Correlation between neuropsychological and social cognition measures and symptom dimensions in schizophrenic patients.
Neurocognitive and social cognition deficits have been largely reported in Schizophrenia (SKZ) but their association with psychopathology remains uncertain. Our purpose was to explore the relationship between symptom dimensions and neuropsychological performances. We enrolled 35 stabilized schizophrenic outpatients of the Department of Psychiatry of Policlinico Hospital, University of Milan, who completed psychiatric Rating Scales, the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) and the Executive and Social Cognition Battery (ESCB). Disorganized dimension seems to have the most significant impact on cognition, being associated with performance in several BACS subtests (verbal memory, working memory, motor speed, symbol coding, Tower of London) and ESCB tasks (MET and Hotel task number of tasks attempted, number of broken MET rules, sum of deviations in Hotel Task). Positive dimension correlated with performance in verbal fluency, negative dimension with IOWA Test results, cognitive dimension with MET number of inefficiencies and Eyes test score. Impulsive-aggressive and depressive dimensions weakly correlated only with Faux Pas test. Our study supports the existence of a specific disorganized dimension in SKZ, separated from cognitive dimension evaluated through clinical instruments (e.g. PANSS), but capable of influencing cognitive abilities. Furthermore, it strengthens the validity of ecological tasks in evaluating cognition in SKZ.
Psychiatric Clinic, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
A Carlo
AC
Altamura
Psychiatric Clinic, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Elisabetta
E
Caletti
Psychiatric Clinic, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Riccardo Augusto
RA
Paoli
Psychiatric Clinic, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: m.cigliobianco@gmail.com.
Michela
M
Cigliobianco
Psychiatric Clinic, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Elisa
E
Zugno
Epidemiology Unit, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Paolo
P
Grillo
Psychiatric Clinic, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Cecilia
C
Prunas
Psychiatric Clinic, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Alice
A
Caldiroli
Neurologic Clinic, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Stefano
S
Zago
D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012562:Schizophrenia, Disorganized / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
Cognition; Ecological tasks; Psychopathological dimensions; Schizophrenia; Theory of mind