Early treatment-induced improvement of negative symptoms predicts cognitive functioning in treatment-naive first episode schizophrenia: a 2-year followup.
Studying neuroleptic-naive first episode schizophrenia is a strategy for investigating clinical and neuropsychological abnormalities at a very early phase of the disease without confounding influences of illness duration and medication effects. We examined the clinical and neuropsychological time course over 2 years in 32 neuroleptic-naive first episode patients (20 males, 12 females) and 21 healthy individuals with similar sociodemographic characteristics. Early treatment-induced reduction of negative symptoms predicted superior cognitive performance throughout followup in the domains of verbal fluency, attention, and non-verbal learning and memory. There were no associations between psychotic or disorganized symptoms and cognitive variables. These findings suggest an important relationship between treatment efficacy of antipsychotic medication and the longer term course of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.
Schuepbach
Daniel
D
Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, PO Box 68, CH-8029 Zurich, Switzerland. daniel.schuepbach@puk.zh.ch
Hill
S Kristian
SK
Sanders
Richard D
RD
Hell
Daniel
D
Keshavan
Matcheri S
MS
Sweeney
John A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002746:Chlorpromazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002746:Chlorpromazine