NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTION IN HOMELESS MENTALLY-ILL INDIVIDUALS

Because little data are available on the neuropsychological functionin g of severely and persistently mentally ill (SPMI) persons who are hom eless, our primary goal was to describe accurately and extensively the general neuropsychological functioning of a large group of such homel ess individuals. In addition, we have sought to examine the relationsh ip between some neuropsychological functions and demographic, illness, and clinical state measures in this population. A 5-hour neuropsychol ogical test battery was administered to 116 SPMI homeless individuals. Neuropsychological, diagnostic, substance abuse, clinical, and psycho pathology data were obtained in a standardized manner. SPMI homeless i ndividuals were significantly impaired on a wide range of neuropsychol ogical functions. Specific test performances were most significantly r elated to precursor variables (level of education and parental socioec onomic status) and state variables (level of psychosis and anticholine rgic medication dose). Gender and substance abuse had significant effe cts Limited to sustained attention. Neuropsychological performance was impaired in this sample of homeless SPMI persons. Further research, u sing profile analysis to directly compare groups composed of homeless persons without psychiatric illness or demographically matched persons of comparable psychiatric status who are not homeless will help clari fy the role of homelessness and psychosis on neuropsychological functi on.