DESCRIPTION:
Although it has been known for 100 years that cognitive functioning is impaired in schizophrenia, the implications of this impairment have only recently been clearly understood. While in the past, cognitive deficits were thought to be the result of other aspects of the illness, such as poor co- operation, or as a result of the treatment of the illness, it is now known that these factors exert only a very minor influence on cognitive deficit. This book, with contributions from the major international names in the field, reviews the most recent research on the impairment of cognitive functioning in schizophrenia, covering: what it is, how wide-ranging it can be, what the clinical implications are, and how it can be treated? The book is divided into three sections. The first section provides background information on the important aspects of cognitive functioning in schizophrenia. The second section provides information on the correlates of cognitive functioning, examining classical symptoms of the illness, as well as social and adaptive functional deficits. The final section provides information on the treatment of cognitive functioning in schizophrenia, from the older less effective treatments with conventional antipsychotics, to the developing treatment strategies using experimental compounds. A clear insight into cognitive deficit is the key to understanding why previous treatments have failed, and the key by which new treatments may change this terrible illness, treatments significantly more effective than earlier interventions.
CONTENTS:
Section One: The Impairments of Cognitive Functioning in Schizophrenia
1. The Course of Cognitve Impairment in Patients with Schizophrenia
2. Working Memory Dysfunction and its Relevance to Schizophrenia
3. Executive Dysfunction in Schizophrenia
4. Learning and Memory in Schizophrenia
5. Information Processing and Attention in Schizophrenia:clinical and functional correlates and treatment of cognitives impairment
6. Formal Thought Disorder in Schizophrenia: characteristics and cognitive underpinnings
7. Glutamatergic Contributions to Cognitive Dysfunction in Schizophrenia
Section Two: The Importance of Cognitive Impairment and its Correlates in Schizophrenia
8. Cognitive Functioning, Social Adjustment and Long-term Outcome in Schizophrenia
9. Relevance of Neurocognitive Deficits for Functional Outcome in Schizophrenia
10. Cognitive Functioning and Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia
11. Cognitive Impairments as Causes of Positive Symptoms in Schizophrenia
12. Cognitive Functioning in Schizophrenic Patients with Comorbid Substance Use Disorders
Section Three: Treatment For Cognitive Impairments
13. Cognitive Effects of Typical Antipsychotic Treatment: anither look
14. The Central Cholinergic System and Cognitive Dysfunction in Schizophrenia
15. Cognitive Enhancement as a Treatment Strategy in Schizophrenia
16. Specific Cognitive Enhancers
17. Cognitive Rehabilitation and Remediation in Schizophrenia
Conclusions
