Cognitive impairment profile in paranoid schizophrenia: brief study in Peruvian population

Schizophrenia has an extensive burden of disease, social and functional alteration and a poor therapeutic response. These effects are related to significant disorders of the cognitive processes; however, they are often not properly evaluated or followed. The aim of this study was to know the applicability of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised as an overall measure of the cognitive profile of patients with paranoid schizophrenia in mental health care. We compared the cognitive profile of subjects diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia according to the DSM-IV-TR, to matched control subjects by age and sex, using a non-probabilistic and intentional sampling. Parametric (Student's T) and Non-Parametric (Mann Whitney U) statistics, as well as Linear Regression Analysis and Pearson's Correlation were performed. Statistically significant differences were found between the cognitive profiles of the clinical group and control (p <0.000), as well in different specific processes (Orientation, Memory, Verbal Fluency, Language, Visuospatial Ability). The item-test correlation was adequate, as well as the reliability obtained with Cronnbach's alpha (alpha = 0.885). Conclusion: ACE-R shows adequate reliability and its use for the assessment of cognitive processes in schizophrenia is very useful.