Journal of International Psychiatry

Objective To explore the characteristics of neurocognition impairment in patients with stable schizophrenia, and to analyze related factors, and to provide clinical coping strategies for improving and enhancing neurocognitive function in patients with schizophrenia. Methods 155 patients with stable schizophrenia and 36 healthy subjects were assessed by the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Cognitive Test (MCCB) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). General demographic and clinical data were collected，comparing differences in cognitive function between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls, and to explore related factors that affect neurocognitive function in patients with schizophrenia. Results (1) The scores of the six neurocognitive dimensions in patients with stable schizophrenia were significantly lower than those in the healthy control group (P<0.05). (2) Regression analysis showed that the severity of psychopathological symptoms (total BPRS score) had significant effects on information processing speed, verbal learning in patients with schizophrenia (P<0.05); (3) There are significant correlations between the six neurocognitive dimensions of schizophrenia (P<0.05)：the speed of information processing significantly affects attention/alertness, working memory, verbal learning, reasoning and problem solving ability (P<0.01); Working memory significantly affects attention/alertness, information processing speed, and visual learning (P<0.01); attention/alertness significantly affects working memory, information processing speed, and social cognition (P<0.01). Conclusions (1) Compared with the healthy control group, the functions of the six neurocognitive dimensions of patients with stable schizophrenia were significantly impaired; (2) The severity of psychopathological symptoms significantly affected the information processing speed, verbal learning and social cognitive functions of patients with schizophrenia; (3) The six neurocognitive dimensions of patients with schizophrenia are related to each other, the decrease of information processing speed may be the core neurocognitive dysfunction of patients, which widely affects other neurocognitive functions.

Schizophrenia; Neurocognition; Influencing factors; MCCB