Cognitive performance of individuals with schizophrenia across seven decades: a study using the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of aging, schizophrenia, and their interaction on cognitive function. DESIGN: Cross-sectional controlled study. SETTING: Community living. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 235 subjects with schizophrenia age 19-79 and 333 comparison subjects age 20-81. MEASUREMENTS The Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). RESULTS: Older age was associated with poorer performance on 9 of 10 MCCB tests in both subjects with schizophrenia and comparison subjects. Subjects with schizophrenia were impaired relative to comparison subjects on each of the 10 tests. However, there was no interaction between aging and schizophrenia on any test. Essentially the same results were observed when analyzing performance on the seven MCCB cognitive domains and MCCB global composite score. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with other reports, schizophrenia appears to be a disorder marked by generalized cognitive dysfunction. However, the rate of cognitive decline appears to be similar to that observed in healthy comparison subjects. They do not experience acceleration in cognitive aging, which supports the hypothesis that schizophrenia is a syndrome of premature aging. Longitudinal studies including very old patients are needed to confirm and extend these findings.