Abstract
The aim of this work is to assess the relationship between the course of schizophrenia in first 9 years from the onset and cognitive, clinical and social outcome after many years from onset. We investigated 33 patients with chronic schizophrenia who took part in 9 year-long follow-up in first years of disease; with medium duration of ilness 31 years. We found relationship between the type of ilness (severe process with higher number of hospitalizations vs longer periods of remissions, no need to be hospitalized) and present functioning of working memory and psychomotor speed, however no relationship between performance on neuropsychological tests (exept TMT part A and B) and the course of ilness (treated vs untreated psychosis) has been found. Our results show also significant relationship between functional outcome at the baseline and cognitive flexibility, psychomotor speed and nonverbal working memory. Ability to complete correctly categories in the WCST was connected with better social adjustment at the baseline and longer periods of regular pharmacological treatment in first years of ilness. Present social outcome was assessed as better comparing to baseline.