Cognitive enhancement in schizophrenia with pharmacological interventions

Cognitive impairment is a central feature of schizophrenia. Most patients have a poor functional outcome, including deficits in social, occupational, and self-care activities. The cost borne by the society in terms of social welfare administration and criminal justice, the time spent by unpaid caregivers, and the great loss of productivity due to the illness itself, are perhaps greater than the direct costs, such as, hospitalization. Functional deficits in schizophrenia are most strongly predicted by the current severity of cognitive impairment, followed by the severity of negative symptoms. Severity of positive symptoms is not strongly associated with the level of functional impairments, even in those with very poor outcome schizophrenia. There is thus an urgent need to find strategies for improving cognitive functioning in schizophrenia.