title: Longitudinal studies of cognition in schizophrenia: meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A wide range of cognitive deficits have been demonstrated in schizophrenia, but their longitudinal course remains unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To bring together all the available information from longitudinal studies of cognitive performance in people with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a meta-analysis of 53 studies. Unlike previous reviewers, we included all studies (regardless of the type of medication), analysed each variable separately and compared results with data from controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants with schizophrenia showed a significant improvement in most cognitive tasks. The available data for controls showed, with one exception (the Stroop test), a similar or greater improvement. Performance in semantic verbal fluency remained stable in both individuals with schizophrenia and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants with schizophrenia displayed improvement in most cognitive tasks, but practice was more likely than cognitive remediation to account for most of the improvements observed. Semantic verbal fluency may be the best candidate cognitive endophenotype.
authors: Service de Psychiatrie Adulte, Hôpital Albert Chenevier, Créteil, France. andrei.szoke@ach.aphp.fr
authors: Andrei
authors: A
authors: Szöke
authors: Anca
authors: A
authors: Trandafir
authors: Marie-Estelle
authors: ME
authors: Dupont
authors: Alexandre
authors: A
authors: Méary
authors: Franck
authors: F
authors: Schürhoff
authors: Marion
authors: M
authors: Leboyer
mesh_terms: D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*