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The British Journal of Psychiatry (2002) 181: s85-s90
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Neurocognitive dimensions characterising patients with first-episode psychosis*

S. FRIIS, MD

University of Oslo, Norway

K. SUNDET, PhD

Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

B. R. RUND, PhD and P. VAGLUM, MD

University of Oslo, Norway

T. H. McGLASHAN, MD

Yale University, USA

Correspondence: Professor Svein Friis, Department of Research and Education, Division of Psychiatry, Ullevål University Hospital, N-0407 Oslo, Norway. Tel: +47 22 11 84 40; fax: +47 22 11 78 48; e-mail: svein.friis{at}psykiatri.uio.no

Declaration of interest The study was supported by the Norwegian Research Council and by NIMH 01654 (T.H.M.).

This paper is part of the Tidlig Intervensjon ved Psykoser (TIPS: Early Intervention in Psychosis) project with the following research group: T.H.M.; P.V.; S.F.; Ulrik Haahr; Jan Olav Johannessen; Tor Ketil Larsen; Ingrid Melle; Stein Opjordsmoen; Bjørn Rishovd Rund; and Erik Simonsen.

* Presented in part at the European First Episode Schizophrenia Network Meeting, Whistler BC, Canada, 27 April, 2001.

Background Assessment of neurocognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia is hampered by the multitude of tests used in the literature.

Aims We aimed to identify the main dimensions of an assessment battery for patients with first-episode psychosis and to estimate the relationship between dimension scores and gender, age, education, diagnosis and symptoms.

Method Eight frequently used neuropsychological tests were used. We tested 219 patients 3 months after start of therapy or at remission, whichever occurred first.

Results We identified five dimensions: working memory (WM); verbal learning (VL); executive function (EF); impulsivity (lm); and motor speed (MS). Significant findings were that the MS score was higher for men, and the WM and VL scores were correlated with years of education.

Conclusions Neurocognitive function in first-episode psychosis is described by at least five independent dimensions.




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The British Journal of Psychiatry, September 1, 2002; 181 (43): s1 - s2.
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