Cognitive and behavioural functioning in men with schizophrenia both before and shortly after first admission to hospital - Cross-sectional analysis

Background The extent of premorbid changes associated with the onset of sch izophrenia are debated. Aims The study examined cognitive and behavioural functioning prior to, and after, first hospitalisation for schizophrenia. Method Data from the Israeli Draft Board Register of intelligence, social f unctioning and behaviour testing for all Israeli males aged 16-17 was linke d with data from the National Psychiatric Hospitalisation Case Register. Th is identified 692 men who had been admitted to hospital for schizophrenia. Cases and non-cases matched on age and school were compared, as were cases aggregated by the time that gad elapsed between testing and first admission to hospital. Results Cases performed worse than non-cases on all measures. On Social Fun ctioning and on Raven's Progressive Matrices-R, differences between cases a nd non-cases were progressively greater for cases admitted closer to the ti me of testing. These differences were greatest for persons tested after fir st psychiatric hospitalisation. Conclusions The results confirm premorbid deficits associated with schizoph renia and support the hypothesis that decline is progressive.