Projects / Programmes
Neurocognitive impairment in shizophrenia and affect of antipsychotics
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 3.09.00 |
Medical sciences |
Psychiatry |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B650 |
Biomedical sciences |
Psychiatry, clinical psychology, psychosomatics |
schizophrenia, cognitive function, psychopharmacology, reaction time
Researchers (6)
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
1620 |
University Psyhiatric Hospital |
Ljubljana - Polje |
1191004000 |
3,459 |
Abstract
Monitoring of effects of different antipychotic drugs represents a very important segment of general moniitoring of psychic changes in the course of treatment of shizophrenia. Disturbing and recognizable (also expected) side effects are common during treatment. Cognitive disfunctions, that may be one of the prime features of schiophrenia and that may undergo additional changes in the course of the treatment, represent the most significant predictor of patient's rehabilitation and often also of the efficacy of the treatment. Therefore, it is our primary goal to recognize the early statge of the schizophrenic disorder (at different levels) in patients with an accute outburst of schizophrenia, and their cognitive response to simple and complex stimuli. In each part of our project or in each individual testing procedure the responses will be qualitatively assessed (with the GPI-CF instrument) in view of adequacy, and quantitatively in view of the reaction (reaction time). The assessment of the reaction time is essential since on this basis inferences can be made regarding different components of cognition. With testing procedures, defined in such a manner, we will study attention, vigilantness, operative (short-term) memory, capacity for information, learning ability (learning curve), flexibility of thinking and proneness to fatigue. With monitoring and assessment of the mentioned functiones we will be able to assess eventual changes of these functions, effects of different antipsychotics on these functions and their predictive significance in the process of treatment with classical or atypical antipsychotics. Such functional determination of antipsychotic treatment represents an important novelty since it renders possible the choice of a specific medication for a specific patient with a specific cognitive disorder which will without doubt significantly influence the quality of patient's life.
