The effect of risperidone on cognition in patients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of risperidone on cognitive functions after both 6 weeks and 6 months of treatment and to determine whether any improvement on neuropsychological function relates to improvement in psychopathology.

METHOD

Patients' psychiatric and extrapyramidal symptoms were assessed while they were receiving classical neuroleptic treatment and adjunctive medications. Patients were then reassessed after changing to a new treatment of risperidone.

RESULTS

During treatment with risperidone, schizophrenic patients displayed improved performance mainly on attentional components, specifically, selective attention and alertness.

CONCLUSION

In patients who were given risperidone, there was a positive correlation between improvement in psychopathology and improvement in cognitive tests of explicit memory and alertness.