Neurocognitive functioning in patients with first-episode schizophrenia : results of a prospective 5-year follow-up study.

To assess the course of neuropsychological (NP) impairment in schizophrenia, 71 patients with first episode (FE) schizophrenia and 71 healthy controls were given a comprehensive battery of NP tests at index assessment, after a 2-year and after a 5-year follow-up period. By means of the z-score standardization, summary scores for verbal intelligence (VBI), spatial organisation (SPT), verbal fluency (VBF), Verbal learning (VBL), semantic memory (SEM), visual memory (VIM), delay/retention rate (DEL), short-term memory (STM), visuomotor processing and attention (VSM) and abstraction/flexibility (ABS) were constructed. FE schizophrenia patients showed a worse performance compared to controls in all areas investigated, most pronounced in VSM, SEM and VBL.

The Brief Motor Scale (BMS) for the assessment of motor soft signs in schizophrenic psychoses and other psychiatric disorders.

Subtle motor impairment is an important aspect of neurological soft signs (NSS) which are frequently found in psychiatric patients-particularly schizophrenic patients. On the basis of data collected in previous studies using two different NSS scales, the most reliable and discriminative signs of motor impairment were identified to construct a brief 10-item rating scale. Subsequently, the new scale was applied to a sample of subacute patients with schizophrenic psychoses (N = 82) and healthy controls (N = 33).

Motoric neurological soft signs and psychopathological symptoms in schizophrenic psychoses.

Motoric neurological soft signs (NSS) were investigated by means of the Brief Motor Scale (BMS) in 82 inpatients with DSM-III-R schizophrenic psychoses. To address potential fluctuations of psychopathological symptoms and extrapyramidal side effects, patients were examined in the subacute state, twice at an interval of 14 days on the average. NSS were significantly correlated with severity of illness, lower social functioning, and negative symptoms.

Neurological soft signs and neuropsychological performance in patients with first episode schizophrenia.

Neurological soft signs and neuropsychological (NP) impairments are prevalent in schizophrenic patients. However, the relationship of these deficits is rarely studied, and it remains controversial in what way soft signs influence NP performance. The Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) and a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery were used to assess soft signs and cognitive functions in 61 first-episode schizophrenic patients.

A prospective 2-year follow-up study of neurocognitive functioning in patients with first-episode schizophrenia.

To investigate the temporal stability, or progressivity, of neuropsychological (NP) impairment in schizophrenia, 50 patients with first episode (FE) schizophrenia and 50 healthy controls were given a battery of tests at the outset of the study and after a two-year interval. Both patient and control groups were balanced with respect to age, gender, education and parental socioeconomic status. Summary rating scales for semantic memory (SEM), visual memory (VIM), verbal learning (VBL), visual-motor processing and attention (VSM) and abstraction/flexibility (ABS) were constructed.