Evaluating the Effects of Antipsychotics on Cognition in Schizophrenia

Cognitive deficits are an integral feature of schizophrenia and have a deleterious effect on the abilityof schizophrenic patients to work and function in a social environment. Drugs that bring about substantialcognitive improvement represent a major contribution in improving the quality of life inschizophrenia. Recent studies have suggested that the atypical antipsychotics may be more useful thanconventional agents for improving cognition. There is evidence that scores on neuropsychological assessmentshave improved after treatment with clozapine, risperidone, and quetiapine. Future researchis needed to characterize and quantify the cognitive effects of the atypical antipsychotics.