scholarly journals Neurocognitive recovery of patients with paranoid schizophrenia

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. e020492
Author(s):  
Olena Molchanova

Background At present neurocognitive impairment is considered a core feature of schizophrenia. This statement is grounded on cognitive impairment stability, the persistence of cognitive impairment independently of the disease stage and other symptoms of schizophrenia. The relevance of the search for cognitive remediation methods is determined by the influence of cognitive functioning on the functional outcome in patients with schizophrenia. In order to solve this problem, scientists are actively investigating such direction in the treatment of patients with this psychopathology as «neurocognitive therapy» or neurocognitive training. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of neurocognitive training in patients with paranoid schizophrenia Methods and materials The patients who matched inclusion criteria were assessed on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP), neuropsychological tests (Trail Making Test part A and B, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Luria test) at the baseline, 1st and 6th month. All patients who were included in the study were randomly assigned into two groups. The intervention group (n=40) underwent a standard supportive treatment and neurocognitive training. The control group (n=31) received supportive medication treatment alone. Results After 1st month, a statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups was found both for the overall PANSS score improvement and improvement in several items, which represented the cognitive decline. Total PSP score increased significantly in the intervention group from 41-50 to 51-60 (р=0.0001). In Wisconsin Card Sorting Test the proportion of incorrect answers decreased by 31.4% (р=0.0001), perseverative errors by 20.1% (р=0.042), the number of completed categories increased by 33.5% (р=0.002). Conclusion The proposed neurocognitive training program showed positive results, which was reflected in a statistically significant improvement in PANSS score and cognitive tests performance in the intervention group compared to control group after treatment course and additional 5 months of the observation.

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tânia Silva ◽  
Luís Monteiro ◽  
Emanuela Lopes

AbstractAlthough several brief sensitive screening tools are available to detect executive dysfunction, few have been developed to quickly assess executive functioning. The INECO Frontal Screening (IFS) is a brief tool which has proved be useful for the assessment of the executive functions in patients with dementia. The aim of this study was to explore whether the IFS is as sensitive and specific as the BADS, a battery designed to assess the dysexecutive syndrome, in schizophrenia. Our sample comprised a group of 34 schizophrenic patients (Mean age = 39.59, DP = 10.697) and 31 healthy controls (Mean age = 35.52, DP = 10.211). To all groups were administered the BADS, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and IFS. The results suggest that schizophrenic patients performed significantly worse than the control group in all tests (p < .05). The IFS total score was 13.29 for the experimental group and 26.21 for the control group (p < .001). Considering a cut-off of 14 points, the IFS sensitivity was 100% and specificity 56% in detection of executive dysfunction in schizophrenia, compared with the BADS, that if we consider a cut-off of 11 points, was a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 50%. Thus, IFS is a brief, sensitive and specific tool for the detection of executive dysfunction in schizophrenia.


1990 ◽  
Vol 157 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney Morice

The ability to shift cognitive set, which is probably subserved, at least in part, by the pre-frontal cortex, was determined for schizophrenic, bipolar (manic) and control subjects, using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). The schizophrenic and manic subjects both demonstrated poor performance on the WCST, suggesting that cognitive inflexibility and/or pre-frontal dysfunction, is not specific to schizophrenia (although laterality differences could exist). Moderate levels of poor performance in the non-psychiatric control group suggest the need for a review of the cut-off figures in the WCST currently used for predicting ‘brain damage’ and ‘focal frontal involvement‘, especially given the trend for the increasing use of cognitive assessment and rehabilitation in the major psychoses.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 433-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rady ◽  
A. Elsheshai ◽  
O. Elkholy ◽  
H. Abou el Wafa

Background and aimSchizophrenia and psychotic depression are two psychiatric disorders sharing in common the presence of psychotic features, delusion, hallucinations or both and severe impairment in occupational functions. Added to that the diagnostic dilemma to differentiate between severe psychomotor retardation, which is not uncommon in psychotic depression, and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Our work aims at utilizing Wisconsin Card Sorting Test WCST performance as a differentiating diagnostic tool helping in differentiating between both diagnosis.Subjects and methodsPatients are recruited randomly from the outpatient service of Alexandria University Hospitals, three groups are included;Group I patients with psychotic depression,Group II schizophrenic patients andGroup III control group.Patients recruited in both group I and II score 4 or higher on the Clinical Global Impression for Severity CGI-S scale, all participants were subjected to Brief Psychiatric Rating scale and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test WCST 128 card computerized version.ResultsThe study showed severe impairment in executive functions in all parameters assessed by the WCST including number of administered trials, percentage of errors and perseverative errors as well as failure to maintain categories. Such cognitive dysfunction was significantly more severe in schizophrenia than both other groups. Both schizophrenic and psychotically depressed groups showed poorer performance compared to healthy control.ConclusionPerformance on WCST may be of great help as a differentiating diagnostic tool to distinguish between schizophrenia and psychotic depression.


