Abstract
The variation in functional outcome in schizophrenia appears to be exaggerated in
late life. The cognitive and functional deficits commonly seen in younger schizophrenic
patients appear to worsen in some cases in late life, while others patients appear
to have a stable course of illness without functional decline, and still other patients
have been reported to have essentially no residual symptoms in their later years.
Cognitive and functional deficits appear to worsen more significantly in patients
with a lifetime course of severe functional deficit. Despite the profound functional
and cognitive deficits in these patients, neuropathologic studies have found no evidence
of typical causes of severe cognitive impairments. This paper reviews the current
findings on cognitive and functional changes in aging in schizophrenia, with a specific
focus on patients with a poor lifetime functional outcome.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
March 19,
1999
Received in revised form:
March 18,
1999
Received:
November 11,
1998
Identification
Copyright
© 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
