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Neurocognitive functioning in patients with first-episode schizophrenia: results of a prospective 15-year follow-up study

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Abstract

To evaluate the course of neuropsychological impairment, patients with first-episode schizophrenia and healthy controls were assessed with a comprehensive test battery at the time of index treatment and after a 5- and 15-year follow-up period. Summary scores for verbal intelligence (VBI), spatial organization, verbal fluency, verbal learning, semantic memory, visual memory, delay/retention rate, short-term memory, visual–motor processing and attention (VSM) and abstraction/flexibility were constructed. Our results show that neurocognitive functioning is impaired already at the onset of schizophrenia and remains stable over the 15-year follow-up period with an improvement in VBI. With regard to the presence of a deficit syndrome, it became apparent that the group with a deficit syndrome showed a deterioration of neurocognitive functions during the follow-up period, most pronounced in VSM. On the other hand, the group without a deficit syndrome showed an improvement in neurocognitive functions at the 15-year follow-up, which exceeded the learning effects of healthy control subjects. Neurocognitive performance at index assessment strongly predicted the performance at the 15-year follow-up. Most likely due to the small sample size, there were only weak associations between treatment with different types of neuroleptics and neurocognitive performance.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant from the German Research Foundation (Al 230/3-1; 3-2; 3-3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Comedicum Lindwurmhof, Lindwurmstr. 88, 80337, Munich, Germany

    M. Albus

  2. Psychiatric Hospital IAK-KMO, Vockestr. 72, 85540, Haar, Germany

    W. Hubmann, F. Mohr, T. v. Tiedemann & S. Pechler

  3. Statistical Consulting Unit, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Akademiestr. 1, 80799, Munich, Germany

    D. Drießlein & H. Küchenhoff

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  1. M. Albus
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Correspondence to M. Albus.

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Albus, M., Hubmann, W., Mohr, F. et al. Neurocognitive functioning in patients with first-episode schizophrenia: results of a prospective 15-year follow-up study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 270, 689–698 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-019-01030-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-019-01030-z

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