Nithsdale schizophrenia surveys 20: Cognitive function in a catchment-area-based population of patients with schizophrenia

C. Kelly, V. Sharkey, G. Morrison, J. Allardyce, R. G. McCreadie*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Background: Cognitive deficits are a core aspect of schizophrenia but there has been no study of cognitive function in a catchment-area-based population of patients with schizophrenia. Aims: To assess cognitive function in a population of patients with schizophrenia, and relate it to community functioning. Method: All patients with schizophrenia in Nithsdale, south-west Scotland, were identified (n=182). Measures of assessment were: National Adult Reading Test (NART), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT), Executive Interview (EXIT), FAS Verbal Fluency and Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS). Results: We assessed 138 patients, mean age 48 years (standard deviation (s.d.) 15). Only 14% were in-patients. The mean premorbid IQ as assessed by NART was 98 (s.d. 14); 15% of patients had significant global cognitive impairment (MMSE); 81% had impaired memory (RBMT); 25% had executive dyscontrol (EXIT); and 49% had impaired verbal fluency (FAS). Scores on the functional impairment sub-scale of HoNOS correlated with all measures of cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Cognitive dysfunction is pervasive in a community-based population of patients with schizophrenia. Declaration of interest: None.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)348-353
Number of pages6
JournalBritish Journal of Psychiatry
Volume177
Issue numberOCT.
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Oct 2000

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