Cognitive dysfunctionin among schizophernic: first episode versus chronic patients

ABSTRACT

To compare the cognitive functioning of a sample of patients experiencing their first episode of schizophrenia with that of patients with an established schizophrenia illness. Thirty patients who were experiencing their first episode of schizophrenia. Thirty patients with an established schizophrenia illness and thirty control subjects volunteered to undergo the procedures. The cases were recruited from psychological medicine hospital [Kuwait]. All patients met DSM-IV criteria for diagnosing schizophrenia [group II, III]. All the three groups underwent Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale [WAIS], Wisconsin Card Sorting Test [WCST]. Wechsler Memory Scale [WMS] and Positive and Negative Symptom Scale [PANSS], this related only to group II and III [patients groups]. Socio demographic characteristics of study sample showed that the mean age in years in group I is 27.77, in group II is 24.87and in group III is 31.37 the study revealed cognitive impairment in the early first-episode schizophrenia either IQ, memory or executive function, the study showed no relation between these cognitive deficits and the demographic variables, in both groups II and III with cognitive deficits. These results support the findings of previous studies suggesting that first-episode patients demonstrate cognitive impairments similar to those of patients with an established schizophrenia illness