NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS IN CHRONIC GEROPSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS

Abstract

Objective: To assess the severity of negative symptoms and their relationship with other domains of psychopathology, cognition, and function among chronic geropsychiatric inpatients. Methods: Forty-five older schizophrenic (OS) inpatients were compared with 30 mood disordered (MD) inpatients, 25 younger schizophrenic (YS) inpatients and 40 outpatients with probable AD. All patients were assessed using the Positive and Negative symptoms Scale (PANSS), Ham-D, Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Simpsom-Angus Scale for the Assessment of extrapyramidal symptoms (SAS), and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). Results: The two groups of schizophrenic patients presented greater severity of negative symptoms and total psychopathology. OS were more cognitively and functionally impaired than the MD, equally impaired than the YS and less impaired than the AD groups. Level of education and level of activity, but not length of current hospitalization were predictors for the severity in negative symptoms. Cognition but not depression or EPS was correlated with the severity of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Discussion: The presence of negative symptoms is not specific to schizophrenia but appear to be influenced by the level of function and cognition in these patients. P90