Citation

Yildiz M, Kutlu H, Tural U. Klin. Psikofarmakol. Bül. 2011; 21(2): 131-138.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Kadıköy Hachette Yayıncılık)

DOI

10.5455/bcp.20110408022751

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the cognitive dysfunctions and related factors in a group of outpatients with schizophrenia.

METHOD: Participants were 80 clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia who are not mentally retarded. Neuropsychological profiles of the patients were evaluated by using the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT). Neuropsychological tests results were evaluated by comparing the patients' demographic and clinical characteristics (sex, age, occupational status, level of education, family history of psychosis, pyhical aggressive behavior, suicide attempt, daily consumption of cigarettes, age of illness onset, onset type, duration of illness, duration of untreated psychosis, number of hospitalizations, total duration of hospital stay, application of electro-convulsive treatment, subtype of schizophrenia, and course of illness) using MANCOVA analysis.

RESULTS: Patients mean level of IQ was 86.7±10.8. A significant relationship between neuropsychological test results and demographic and clinical variables was only determined on the level of education (F=4.070, p=0.001). Effect size of the education was moderate on the cognitive functioning (η2=0.372). In the further subgroup analyses, while the level of education was found to be related with the WMS-R mental control, digit span, figural memory, verbal paired associates, and WCST completed categories, it was not related with the SCWT, WMS-R logical memory, and WCST perseverative errors.

CONCLUSIONS: Patient's demographic and clinical characteristics except for the level of education were not related with their cognitive functioning. One may say that the cognitive dysfunctions seen in patients with schizophrenia can reflect a core disturbance, which starts to show signs before the onset of illness.

Language: en

Keywords

memory; human; cognition; female; male; Cognition; Schizophrenia; aggression; Attention; schizophrenia; psychosis; suicide attempt; hospitalization; disease severity; occupation; outpatient; article; major clinical study; cognitive defect; electroconvulsive therapy; cigarette smoking; family history; Memory; demography; neuropsychological test; Intelligence; Executive function; intelligence quotient; disease duration; educational status; Wechsler Memory Scale; clinical evaluation; Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; Stroop test