Neuropsychological function in homeless mentally ill individuals

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Psychology

Background:

• Limited data exist on neuropsychological functioning in severely and persistently mentally ill (SPMI) homeless populations.
• Understanding cognitive deficits in this group is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively describe the neuropsychological functioning of a large cohort of SPMI homeless individuals.
• To investigate the relationship between neuropsychological functions and demographic, illness, and clinical factors.

Main Methods:

• A 5-hour neuropsychological test battery was administered to 116 SPMI homeless individuals.
• Standardized data collection included neuropsychological, diagnostic, substance abuse, clinical, and psychopathology measures.

Main Results:

• SPMI homeless individuals exhibited significant impairments across a broad spectrum of neuropsychological functions.
• Performance was most strongly associated with education, parental socioeconomic status, psychosis severity, and anticholinergic medication dosage.
• Gender and substance abuse uniquely impacted sustained attention.

Conclusions:

• Neuropsychological performance is notably impaired in homeless individuals with SPMI.
• Further research comparing these individuals to non-homeless psychiatric and healthy homeless groups is needed to elucidate the specific impacts of homelessness and psychosis.