Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by Milev, P. Articles by Andreasen, N. C. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by Milev, P. Articles by Andreasen, N. C. Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Symptoms/Dimensions Cognition

Predictive Values of Neurocognition and Negative Symptoms on Functional Outcome in Schizophrenia: A Longitudinal First-Episode Study With 7-Year Follow-Up

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between cognition and outcome in people with schizophrenia has been established in studies that, for the most part, examined chronic patients and were cross-sectional in design. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between neurocognitive variables assessed at illness onset and functional outcome in a longitudinal design. An additional area of interest was whether the severity of negative symptoms would predict outcome independently from neurocognitive variables or whether there would be an overlap in their predictive power. METHOD: The authors administered a comprehensive cognitive battery and clinical assessments to 99 subjects who were in their first episode of illness and analyzed the relationship of cognition and symptom severity at intake with community outcome after an average follow-up period of 7 years. RESULTS: Verbal memory, processing speed and attention, and the severity of negative symptoms at intake were related to subsequent outcome. Global psychosocial functioning was predicted by negative symptoms and attention. Verbal memory was the significant predictor of the degree of impairment in recreational activities. Impairment in relationships was predicted by negative symptoms and memory, whereas attention and negative symptoms were predictive of work performance. There was an overlap in the variance in outcome explained by cognitive variables and negative symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Verbal memory and processing speed and attention are potential targets for psychosocial interventions to improve outcome. Results from cross-sectional or chronic patient studies do not necessarily correspond to the findings of this prospective first-episode study in which cognition appears to explain less of the variance in outcome.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. M. Grant and A. T. Beck Defeatist Beliefs as a Mediator of Cognitive Impairment, Negative Symptoms, and Functioning in Schizophrenia Schizophr Bull, July 1, 2009; 35(4): 798 - 806. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Bodnar, A. Malla, R. Joober, and M. Lepage Cognitive markers of short-term clinical outcome in first-episode psychosis The British Journal of Psychiatry, October 1, 2008; 193(4): 297 - 304. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. W. Heinrichs, N. Ammari, A. A. Miles, and S. McDermid Vaz Cognitive Performance and Functional Competence as Predictors of Community Independence in Schizophrenia Schizophr Bull, July 30, 2008; (2008) sbn095v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Foussias and G. Remington Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Avolition and Occam's Razor Schizophr Bull, July 21, 2008; (2008) sbn094v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M. Eack and M. S. Keshavan Foresight in Schizophrenia: A Potentially Unique and Relevant Factor to Functional Disability Psychiatr Serv, March 1, 2008; 59(3): 256 - 260. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B.-C. Ho, N. C. Andreasen, J. D. Dawson, and T. H. Wassink Association Between Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Val66Met Gene Polymorphism and Progressive Brain Volume Changes in Schizophrenia Am J Psychiatry, December 1, 2007; 164(12): 1890 - 1899. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. W. Buchanan Persistent Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: An Overview Schizophr Bull, July 1, 2007; 33(4): 1013 - 1022. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. K. Erickson, J. R. Ciccone, S. B. Schwarzkopf, J. S. Lamberti, and M. J. Vitacco Legal Fallacies of Antipsychotic Drugs J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, June 1, 2007; 35(2): 235 - 246. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Bromley Barriers to the Appropriate Clinical Use of Medications That Improve the Cognitive Deficits of Schizophrenia Psychiatr Serv, April 1, 2007; 58(4): 475 - 481. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Fauman Defining a DSM Infrastructure Am J Psychiatry, November 1, 2006; 163(11): 1873 - 1874. [Full Text] [PDF]

				B.-C. Ho, P. Milev, D. S. O'Leary, A. Librant, N. C. Andreasen, and T. H. Wassink Cognitive and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Brain Morphometric Correlates of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Val66Met Gene Polymorphism in Patients With Schizophrenia and Healthy Volunteers. Arch Gen Psychiatry, July 1, 2006; 63(7): 731 - 740. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. H McGlashan Rationale and Parameters for Medication-Free Research in Psychosis Schizophr Bull, April 1, 2006; 32(2): 300 - 302. [Full Text] [PDF]

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2005 American Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us