title: Predictors and longitudinal course of cognitive functioning in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, 10years after baseline: The OPUS study.
abstract: Identifying baseline predictors of the long-term course of cognitive functioning in schizophrenia spectrum disorders is important because of associations between cognitive functioning (CF) and functional outcome. Determining whether CF remains stable or change during the course of illness is another matter of interest.
  
  
  
  Participants from The Danish OPUS Trial, aged 18-45years, with a baseline ICD-10 schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis, were assessed on psychopathology, social and vocational functioning at baseline, and cognitive functioning 5 (N=298) and 10years (N=322) after baseline. Uni- and multi-variable regression analyses of potential baseline predictors of 10-year CF were performed. Also, changes in CF and symptomatology between 5 and 10years of follow-up were assessed.
  
  
  
  Baseline predictors of impaired CF after 10years included male gender, unemployment, poor premorbid achievement and later age of onset. Having finished high school and receiving early intervention treatment was associated with better CF. Age, growing up with both parents, number of family and friends, primary caregivers education, premorbid social function, negative symptoms, GAF (symptoms, function) and substance abuse, were associated with CF in univariable analyses. Non-participants generally suffered from more severe dysfunction. Longitudinally, amelioration in negative symptoms was associated with improved speed of processing and executive functions. Symptom scores generally improved with time, while scores for all cognitive tests remained stable.
  
  
  
  The current study identifies several robust associations between baseline characteristics and 10-year cognitive outcome. Several other variables were univariably associated with 10-year cognitive outcome. Also, we found evidence for stability of CF over time.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Research Unit, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: sara.johanna.bergh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergh
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Research Unit, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hjorthøj
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Research Unit, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Holger J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research & Centre for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research, Copenhagen University Hospital, Psychiatric Hospital Centre Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Birgitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fagerlund
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Research Unit, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Research Unit, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Rikke Gry
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Secher
authors.affiliation: Centre for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research & Centre for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research, Copenhagen University Hospital, Psychiatric Hospital Centre Glostrup, Denmark; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jens Richardt
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Jepsen
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Research Unit, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Merete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nordentoft
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS); Cognition; Cognitive stability; First-episode psychosis; Longitudinal; Predictors