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Memory and intellectual deficits do not decline with age in schizophrenia
D Mockler1, J Riordan, T Sharma
1Sub-Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, UK.
Schizophrenia Research
|July 25, 1997
Summary
Cognitive function in schizophrenia appears stable over time, not declining with age. This suggests a static encephalopathy rather than a progressive dementing disorder in patients with chronic schizophrenia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Cognitive deficits are a hallmark of schizophrenia.
- Previous research suggests these deficits may represent a static encephalopathy rather than a progressive dementing disorder.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate intellectual and memory decline in chronic schizophrenia across different age groups.
- To determine if cognitive function in schizophrenia changes significantly with age or illness duration.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 62 chronic schizophrenic subjects.
- Utilized Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R), Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test, and National Adult Reading Test (NART).
- Analyzed data across five age cohorts (18-69) and two broader age groups (18-39, 40-69).
Main Results:
- No significant differences in overall IQ, verbal IQ, performance IQ, or memory functioning were found across age cohorts.
- A significant difference was observed in the Picture Completion and Digit Symbol subtests of the WAIS-R, unrelated to age or illness duration.
- No significant differences were found in other WAIS-R subtests.
Conclusions:
- Schizophrenia is more consistent with a static encephalopathy than a dementing disorder.
- Intellectual and memory function in individuals with chronic schizophrenia does not appear to markedly decline with age.
- Findings support the concept of stable cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.