title: Cognitive performance and cigarette smoking in first-episode psychosis.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to describe possible differences in cognitive functioning between smoking and non-smoking patients with first-episode psychosis and to determine whether there is a better cognitive profile associated with smoking. We assessed 61 first-episode psychosis patients with a neuropsychological battery that included computerized measurements of attention, working memory, and executive functioning. Patients were grouped into two categories: non-smokers (0 cigarettes/day; n = 30) and smokers (>/=20 cigarettes/day; n = 31). No significant differences were detected in sociodemographic and clinical data between the two groups. For attention tasks, smokers exhibited shorter reaction times in the sustained attention test than non-smokers (P = 0.039) and needed less time to complete the Stroop interference test (P = 0.013). In the working memory task, smokers exhibited shorter reaction times (P = 0.029) and presented a significantly lower percentage of omission (P = 0.002) and commission errors (P = 0.020) than non-smokers. For executive functioning, no differences were detected between groups in performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Results indicate that first-episode psychosis patients who are nicotine users have better cognitive functioning in the areas of attention and working memory than patients who are not nicotine users. This study supports the cognitive approach to the self-medication hypothesis, to explain the high rates of cigarette smoking among psychosis patients. These results may be relevant for developing new strategies involving nicotinic receptors for cognitive enhancement in psychosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry Section, School of Medicine and Odontology, University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU), Apdo. Correos 699, 48080, Vizcaya, Spain. azabala@mce.hggm.es
authors.forename: Arantzazu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zabala
authors.forename: José Ignacio
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Eguiluz
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Segarra
authors.forename: Sonsoles
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Enjuto
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ezcurra
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González Pinto
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult