Effects of antipsychotic treatment on emotion perception deficits in first-episode schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
The authors evaluated emotion perception in acutely ill patients experiencing a first episode of schizophrenia. They also investigated the effects of antipsychotic medication on emotion perception.


METHODS
Tests of the ability to perceive and discriminate emotional expressions from the Penn Computerized Neuropsychological Battery were given to 13 patients experiencing their first episode of schizophrenia. Patients were also assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. The patients were tested while they were unmedicated and again following clinical stabilization. Healthy individuals were evaluated over a similar time interval.


RESULTS
Patients with first-episode schizophrenia demonstrated impairments in emotion perception before treatment and no significant improvement after treatment. Emotion perception deficits were correlated with negative symptoms after clinical stabilization.


CONCLUSIONS
Deficits in emotion perception are present at illness onset in schizophrenia and show minimal response to effective antipsychotic treatment.
Herbener
Ellen S
ES
Cognitive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 912 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA. eherbener@psych.uic.edu
Hill
S Kristian
SK
Marvin
Robert W
RW
Sweeney
John A
JA
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000187:drug effects
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents