Changes in Cognitive Functions during One Year after Onset of Schizophrenia

Overview

The goal of the study was to compare the profile and stability over time of individual parameters of cognitive functions during the period of one year from the onset of schizophrenia depending on the course of the illness. The study included 27 patients with the first episode of schizophrenia. The criteria for remission were met by 22 patients (81%) when their clinical status was assessed one year after the first episode of schizophrenia; the remaining 5 patients were evaluated as non-remitters (19%). Our results show that remitters have a potential for cognitive deficit improvement for at least one year after their first episode of the illness, especially as to executive and memory functions. On the other hand, the group of non-remitters was not found to improve in terms of cognitive function during the year. The level of cognitive functions during the first episode of schizophrenia did not differ between later remitters and non-remitters. One year after the first episode of schizophrenia non-remitters had worse auditory reaction times; no other significant differences between remitters and non-remitters were found. It may be summed up that cognitive deficit showed a trend to improvement for one year after the first episode of schizophrenia, the tendency being more prominent in remitters. The differences between cognitive performance between remitters and non-remitters are, however, not very prominent in the early stage of schizophrenia.

Key words:
cognitive deficit, first episode of schizophrenia, course, remission.