Correlation between cognitive function and psychiatric symptoms in first-episode male schizophrenia patients

Abstract

Objective To study the characteristic of cognitive function impaired and its relationship with the psychiatric symptoms in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Methods 43 first-episode male schizophrenia patients diagnosed with DSM-IV were recruited in the study and received the atypical antipsychotics treatment 8 weeks.The total score and sub-scores of Chinese Cognitive Ability Scale (CCAS)were obtained for all the patients pre- and post-treatments, and the patients were also assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS). Results The differences of the intelligence quotient(IQ)and its cognitive function factors between pre-and post-treatment of the patients were significant(P<0.01). The total IQ score (85.7±11.5), learning ability (17.9±2.3), reasoning ability (16.1±3.4), processing speed (16.9±2.1), working memory (13.8±2.6), space/calculate (17.5±2.9), verbal IQ (86.8±11.7), performance IQ (83.9±12.4) before treatment and cognitive score (97.6±14.3) as well as cognitive function factor (learning ability (20.1±2.9), reasoning ability (18.9±3.1), processing speed (19.7±1.8), working memory (15.7±2.5), space/calculate (20.8±2.5), verbal IQ (98.3±13.7), performance IQ (95.8±14.6)after treatment, there were significant differences pre-and post-treatment(P<0.01). The difference of IQ pre-and post-treatment was significantly correlated with that of total score and positive score of PANSS(r=0.596 or 0.783). Conclusions (1)This finding supports that the cognitive function impairment exists in the early stage of schizophrenia.(2)The typical antipsychotic drugs can improve the cognitive function impairment and psychiatric symptoms of schizophrenia. (3)The cognitive function impairment of schizophrenia has significant relation to the positive symptoms, but no relation to the negative symptoms. Key words: First-episode male schizophrenia; Cognitive function; Psychiatric symptoms; Chinese cognitive ability scale; Atypical antipsychotics