Improvement in cognitive functions and psychiatric symptoms in treatment-refractory schizophrenic patients receiving clozapine

Cognitive functions and psychopathology were assessed in 36 treatment-refractory schizophrenic patients before initiation of clozapine, and at 6 weeks and 6 months, thereafter. Before treatment, cognitive impairment was found in each measure of memory, attention, and executive function as compared with 26 normal controls. After both 6 weeks and 6 months of treatment, significant improvement occurred in the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, a measure of retrieval from reference memory. Improvement was also noted as 6 months in the Category Instance Generation Test, another measure of retrieval from reference memory, and in some, but not all, tests of executive function, attention, and recall memory. Clozapine treatment also resulted in significant improvement in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) Total and Positive symptom scores at both 6-week and 6-month assessment points. There was some evidence for a relationship between improvement in psychopathology and cognitive function. The improvement in cognitive function during clozapine treatment could have consequences for capacity to work and social function.