European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Introduction
Various Studies have shown that the early- and late-onset schizophrenia patients differ and accompanied by impairments in several domains of cognitive function. Hence studying Cognitive impairment will be helpful to understand pathology and phenomenology of schizophrenia and giving cognitive remediation therapy in a better way.
Aims
To evaluate the neurocognitive impairment in Early-onset Schizophrenia and Late-onset Schizophrenia. To find out difference in severity of neurocognitive impairment between two groups.
Materials and methods
This study was approved by Institutional Ethical Committee, Madras Medical College, Tamil Nadu, India. The study subjects were taken from the Institute of mental health hospital.  For each group, 150 samples were taken. Administration of NIMHANS neuropsychological battery to both groups testing domains of, Working memory, Verbal learning & memory,  Auditory verbal learning test, Visual learning & memory and Mental speed. The results were statistically evaluated with IBM SPSS 20.
Results
Verbal N Back test hits were comparatively higher in late onset schizophrenia patients than early onset. Similarly the error was more in early onset schizophrenia patients. Visual N Back test hits were comparatively higher in late onset schizophrenia patients than early onset. Similarly the error was more in early onset schizophrenia patients. The time taken was similar in both the groups. The error due to digital vigilance test was more in early onset schizophrenia patients. The time taken for color trail test was significantly higher in early onset schizophrenia patients. The time taken for complex figure test was significantly higher in late onset schizophrenia patients. The time taken for Digital symbol substitution test was significantly higher in early onset schizophrenia patients.
Conclusions
In this study, early onset schizophrenia patients had more cognitive impairment than late onset schizophrenia patients in most of the measured cognitive domains.