A REVIEW OF LONGITUDINAL-STUDIES OF COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA-PATIENTS

Even though the idea that schizophrenia is a neurobehavioral syndrome has become a mainstream position, there is no consensus on the precise nature of the cognitive and neuropsychological impairment. Research o n cognitive dysfunctions in schizophrenia has been directed toward dis criminating stable dysfunctions (traits) from symptom-linked (state) d eficits. A longitudinal study design is the only one that can provide answers to the question of the stability of psychological functions, T his article reviews 15 studies with a followup of at least a year. The main conclusion drawn from these studies is that after the onset of s chizophrenia, cognitive deficits are relatively stable over long perio ds. No support for a decline in cognitive functions is found. Thus, sc hizophrenia does not appear to be a degenerative process, but rather a static encephalopathy. Whether or not the cognitive deficits found in schizophrenia can be remediated is still an open question that needs to be examined.