Abstract
Background: Movement disorders are common in individuals with schizophrenia, even in those who are not exposed to antipsychotic medications. Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) are among the most common abnormal movements in schizophrenia, but their relationship with other features of the illness such as cognition is not well characterized. Methods: Three hundred and twenty-five individuals with schizophrenia who were not receiving any antipsychotic or anticholinergic medication and participated in the baseline visit of the Clinical Antipsychotic Treatment of Intervention Effectiveness study were included in the present study. EPSs were assessed using the Simpson-Angus Scale, while cognition was measured with a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. The relationship between EPS and cognitive test performance was evaluated both dimensionally and categorically. Results: Greater severity of EPS was significantly associated with worse cognitive test performance evaluated using a composite score. Eighty-six patients were identified as having parkinsonism and these patients performed worse on cognitive tests than non-parkinsonian patients. These findings remained significant even after accounting for other variables such as severity of psychopathology, sedation, akathisia and dyskinesia. Conclusions: The present results demonstrate that severity of EPS is reliably linked with poorer scores on tests of cognition. While this may reflect a common pathophysiology underlying neuromotor and neurocognitive deficits, it may also be the case that parkinsonian symptoms such as rigidity and bradykinesia impede test taking ability. Regardless of mechanism, inferences regarding cognitive impairment should take into account the presence of EPS, as well as other variables that may mediate cognitive test findings.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 351-356 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Schizophrenia Research |
| Volume | 161 |
| Issue number | 2-3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 Feb 1 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Motor symptoms
- Neurocognition
- Parkinsonism
- Psychomotor slowing
- Psychotic disorder
- Side effects
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Biological Psychiatry
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Extrapyramidal symptoms and cognitive test performance in patients with schizophrenia. / Fervaha, Gagan; Agid, Ofer; Takeuchi, Hiroyoshi; Lee, Jimmy; Foussias, George; Zakzanis, Konstantine K.; Graff-Guerrero, Ariel; Remington, Gary.
In: Schizophrenia Research, Vol. 161, No. 2-3, 01.02.2015, p. 351-356.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Extrapyramidal symptoms and cognitive test performance in patients with schizophrenia
AU - Fervaha, Gagan
AU - Agid, Ofer
AU - Takeuchi, Hiroyoshi
AU - Lee, Jimmy
AU - Foussias, George
AU - Zakzanis, Konstantine K.
AU - Graff-Guerrero, Ariel
AU - Remington, Gary
PY - 2015/2/1
Y1 - 2015/2/1
N2 - Background: Movement disorders are common in individuals with schizophrenia, even in those who are not exposed to antipsychotic medications. Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) are among the most common abnormal movements in schizophrenia, but their relationship with other features of the illness such as cognition is not well characterized. Methods: Three hundred and twenty-five individuals with schizophrenia who were not receiving any antipsychotic or anticholinergic medication and participated in the baseline visit of the Clinical Antipsychotic Treatment of Intervention Effectiveness study were included in the present study. EPSs were assessed using the Simpson-Angus Scale, while cognition was measured with a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. The relationship between EPS and cognitive test performance was evaluated both dimensionally and categorically. Results: Greater severity of EPS was significantly associated with worse cognitive test performance evaluated using a composite score. Eighty-six patients were identified as having parkinsonism and these patients performed worse on cognitive tests than non-parkinsonian patients. These findings remained significant even after accounting for other variables such as severity of psychopathology, sedation, akathisia and dyskinesia. Conclusions: The present results demonstrate that severity of EPS is reliably linked with poorer scores on tests of cognition. While this may reflect a common pathophysiology underlying neuromotor and neurocognitive deficits, it may also be the case that parkinsonian symptoms such as rigidity and bradykinesia impede test taking ability. Regardless of mechanism, inferences regarding cognitive impairment should take into account the presence of EPS, as well as other variables that may mediate cognitive test findings.
AB - Background: Movement disorders are common in individuals with schizophrenia, even in those who are not exposed to antipsychotic medications. Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) are among the most common abnormal movements in schizophrenia, but their relationship with other features of the illness such as cognition is not well characterized. Methods: Three hundred and twenty-five individuals with schizophrenia who were not receiving any antipsychotic or anticholinergic medication and participated in the baseline visit of the Clinical Antipsychotic Treatment of Intervention Effectiveness study were included in the present study. EPSs were assessed using the Simpson-Angus Scale, while cognition was measured with a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. The relationship between EPS and cognitive test performance was evaluated both dimensionally and categorically. Results: Greater severity of EPS was significantly associated with worse cognitive test performance evaluated using a composite score. Eighty-six patients were identified as having parkinsonism and these patients performed worse on cognitive tests than non-parkinsonian patients. These findings remained significant even after accounting for other variables such as severity of psychopathology, sedation, akathisia and dyskinesia. Conclusions: The present results demonstrate that severity of EPS is reliably linked with poorer scores on tests of cognition. While this may reflect a common pathophysiology underlying neuromotor and neurocognitive deficits, it may also be the case that parkinsonian symptoms such as rigidity and bradykinesia impede test taking ability. Regardless of mechanism, inferences regarding cognitive impairment should take into account the presence of EPS, as well as other variables that may mediate cognitive test findings.
KW - Motor symptoms
KW - Neurocognition
KW - Parkinsonism
KW - Psychomotor slowing
KW - Psychotic disorder
KW - Side effects
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84921455993&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84921455993&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.schres.2014.11.018
DO - 10.1016/j.schres.2014.11.018
M3 - Article
C2 - 25471015
AN - SCOPUS:84921455993
VL - 161
SP - 351
EP - 356
JO - Schizophrenia Research
JF - Schizophrenia Research
SN - 0920-9964
IS - 2-3
ER -