Gender Differences of Schizophrenia Patients With and Without Depressive Symptoms in Clinical Characteristics.

Ruimei Liu,Dandan Wang,Chaoyue Guo,Chen Zhang,Xinyu Fang,Xinyue Teng,Lingfang Yu,Zenan Wu,Juanjuan Ren

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.792019

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the differences in psychotic symptoms and cognitive function in schizophrenics with and without depression and to compare gender differences in the correlation between depressive symptoms and clinical characteristics in those patients.Methods: A total of 190 schizophrenia patients and 200 healthy controls were recruited in the study. We used the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) to evaluate the psychiatric symptoms, depressive symptoms and cognitive function, respectively. Patients with CDSS score ≥7 were divided into depression group, and CDSS < 7 was viewed as without depression.Results: Patients with schizophrenia had lower total scores of RBANS and five subscale (immediate memory, visual span, verbal function, attention, and delayed memory) scores compared to healthy controls. In the case group, patients who concomitant with depression had higher PANSS scores (Ps < 0.001) and lower RBANS (Ps < 0.05) scores than those without depression. After gender stratification, PANSS total scores and subscale scores were significantly different between schizophrenics with and without depressive symptoms in both male and female groups (Ps < 0.001). For cognitive function, there were significant differences in RBANS total score and subscale scores except attention between female patients with and without schizophrenia but not in male schizophrenia patients. Furthermore, the correlation analysis showed that the total CDSS score was positively correlated with PANSS score (P < 0.001) and RBANS score in male and female groups (male: P = 0.010, female: P = 0.001).Conclusion: Our findings provided evidence supporting the gender differences in psychiatric symptoms and cognitive function between schizophrenia patients with and without depressive symptoms.

Highlights

Depression is a common symptom in schizophrenia and can occur in any phase
Patients with schizophrenia had lower total scores of RBANS and five subscale scores compared to healthy controls
Patients who concomitant with depression had higher Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) scores (Ps < 0.001) and lower RBANS (Ps < 0.05) scores than those without depression

Summary

Introduction

Depression is a common symptom in schizophrenia and can occur in any phase. It is one of the most frequent prodromal symptoms and may proceed before the onset of psychotic symptoms [1]. Throughout the course of schizophrenia, depression predominates in the acute phase, with a prevalence frequency of 80% [2]. Evidence shows that the prevalence rates of depression in schizophrenia varies from 30 to 70% [8,9,10]. The wide range difference in prevalence estimates could be attributed to cohort status, illness status (acute or chronic), and definition of depression. From a longitudinal point of view, the vast majority (up to 80%) of patients suffered at least one depressive episode in the early phase, and at least 30% of patients exhibited a major depressive episode in their lifetime [11, 12]

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