title: Long-term course of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the long-term course of cognitive impairment in people with schizophrenia. Forty-three people with schizophrenia were followed up over an average of 33 years along with a control group of 12 matched individuals free from psychosis. Cognitive function was assessed at baseline and follow-up. The participants with schizophrenia were found to show impairment in verbal and non-verbal intelligence at baseline compared with estimated premorbid scores, this was not found in the control group. At follow-up there was a significant decline in non-verbal intelligence over time in participants with schizophrenia compared with controls (P=0.007). This differential change over time was not seen in verbal intelligence (P= 0.318).
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research, Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries DG1 4TG, UK. garym@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Ronan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: O'Carroll
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McCreadie
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology