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Cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia: effects and treatment
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA. richard.keefe@duke.edu
Abstract:
The average patient with schizophrenia performs on cognitive tests at the lowest 5% to 10% of the general population. Cognitive impairments impact patients on virtually every aspect of functioning, interfere with patients' ability to engage in real-world tasks, and affect long-term outcome. Therefore, cognitive deficits should be included in the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. Clinicians need to focus treatment options on helping patients to regain premorbid levels of cognitive functioning.
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