Cognitive Dysfunction and Its Therapy

Overview

In the first part the meaning of terms cognition and cognitive dysfunction is clarified. Cognitive dysfunction is found in many neuropsychiatric disorders. Majority of studies were done in patients with schizophrenia and dementia. For studying cognitive dysfunction, the most appropriate appear the initial phases of the disease. The next part of the study summarizes the treatment possibilities of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. Atypical antipsychotics represent the basal treatment. The improvement of cognitive deficit by atypical antipsychotics is significant, but its importance in real life is small. The new add-on treatment has the potential for further improvement of cognitive dysfunction. This approach includes augmenting effects of neurotransmitters related to cognition (glutamate, noradrenalin, serotonin, acetylcholine). The improvement of cognitive dysfunction can improve the long-term outcome and functional prognosis in patients suffering from schizophrenic disorder.

Key words:
cognitive dysfunction, schizophrenia, dementia, atypical antipsychotics add-on treatment, augmentation.