Neurocognitive deficit changes in relation to the course of schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders: 5-year follow-up study.

Cognitive deficit is present in most of schizophrenia cases and even better explains functional outcomes then positive and negative symptoms. There have been less consensus regarding the long-term course of cognitive functioning after onset of the illness. In our study we used a neuropsychological test battery based on Luria`s systematic approach in testing of patients at their first episode of schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders and during 5-year follow-up. The results indicated that patients with various types of course of schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders and hence, good and poor outcomes demonstrated different patterns of dynamic of cognitive decline during the follow-up.