Executive Functions Influence on Memory Process in Patients with Paranoid Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorders with and without Psychotic Symptoms. A Pilot Study.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether declarative memory deficits are related to executive function deficits (EF), since they could be a consequence of a poor organization of the material to memorize. This interaction between both cognitive processes can be studied simultaneously in a single task such as the Test of Memory Strategies (TSM). 23 patients with paranoid schizophrenic disorder, 11 with bipolar disorder with psychotic symptoms, 13 with bipolar disorder without psychotic symptoms and 15 healthy subjects were evaluated with the TSM; with the memory test Texts A and B (subtest of the Barcelona neuropsychological assessment battery), which assesses short-term and immediate recall without the influence of EF; and with the Trail Making Test (TMT): Part A (sustained attention) and Part B (executive control).

Alcohol Use Disorder in immigrant patients: 2-years of follow-up treatment.

In recent decades the immigrant population has increased significantly in Western countries, which not only influences the former culturally but also in their alcohol consumption patterns. The course of immigration can cause social stress, which can lead to uprooting, frustration of their expectations or marginality, which are risk factors for an increase in alcohol consumption, possibly in order to face their different problems. The aims of this study are: to investigate the progression along two years of treatment of a sample of immigrant patients with Alcohol Use Disorder, to compare it with a sample of Spanish natives and to analyze the evolution of immigrant patients according to the geographical area of origin.

Cognitive Effects of Combined Amisulpride and Quetiapine Treatment in Patients With Refractory Schizophrenia: A Naturalistic, Prospective Study.

Background: Regarding the treatment of patients with resistant schizophrenia, different options exit, although they are supported by limited evidence. In this study, antipsychotic polypharmacy, comprising 1200 mg of amisulpride and 600 mg of quetiapine, was used. Clinical change evaluation was performed using neurocognitive evaluations.

The Relationship Between Educational Years and Phonemic Verbal Fluency (PVF) and Semantic Verbal Fluency (SVF) Tasks in Spanish Patients Diagnosed With Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Psychotic Bipolar Disorder.

Semantic and verbal fluency tasks are widely used as a measure of frontal capacities. It has been well described in literature that patients affected by schizophrenic and bipolar disorders present a worse execution in these tasks. Some authors have also noted the importance of educational years.

A Multisite, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Computerized Cognitive Remediation Therapy for Schizophrenia.

The effectiveness of cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) for the neuropsychological deficits seen in schizophrenia is supported by meta-analysis. However, a recent methodologically rigorous trial had negative findings. In this study, 130 chronic schizophrenic patients were randomly assigned to computerized CRT, an active computerized control condition (CC) or treatment as usual (TAU).