Estimating cognitive deterioration in schizophrenia

Abstract

Comments on the articles by T. R. E. Hutton et al (see record 2000-02646-0030) and R. M. G. Norman et al (see record 2001-11812-008) which examined the duration of untreated psychosis in first-episode patients. The authors argue that these 2 studies failed to establish a relationship between the duration of untreated psychosis and cognitive deterioration in first-episode patients. Both studies used the National Adult Reading Test minus the current full-scale IQ to measure cognitive deterioration. The validity of this approach to assessing cognitive deficit is open to question. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2002 APA, all rights reserved)