I. The study examined neurocognitive functioning in a large cohort of 493 first episode psychosis patients and found that on average, patients performed within normal limits on attention and motor speed tasks, but around 1 standard deviation lower than controls on verbal learning and memory tasks and 1.5 standard deviations slower on timed tasks measuring selective and divided attention.
II. However, 19% of first episode patients performed entirely within the normal range neuropsychologically.
III. Preliminary cluster analysis identified four distinct neurocognitive profiles among patients: normal/fast performers, poor motor speed, poor verbal learning and memory, and poor selective and divided attention.
![Normality in psychosis: Neurocognitive findings in a large cohort of first episode patients. F.D. van Es, H.G. Smid, H. Knegtering, A. Aleman, D. Wiersma, R. Bruggeman. University Center Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG); M.H.O. Lentis, Groningen; The Rob Giel Research Center (RGO c ), University of Groningen, The Netherlands, Correspondence e-mail: f.van.es@psy.umcg.nl Fig.1: Deviation Scores, relative to healthy controles Introduction A large body of evidence suggests that neuro-cognitive impairment is present in most patients with schizophrenia. However, the neuro-cognitive profile may be more heterogeneous at the onset of the illness, with areas of spared cognitive performance. Here we examine a large cohort of First Episode (FE) Patients on neuro-cognitive functioning: Attention-shifting , Motor-speed, Verbal learning and memory, Selective attention and Divided attention. We hypothesized that in this cohort a large proportion of FE patients may exhibit neuro-cognitive functioning within the normal range. ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Discussion I. Overall, these results suggest that FE Patients perform slightly slower than normal controls, however, a substantial proportion of FE patients (19%), is performing neuropsychologically within normal limits. II. The loss of speed is independent of the complexity or severity of the tests, however, specific cognitive functions are intact. III. Four neuropsychological profiles may yield large intergroup differences, 1) normal / fast group; 2) slow tappers, 3) slow learners, 4) poor shifters. Results I. On average, patients performed normal in the CPT and Fingertapping tasks. They performed ~ 1 sd worse than controls on recall measures in the CVLT, and were ~1.5 sd slower than controls on time measures in the Stroop and Trailmaking tasks. II. Interference measures of Stroop and Trailmaking tasks were fully normal in patients. III. Preliminary findings in 493 patients by K-Means–cluster analysis suggests four neuropsychological profiles: - normal or fast achieving (19%), - poor on ‘motor-speed’, - poor on ‘verbal learning and memory’, - poor on ‘selective and divided attention’ (see Fig 2: Profiles).](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/iepaeporgoc41-12915807522111-phpapp01/85/Poster-op-IEPA-2010-1-320.jpg)
