A Study On Cognitive Function Of First-Episode Schizophrenia And First-Degree Relative

Objective Through this research we want to explore a) The difference of neuropsychological tests among first-episode schizophrenes,first- degree relatives and control. b) The correlation between the cognitive function deficits of first-episode schizophrenes age of onset, DUP(Duration of Untreated Psychosis), psychiatric symptoms,positive psychotic family history, and the treatment of antipsychotic drugs.Methods 79 first-episode schizophrenes,132 healthy first-degree relatives and 85 controls were assessed using a battery of neuropsy- chological tests. Psychiatric symptoms were also assessed by PANSS and GAF. Schizophrenes were tested repetitiously, after the treatment of 6 weeks,3 months and 6 months, 10 controls were repeated by neuropsychological tests 6 weeks later.Results a) There is a significant difference between patients and controls in neuropsychological tests. The scores of all items of nuropsy- chological tests in schizophrenes are significantly poorer than those in controls. There are significant differences between first-degree relatives and controls in certain neuropsychological tests, and the scores of first-degree relatives are better than that of schizophrenes, butstill poorer than that of controls. b) There are no significant differences in neuropsychological tests of schizophrenes with their age of onset,DUP,psychiatric symptoms or positive psychotic family history. c)The difference between early nuropsychological tests before treatment and the following-up nuropsychological tests is significant except logical memory. The scores of the following-up nuropsychological test appeared a tendency of gradual amelioration but was significantly poorer than that of controls. d) There is no significant correlation between psychiatric symptoms and early neuropsychological tests. There is a significant correlation between most of scores in the following-up neuropsychological tests and the substraction rate of PANSS or the different value of GAF.Conclusion The cognitive function deficits in first-episode schizophrenes are affected in wide range and show kindred aggregation than control even after treatment. There is significant correlation between cognitive function after treatment and the degree of amelioration on psychiatric symptoms,social skill and professional skill in first-episode schizophrenia.