1992 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Butler ◽  
Melissa A. Jenkins ◽  
Joyce Sprock ◽  
David L. Braff

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 344-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
WILLIAM PERRY ◽  
ERIC G. POTTERAT ◽  
DAVID L. BRAFF

Patients with schizophrenia have Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) deficits, which are commonly interpreted as reflecting frontal cortex-based executive dysfunction. One means of assessing the refractoriness of frontal-executive impairment is to utilize a training or modification strategy to improve WCST performance. In this study, 73 patients with schizophrenia were assigned to 1 of 2 groups. Group 1 received the standard WCST instructions for 64 cards (Condition 1). For the second 64-card deck, the patients were asked to verbalize the reason that they placed the card where they did after each sort (Condition 2). Group 2 received this modified instruction 1st (Condition 1) and then the standard instructions for the second deck (Condition 2). A group of normal comparison participants was also tested using standard instructions alone. Group 2 committed significantly fewer perseverative responses than did Group 1. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between Group 2 (Condition 1) and the normal participants. Group 1's performance improved when patients were exposed to the modified instructions (Condition 2). Additionally, poor premorbid factors and disorganized symptoms were associated with decreased benefit from the modified instructions across both groups. Cumulatively, these data suggest that a simple instruction may enhance executive function and impact WCST performance in patients with schizophrenia. (JINS, 2001, 7, 344–352.)


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Rady ◽  
Adel Elsheshai ◽  
Heba Abou el Wafa ◽  
Osama Elkholy

Background. Differentiating between schizophrenia and major depression with psychotic features often reveals diagnostic dilemma. Both share psychotic features and severe impairment in occupational functions. Severe psychomotor retardation, not uncommon in psychotic depression, may simulate negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Our work aims at utilizing Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) performance as a potential differentiating neurocognitive tool. Subjects and Methods. 60 patients were recruited randomly from the outpatient service at Alexandria University Hospital: 30 patients with schizophrenia and 30 patients with chronic psychotic depression. They were subjected to Clinical Global Impression for Severity (CGI-S) scale and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) 128 card computerized version. Results. Both groups were balanced in terms of gender distribution, severity and duration of illness. The study compared all parameters of WCST. Only perseverative errors showed mild significant difference () that disappeared when applying Bonferroni adaptation, setting significance level at 0.01 instead of 0.05. Conclusion. Performance on WCST is similar in schizophrenia and severe depression with psychotic features in most of the measured parameters and hence could not serve as a supplementary tool differentiating between both diagnoses in our study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 1143-1148
Author(s):  
Dong Jin Shin ◽  
Taehee Kim ◽  
Do-Un Jung ◽  
Jung-Joon Moon ◽  
Dong-Wook Jeon ◽  
...  

Objective Cognition of peritoneal dialysis patients is influenced by various factors including dialysis adequacy such as fractional urea clearance (Kt/V) and relative overhydration (RelOH). This study aimed to discover the potential contribution of dialysis adequacy to cognitive function in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.Methods Fifty-nine patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis were recruited. Demographic information, comorbidities, and clinical lab findings were retrospectively collected, and dialysis adequacy was determined by the Kt/V and RelOH calculation. Cognition and depression were measured with Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, Wechsler memory scale (spatial span), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and Beck’s depression inventory. Partial correlation test was used to explore the correlation of dialysis adequacy with cognitive function.Results RelOH showed significant correlation with some of the Wisconsin Card Sorting test results. The categories achieved showed negative correlation (r=-0.32, p=0.02) and trials to complete first category showed positive correlation (r=0.31, p=0.02) with RelOH. Other tasks showed no significant correlation with RelOH. Kt/V.Conclusion Our study demonstrates that peritoneal dialysis adequacy, measured by RelOH, seems to be significantly correlated with the occurrence of cognitive impairment. The outcome suggests that RelOH may have the potential to clarify the role of cognitive impairment in peritoneal dialysis patients.


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