Cognitive functioning and negative symptoms in first episode schizophrenia: Different patterns of correlates

BackgroundThe outcome of schizophrenia appears to be more favourable than once thought. However, methodological issues, including the reliance on diagnosis at first presentation have limited the validity of outcome studies to date.MethodWe conducted a first-episode follow-up study of 97 patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia over the first 4 years of illness. First presentation and follow-up assessments were compared using paired t tests and a forced-entry regression analysis was used to determine prognostic variables.ResultsThere were significant improvements in positive and negative symptoms and global assessment of functioning between first presentation and follow-up. At first presentation, fewer negative symptoms (t=−3.40, p<0.01), more years spent in education (t=3.25, p<0.01), and a shorter duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) (t=−2.77, p<0.01) significantly predicted a better outcome at follow-up.ConclusionsThe outcome of schizophrenia may not be as pessimistic as once thought and most patients did not display a downward deteriorating course of illness. This study supports the relationship between DUP and outcome beyond the early stages of illness.

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Impact of duration of untreated psychosis and premorbid intelligence on cognitive functioning in patients with first-episode schizophrenia

Schizophrenia Research ◽

10.1016/j.schres.2016.04.002 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 175 (1-3) ◽

pp. 97-102 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

M.Y. Wang ◽

N.F. Ho ◽

M.Y. Sum ◽

S.L. Collinson ◽

K. Sim

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Functioning ◽

First Episode ◽

Duration Of Untreated Psychosis ◽

Premorbid Intelligence ◽

First Episode Schizophrenia

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Cognitive functioning in patients with first-episode psychosis stratified by level of negative symptoms: A 1-year follow-up study

Psychiatry Research ◽

10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112554 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 281 ◽

pp. 112554 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Magnus Johan Engen ◽

Carmen Simonsen ◽

Ingrid Melle ◽

Ann Færden ◽

Siv Hege Lyngstad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Episode Psychosis

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Poster #M169 PERSISTANT NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS AFTER FIRST-EPISODE SCHIZOPHRENIA; RESULTS OF 2 YEARS FOLLOW-UP

Schizophrenia Research ◽

10.1016/s0920-9964(14)70719-4 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 153 ◽

pp. S252

Author(s):

Alp Üçok ◽

Ceylan Ergül

Keyword(s):

Negative Symptoms ◽

First Episode ◽

First Episode Schizophrenia

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Predictors of Remission and Recovery in a First-Episode Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder Sample: 2-Year Follow-up of the OPUS Trial

The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/070674370805301005 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 53 (10) ◽

pp. 660-670 ◽

Cited By ~ 61

Author(s):

Lone Petersen ◽

Anne Thorup ◽

Johan Øqhlenschlæger ◽

Torben Øqstergaard Christensen ◽

Pia Jeppesen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Substance Abuse ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

First Episode ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder ◽

Adherence To Medication ◽

Premorbid Adjustment ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽

First Episode Schizophrenia

Objective: To examine the frequency and predictors of good outcome for patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD). Method: We conducted a 2-year follow-up of a cohort of patients ( n = 547) with first-episode SSD. We evaluated the patients on demographic variables, diagnosis, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), premorbid functioning, psychotic and negative symptoms, substance abuse, adherence to medication, and service use. ORs were calculated with logistic regression analyses. Results: A total of 369 patients (67%) participated in the follow-up interview. After 2 years, 36% remitted and 17% were considered fully recovered. Full recovery was associated with shorter DUP, better premorbid adjustment, fewer negative symptoms at baseline, no substance abuse at baseline, and adherence to medication and OPUS treatment. Conclusions: Several predictive factors were identified, and focus should be on potentially malleable predictors of outcome, for example, reducing DUP and paying special attention to patients who are unlikely to achieve good outcome, for example, patients with a substance abuse problem and poor premorbid adjustment.

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Duration of untreated psychosis and social function: 1-year follow-up study of first-episode schizophrenia

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.108.049718 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 193 (3) ◽

pp. 203-209 ◽

Cited By ~ 85

Author(s):

Thomas R. E. Barnes ◽

Verity C. Leeson ◽

Stanley H. Mutsatsa ◽

Hilary C. Watt ◽

Sam B. Hutton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Symptoms ◽

Social Function ◽

First Episode ◽

Duration Of Untreated Psychosis ◽

Clinical Difference ◽

Path Analyses ◽

First Episode Schizophrenia ◽

The Relationship ◽

Positive And Negative Symptoms

BackgroundIn first-episode schizophrenia, longer duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) predicts poorer outcomes.AimsTo address whether the relationship between DUP and outcome is a direct causal one or the result of association between symptoms and/or cognitive functioning and social functioning at the same time point.MethodSymptoms, social function and cognitive function were assessed in 98 patients with first-episode schizphrenia at presentation and 1 year later.ResultsThere was no significant clinical difference between participants with short and long DUP at presentation. Linear regression analyses revealed that longer DUP significantly predicted more severe positive and negative symptoms and poorer social function at 1 year, independent of scores at presentation. Path analyses revealed independent direct relationships between DUP and social function, core negative symptoms and positive symptoms. There was no significant association between DUP and cognition.ConclusionsLonger DUP predicts poor social function independently of symptoms. The findings underline the importance of taking account of the phenomenological overlap between measures of negative symptoms and social function when investigating the effects of DUP.

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Study on the executive function and learning ability in first-episode schizophrenia patients

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(11)73232-1 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S2) ◽

pp. 1528-1528

Author(s):

H. Wang ◽

X. Liu ◽

Y. Fang

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Cognitive Dysfunction ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Learning Ability ◽

First Episode ◽

Control Group ◽

First Episode Schizophrenia ◽

First Session

IntroductionCognitive dysfunction was thought to be one of the core features of schizophrenia. And the executive function of the patients was paid more attention by more and more researchers and clinicians.ObjectivesTo investigate the executive function and the learning ability of the patients with first-episode schizophrenia, and their relationships with psychiatric symptoms.MethodsFifty cases of first-episode schizophrenia patients and fifty age- and gender-matched healthy controls were tested by a computerized version of Tower of London (TOL) test. The scores of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS) in the group of schizophrenia patients were over 60.ResultsThe numbers of the correct answer [x1 :(14.62 ± 4.12), x2: (14.80 ± 4.70)] during the first session and the second session of the TOL test of the patients group were significantly lower than that of the control group [x1: (17.48 ± 3.79), x2:(18.68 ± 3.19)], and the reaction times [t1: (9.27 ± 4.37) seconds, t2: (9.51 ± 5.58) seconds] of the two sessions of TOL were longer than the control group [t1: (7.28 ± 2.04) seconds, t2: (6.67 ± 1.51) seconds], P < 0.01. For the control group, x2 was significantly greater than x1, and t2 shorter than t1 (P < 0.01), while for the patients group, there was no difference between the performances of the first session and the second session. The scores of TOL in the schizophrenia patients were correlated with the negative symptom score of PANSS (P < 0.05) and were not correlated with the scores of other subscales of PANSS (P > 0.05).ConclusionsThe executive function and the learning ability of schizophrenia are impaired and the cognitive dysfunction is correlated with negative symptoms.

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Cingulate Abnormalities Associated with PANSS Negative Scores in First Episode Schizophrenia

Behavioural Neurology ◽

10.1155/2000/913731 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 12 (1-2) ◽

pp. 93-101 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Liz Ashton ◽

Anna Barnes ◽

Martin Livingston ◽

David Wyper ◽

The Scottish Schizophrenia Research Group

Keyword(s):

Negative Symptoms ◽

Statistical Parametric Mapping ◽

Biological Marker ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

First Episode ◽

Cingulate Gyrus ◽

Regional Cerebral Blood ◽

Schizophrenic Patients ◽

Drug Naïve ◽

First Episode Schizophrenia

There is evidence for the involvement of the cingulate gyrus in schizophrenia. We present details of a Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) analysis of SPECT data from the largest study (N= 39) of drug naive schizophrenic patients. The main findings are that there is decreased perfusion in the anterior cingulate during verbal fluency when patients are compared to controls (matched individually by age, gender and father’s social class as determined by occupation) and also that PANSS negative scores correlate negatively with regional cerebral blood flow in the cingulate gyrus (Pearson’s Correlation coefficient ofr= − 0.49 and significancep< 0.005). This suggests that measurement of change of perfusion in this region could be a useful biological marker in assessing the effect of neuroleptics on negative symptoms.

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