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Nithsdale Schizophrenia Surveys. 20. Cognitive function in a catchment-area-based population of patients with
C Kelly1, V Sharkey, G Morrison
1Academic Department, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland.
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.