title: The Course of Neurocognitive Changes in Acute Psychosis: Relation to Symptomatic Improvement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cognitive impairment is a core aspect of psychosis, but the course of cognitive functioning during acute psychosis remains poorly understood, as does the association between symptom change and neurocognitive change. Some studies have found cognitive improvement to be related to improvement in negative symptoms, but few have examined cognitive changes in the early acute phase, when clinical improvement mainly happens. This study's aim was to investigate the relation between cognitive and symptomatic change in clinically heterogeneous patients during the early acute phase of psychosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (n = 84), including both first-episode and previously ill patients, were recruited from consecutive admissions to the acute psychiatric emergency ward of Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, as part of the Bergen Psychosis Project (BPP). The RBANS neurocognitive test battery was administered on admission and again at discharge from the acute ward (mean time 4.1 weeks, SD 1.86 weeks). Symptomatic change was measured by PANSS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of subjects with cognitive impairment (t < 35) was 28.6% in the acute phase and 13.1% at follow-up. A sequential multiple linear regression model with RBANS change as the dependent variable found PANSS negative symptoms change to significantly predict total RBANS performance improvement (beta = -.307, p = .016). There was no significant difference between subjects with schizophrenia and those with other psychotic disorders in terms of cognitive change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proportion of subjects with mild to moderate impairment in cognitive test performance is reduced across the acute phase of psychosis, with improvement related to amelioration of negative symptoms.
authors.affiliation: TIPS, Division of Psychiatry, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.|Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Liss
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2431-4306
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Anda
authors.affiliation: TIPS, Division of Psychiatry, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.|Institute of Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Kolbjørn S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Brønnick
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Johnsen
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Rune A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kroken
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Addiction Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Else-Marie
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Løberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult