014888:Wechsler Scales