Cognitive determinants of community functioning and quality of life in homeless adults with mental illness: 6-year follow-up from the At Home/Chez Soi Study Toronto site.

BACKGROUND: High rates of physical and mental health comorbidities are associated with functional impairment among persons who are homeless. Cognitive dysfunction is common, but how it contributes to various functional outcomes in this population has not been well investigated. This study examines how cognition covaries with community functioning and subjective quality of life over a 6-year period while accounting for the effects of risk and protective factors. METHODS: Participants were 349 homeless adults (mean age = 39.8) recruited from the Toronto site of the At Home/Chez Soi study, a large Canadian randomized control trial of Housing First. Participants completed up to four clinical evaluations over 6 years. Factor scores were created to index verbal learning and memory (vLM) and processing speed-cognitive flexibility (PSCF). The primary outcomes were community functioning and subjective quality of life. Risk factors included lifetime homelessness, mental health diagnoses, medical comorbidity, and childhood adversity. Linear mixed-effects models were conducted to examine cognition-functional outcome associations over time, with resilience as a moderator. RESULTS: Better vLM (b = 0.787, p = 0.010) and PSCF (b = 1.66, p < 0.001) were associated with better community functioning, but not with quality of life. Resilience conferred a protective effect on subjective quality of life (b = 1.45, p = 0.011) but did not moderate outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a need to consider the unique determinants of community functioning and quality of life among homeless adults. Cognition should be prioritized as a key intervention target within existing service delivery models to optimize long-term functional outcomes.

Hippocampal volume and vasculature before and after exercise in treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is associated with poor cognitive function and elevated cardiometabolic disease risk. These health concerns may exacerbate neurocognitive dysfunction associated with hippocampal abnormalities, particularly hippocampal volume reductions. Regular exercise is thought to improve symptom severity, reduce depression, and improve cognition in schizophrenia, and may trigger exercise-mediated hippocampal growth. The potential for the benefits of exercise for treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients has not been clearly assessed. This study aims to assess the effect of exercise on hippocampal plasticity and clinical outcomes in chronic schizophrenia. METHODS: Seventeen DSM-IV criteria schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder patients completed a customized moderate intensity 12-week aerobic or weight-bearing exercise program. Adherence rates were 83% ±â€¯9.4%) with 70% of participants completing the entire exercise program. Concomitant neuroimaging, clinical and cognitive assessments were obtained at baseline and 12-weeks. RESULTS: At follow-up, symptom severity scores (t(16) = -16.8, p. ≤ 0.0001) and social functioning (t(16) = 4.4, p. = 0.0004) improved. A trend for improved depression scores (t(16) = -2.0, p. = 0.06) with no change in anxiety, or extrapyramidal symptoms were seen. Hippocampal volume increased (t(16) = -2.54, p. = 0.02), specifically in the left CA-1 field (F(16) = -2.33, p. = 0.03). Hippocampal vascular volume was unchanged. Change in hippocampal volume and vascular volume was not significantly correlated with change in symptom severity or affect scores. CONCLUSIONS: Adjunct exercise may accelerate symptom improvement in treatment-resistant psychosis patients. While the underlying mechanism remains unclear, these results indicate that chronic schizophrenia patients experience hippocampal plasticity in response to exercise. STUDY REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials.govNCT01392885.