The British Journal of Psychiatry (2006) 189: 556-557. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.105.016113
© 2006 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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SHORT REPORTS

Long-term course of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia

GARY MORRISON, MRCPsych

Department of Clinical Research, Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries

RONAN O’CARROLL, PhD

Department of Psychology, University of Stirling

ROBIN McCREADIE, DSc, MD

Department of Clinical Research, Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries, UK

Correspondence: Dr Gary Morrison, Department of Clinical Research,Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries DG1 4TG, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1387 244000; Fax: +44(0)1387 257735; email: garym{at}doctors.org.uk

Declaration of interest None.

The aim of this study was to examine the long-term course of cognitive impairment in people with schizophrenia. Forty-three people with schizophrenia were followed up over an average of 33 years along with a control group of 12 matched individuals free from psychosis. Cognitive function was assessed at baseline and follow-up. The participants with schizophrenia were found to show impairment in verbal and non-verbal intelligence at baseline compared with estimated premorbid scores, this was not found in the control group. At follow-up there was a significant decline in non-verbal intelligence over time in participants with schizophrenia compared with controls (P=0.007). This differential change over time was not seen in verbal intelligence (P= 0.318).