Tsona A. Peculiarities of negative symptoms and neurocognitive deficits under schizophrenia in remission, dynamics and correction

In the dissertation the theoretical generalization was performed and new solution was present for actual scientific problem of improvement of diagnostic process, treatment and rehabilitation of patients with schizophrenia in remission by developing complex therapeutic interventions based on study of peculiarities of negative symptoms and neurocognitive deficits. 162 patients with schizophrenia in remission were screened to participate in the study. As the result 121 patients were selected and participated in the study. It was found that neurocognitive deficit was present in the majority of patients with schizophrenia in remission (95.87 % of patients). 52 patients (42.98 %) showed a global deficit of neurocognition in all major domains (speed of information processing / attention, verbal learning, verbal and visual-spatial working memory). Information processing speed and working memory are key affected domains. While verbal working memory disturbance in the structure of neurocognitive deficit is relatively more significant factor in determining the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia in remission. Passive/apathetic social withdrawal (57 patients (47.11 %)) and emotional withdrawal (49 patients (40.5 %)) were the most common negative symptoms which reach functional significance severity. The degree of correlation of severity of negative symptoms and performance scores on neurocognitive tests did not exceed mild weight (r less than 0.3). Negative symptoms and neurocognitive deficits are crucial clinical manifestations of schizophrenia in remission and determine 36.4 % of variability of quality of life scores on scale Q-LES-Q-SF. Therefore, they must first be taken into account during the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with schizophrenia in remission. The application of combined treatment with cerebrolysin as add-on to basic antipsychotic treatment allowed to achieve improved neurocognitive functioning of patients with schizophrenia in remission.