Year: 2013
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Overwhelming evidence suggests that compromised neuropsychological function is frequently observed in schizophrenia. Neurocognitive dysfunction has often been reported in bipolar spectrum disorders, although there are inconsistencies in the literature. Neurocognitive functioning may represent an indicator of genetic risk and poor functional outcome in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The degree and pattern of impairment between psychiatric groups have rarely been compared, especially when subjects are psychiatrically stable. In this study we compared clinically stable schizophrenic spectrum patients (n.46), bipolar spectrum patients (n.53), controls (n.45) and first-degree relatives without psychiatric disorder (n.10). Psychopathology, global functioning and neurocognitive functioning were assessed. Both bipolar subjects and schizophrenic subjects differed from control subjects in neurocognitive function, which was independent from both age of onset and illness duration. Bipolar and schizophrenic patients shared the same pattern of neuropsychological impairment, although bipolar spectrum performed a little better; there were only small quantitative differences across the two diagnostic groups . This finding is consistent with the idea that there are common mechanisms that underlie different diseases and with a growing emphasis on identifying core neural systems in the psychotic continuum
Author: Eva Dalla Costa
Language: Italian
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2279848171