The Interference of Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia on Cognitive Domains: a Long-Term Observational Study on the Role of Clozapine.

The negative symptoms of schizophrenia are responsible for patients' worse quality of life. The association with cognitive deficits impairs clinical and psychopathological conditions. Our small 5-year observational study evaluated the efficacy of clozapine in negative and cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia inpatients. The overall results showed a significant improvement in the mean total scores of the BNSS and PANSS (at baseline (T0) vs five years (T3)). The improvement was also in some negative subscales (PANSS Negative Factor subscale) but not in others and the Epitrack tool. The overall results showed that clozapine is a useful therapeutic tool that does not affect the cognitive decline of these patients.

Hope in Psychiatric Patients: An Observational Study in a Psychiatric Rehabilitation Centre.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the re-evaluation of some fundamental aspects for the management of emotions and psychological dynamics. Hope and its lack are important factors that have been especially evaluated in caregivers and HCWs. Instead, our study aimed to explore hopelessness among psychiatric rehabilitation center residents with Primary Psychosis. METHODS: We recruited 116 inpatients affected by Primary Psychosis (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression disorder and personality disorder). Hopelessness was sought through the BHS, during the covid-19 pandemic period. They were compared with data from previous studies on HCWs (HealthCare Workers), in the same period, and in the same centre. RESULTS: The results obtained in this group of patients showed high total scores on the BHS scale (mean total score: 7.28±SD 3.73). These data are significantly higher than those found in HWs in the same pandemic period (mean total score: 3.74±SD 3.62). Among the different disorders the borderline personality disorder patients have presented the highest score (mean total score: 8.00±SD 3.50). CONCLUSION: Understanding resident - and HCWs- level variations in hopelessness may be important for targeting interventions to improve the outcome of residential psychiatric patients.