Subjective cognitive dysfunction in first-episode and chronic schizophrenic patients.

Previous studies indicate that first-episode and chronic schizophrenic patients do not differ regarding neuropsychological performance as assessed with standard cognitive tasks. For the present study, it was investigated whether first-episode and chronic schizophrenics report similar subjective cognitive deficits. The Frankfurt Complaint Questionnaire (FCQ), a scale devised for assessing subjective cognitive disturbances in schizophrenia, was administered to 20 first-episode and 36 chronic schizophrenic patients, as well as 20 healthy controls. The schizophrenic subsamples did not differ on any of the FCQ subscales or on a "lie scale," measuring illness denial. Psychopathological ratings were comparable for both groups. As expected, healthy subjects reported significantly less cognitive and perceptual problems than schizophrenic patients. In marked contrast to a Kraepelinian view of schizophrenia, the present data confirm previous studies conducted with objective neuropsychological tests that schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental rather than a neurodegenerative disorder. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company