Sex differences in cognitive impairments in first-episode and chronically schizophrenic patients

Li Hui; Li Chunbo; Wang Hongyan; Xu Lihua; Zhang Tianhong; Wang Jijun

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1009-6574.2019.04.008

Abstract：Objectives? To investigate the sex differences in neurocognitive function in patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FES) and chronic schizophrenia (CSz). Methods? A total of 53 patients with FES and 104 patients with CSz were enrolled, and 52 healthy controls (HC) were recruited at the same time. The three groups were evaluated for neurocognitive function using the Chinese version of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Results?(1) The comparison of sex differences in MCCB test scores showed that the interaction between groups and sexes was not statistically significant (F=0.80, P=0.67); the main effects of the group were significant, and the scores of 6 MCCB subtests and the total neurocognitive scores were all significantly different; the main effect of gender was statistically significant in the visual learning memory test (F=5.12, P=0.03). The females in the CSz group were better than the males in visual learning memory (t=2.44, P=0.02); There was no significant difference between sexes in the FES and the HC group. (2) Compared with the HC group, the scores of the MCCB total scores and the scores of the subtests in the FES and CSz groups were all statistically different, except for vocabulary learning and memory. Compared with the CSz group, the total score of the neurocognitive dimension in the FES group was better (t=2.36, P=0.05). Conclusions? The cognitive function of both the first-episode and chronic schizophrenia patients is impaired and the visual learning and memory impairment in male chronic patients are more serious than in female patients.