title: Gender differences in neuropsychological performance across psychotic disorders--a multi-centre population based case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with schizophrenia and other psychoses exhibit a wide range of neuropsychological deficits. An unresolved question concerns whether there are gender differences in cognitive performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were derived from a multi-centre population based case-control study of patients with first-episode psychosis. A neuropsychological test battery was administered to patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (N=70, 36% females), bipolar/mania (N=34, 60% females), depressive psychosis (N=36, 58% females) and healthy controls (N=148, 55% females). Generalized and specific cognitive deficits were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was strong evidence for disorder-specific gender differences in neuropsychological performance. Males and females with schizophrenia showed similar pervasive neuropsychological impairments. In psychotic depressive disorder females performed worse than males across neuropsychological measures. Differences in neuropsychological performance between males and females with bipolar/manic disorder were restricted to language functions. Symptom severity did not contribute to the observed gender differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early in the course of psychotic illness, gender related factors appear to moderate the severity of cognitive deficits in depressive psychosis and bipolar/mania patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zanelli
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dazzan
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pilecka
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fearon
authors.forename: Arsime
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demjaha
authors.forename: Gill A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Doody
authors.forename: Peter B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Robin M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reichenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors