Physician's Weekly Article - Cognitive Deficits in Psychiatric Disorders

       A case-control study of patients with first-episode psychosis has found that cognitive deficits are present in all psychotic disorders early in their course, but they are most severe and pervasive in schizophrenia and least pervasive in bipolar disorder and mania. Among patients with schizophrenia, there were widespread neuropsychological impairments. These patients performed significantly worse than healthy comparison subjects on most neuropsychological measures. Patients with other psychotic disorders and depressive psychosis also had widespread impairments.

      Source: American Journal of Psychiatry, December 1, 2009.