The Effects Of Atypical Antipsychotics On Cognitive Function In First-episode Schizophrenia Patients

ObjectiveTo explore the efficacy of olanzapine, risperidone and aripiprazole on cognitive function in patients with first-episode schizophrenia.Method91 first-episode patients with schizophrenia were randomized to olanzapine group(n=27), risperidone group(n=37) and aripiprazole group (n=27). All subjects were assessed with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS), Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised(HVLT-R), Wechsler Memory Scale-â…¢(WMS-â…¢) Spatial Span Task, Groove Pegboard Test(GPT), Trail Making Test(TMT), Category Fluency Test(CFT), Stroop Color Word Test(SCWT), Symbol Coding Test(SCT), Paced Auditory Seria Addition Task(PASAT)and Wisconsion card sorting test(WCST) before and after 12 weeks treatment. The data of 91 patients was qualified for the statistic analysis in the current study.Results1. Compared with the baseline, all the scores of PANSS decreased significantly (P<0.001), but no significant difference was found among the three groups. (P>0.05).2. Compared with the baseline, the scores of correct response and categories control increased significantly(P<0.001) and the scores of error response and random error decreased significantly(P<0.01) in the olanzapine group, while only the scores of random error decreased fignificantly(P<0.05) in the risperidone group and aripiprazole group. There is significant difference founded about the score of random error among the three groups (P<0.05), and the change was most significant in olanzapine group (P<0.01).3. Compared with the baseline, all the scores of PAS AT increased significantly(P<0.05), but no significant difference was found among the three groups. (P>0.05).4. Compared with the baseline, the total score and the Anterograde score about Spatial Span Test increased significantly (P<0.05) in aripiprazole group, but no significant changes were found in olanzapine group and risperidone group(P>0.05). Compared with the baseline, the scores of Immediate Recall, Total Recall and recognition about HVLT-R increased significantly(P<0.05-0.01) in olanzapine group and risperidone group, all the scores of HVLT-R increased significantly(P<0.05-0.01) in aripiprazole group, but no significant difference was found among the three groups. (P> 0.05).5. Compared with the baseline, the scores of Processing Speed improved significantly(P<0.05-0.001) in the olanzapine group including Handedness, Line Test A, Color Line Test 1 and 2and Stroop Test B, the change was found in the risperidone group including Line test A, Color line test 1 and 2, Stroop test C and digit symbolic coding, while only the score of Color line test 2 improved significantly(P<0.05) in the aripiprazole group.Conclusions1. Not only could Atypia antipsychotics effectively improve the positive and negative symptoms, but also could improve the cognitive function of patients with first-episode schizophrenia.2. The improvement on execution function of olanzapine would be probably better than risperidone and aripiprazole.3. The improvement on memory function of aripiprazole would be probably better than olanzapine and risperidone.