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Cognitive Performance in Drug-naÏve First Episode Schizophrenia (FES) Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

H. Fatouros-Bergman
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neuroscience Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
C. Cervenka
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neuroscience Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
L. Flyckt
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neuroscience Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
G. Edman
Affiliation:
Department of Neurobiology Care Sciences and Society Centre of Family Medicine – CeFAM, Karolinska Institutet & Department of Psychiatry Tiohundra AB, Stockholm, Sweden
L. Schwieler
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
P. Ikonen
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neuroscience Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
K. Collste
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neuroscience Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
F. Piehl
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neuroscience Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
I. Agartz
Affiliation:
Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine University of Oslo & Department of Psychiatric Research Diakonhjemmet Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
G. Engberg
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
S. Erhardt
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
L. Farde
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neuroscience Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

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Introduction

A majority of the studies on cognition in schizophrenia have been conducted in drug-treated patients. In healthy subjects, administration of antipsychotic medication has been found to have a negative impact on cognitive performance in domains such as speed of processing and attention. Antipsychotic drugs occupy the D2-dopamine receptor, a receptor subtype that has been related to cognitive function. Studies employing Positron Emission Tomography have shown that poor performance in several cognitive domains is associated to low D2-receptor binding. It is therefore crucial to examine cognition in drug-naïve patients with schizophrenia.

Objectives

In FES patients: To examine the profile of cognitive impairments in the absence of antipsychotic medication and compare with the cognitive profile of patients who are on antipsychotic medication.

Aims

To study cognition in FES.

Methods

The Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) battery was administered to 60 patients with early schizophrenia and 30 healthy controls, 50% of the patients were drug-naïve. This research is ongoing and a part of the Karolinska Schizophrenia Project (KaSP), a multidisciplinary research consortium that examines the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

Results

Preliminary findings show that patients perform worse than healthy controls in all cognitive domains, with no significant differences between drug-naïve and medicated patients. Attention and Visual memory were the domains with the greatest impairments. The results are compared with our previous meta-analytic findings in drug-naïve patients.

Conclusion

These preliminary findings confirm the existence of cognitive impairments at the early stage of schizophrenia in the absence of antipsychotic medication.

Type
Article: 0277
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2015
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