Assessment of Neurocognitive Impairment in Patients of Schizophrenia Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: A higher level of use of mental function for specific details, such as thought, memory, perception, motivation, skilled movements, and language, is known as a neurocognitive function.One of the main symptoms of schizophrenia is cognitive deficit, such as issues with working memory, mental function, and concentration.Hence, an improvement in neurocognitive impairment improves their socio-occupational skills.The long-term impact of cognitive dysfunction on an individual's function makes it a desirable goal for treatment.The study will evaluate neurocognitive performance in schizophrenia patients during a symptom-free period.Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 individuals with schizophrenia and 100 healthy controls at a tertiary care center between January 2023 and January 2024.The Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) was used to determine schizophrenia symptoms, and the PGI Battery of Brain Dysfunction (PGI BBD) was applied to assess neurocognitive impairment.In contrast, the Color Trail Test (CTT) was used for cognitive versatility and motor speed. Result:The study revealed that schizophrenia patients scored the worst, but healthy controls scored the best results in the neurocognitive battery.Thus, patients with schizophrenia have issues with managing their thoughts and motor processing. Conclusion:Not only does this study analyze the sociodemographic data of people with schizophrenia, but it also assesses the cognitive abilities of people with schizophrenia and will benefit future research as well.