Functioning in middle aged and older patients with schizophrenia and depressive symptoms: relationship to psychopathology.

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms are common in middle aged and older patients with schizophrenia. The authors hypothesized that worse functioning in these patients would be associated with worse psychopathology.

METHODS

Outpatients with schizophrenia were > or =40 years old with subsyndromal depression and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale Scores of > or =8. Exclusions were dementia, two months of either mania or major depression or 1 month active substance abuse/dependence. The authors administered performance based functional assessments, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale of Schizophrenia [PANSS], and Calgary Depression Rating Scale.

RESULTS

PANSS (-) scores were negatively correlated with the UCSD Performance Skills Based Assessment, Social Skills Performance Assessment and Medication Management Ability Assessment total error (MMAA) scores. Digit symbol scores served as a moderator of the relationship between MMAA and PANSS (-) scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Negative symptoms were associated with functioning. The relationship between negative symptoms and medication errors seem to weaken in subjects with quicker processing speed.