Cognitive deficit, positive and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia

Memedi, Imran and Miloseva, Lence (2020) Cognitive deficit, positive and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Medical Journal MEDICUS, 25 (3). pp. 399-404. ISSN 1409-6366 UDC 61

[thumbnail of medicus-2020.pdf]
Preview
Text
medicus-2020.pdf

Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to introduce the relationship between positive and negative symptoms, cognitive deficit, and antipsychotic treatment in acute schizophrenic patients.
Methods: The study included 21 acute schizophrenic patients who were selected from the Psychiatric Hospital in Skopje, and were diagnosed according to the ICD-10. All patients were receiving antipsychotic medication treatment at the time of testing and during the time they were clinically stable. At the beginning of the treatment, all subjects received a higher dose of neuroleptics, and before they left the hospital they were given lower drug doses. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess the severity of positive and negative symptoms respectively. The Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS) was used to assess the cognitive function before and after the neuroleptic treatment. Statistical analysis of the results obtained in the research was conducted with SPSS 20.0 for the Windows package program. The results were analyzed by applying Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test and Pearson correlation coefficient.
Results: The results indicated that the acute schizophrenic patients had a higher global rating score in the SCoRS assessment (M=53.667, SD=8.345) in the first weeks after psychosis onset. After 6-8 weeks of treatment with antipsychotic medications, they had a lower global rating score in the SCoRS assessment (M=41.952, SD=6.951). There was a positive relationship between the total SCoRS score and the dose of neuroleptics (Z=-3.925, sig.=0.000, p<.001). The high degree of positive and negative symptoms was a strong predictor of higher cognitive deficits in schizophrenic patients. A positive relationship was observed between the high dose of therapy, PANSS-Positive, and ScoRS level (r=.552, p<.01), and PANSS-Negative and ScoRS level (r=.607, p<.01). In addition, there was a positive relationship between the low dose of therapy, PANSS-Positive and ScoRS level (r=.342, p<.05), and PANSS-Negative and ScoRS level (r=.432, p<.01).
Conclusions: During our work, we found that the regular and continued use of antipsychotic medications in schizophrenic disorders and good co-operation with the patients during the therapy could be important for better cognitive function of the person.
Keywords: cognitive deficit, positive and negative symptoms, schizophrenia, treatment.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Medical and Health Sciences > Clinical medicine
Divisions: Faculty of Medical Science
Depositing User: Lence Miloseva
Date Deposited: 04 Feb 2021 13:56
Last Modified: 04 Feb 2021 13:56
URI: https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/27493

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item