A Review of Pharmacological Strategy for Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia.

Jeon, Dong Wook; Jung, Do Un; Kong, Bo Geum; Kang, Je Wook; Moon, Jung Joon; Shim, Joo Cheol

doi:2014.17.2.55

Korean J Schizophr Res > Volume 17(2); 2014 > Article

Review Article

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research 2014;17(2):55-62.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.16946/kjsr.2014.17.2.55 Published online October 31, 2014.

A Review of Pharmacological Strategy for Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia.

Dong Wook Jeon, Do Un Jung, Bo Geum Kong, Je Wook Kang, Jung Joon Moon, Joo Cheol Shim

¹Department of Psychiatry, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Korea.
²Department of Psychiatry Shim Joo-Cheol Clinic, Busan, Korea. shimjch@hotmail.com

Abstract

Cognitive deficit is frequently observed in patients with schizophrenia. It is significantly associated with functional outcome. In the past 20 years, due to significant advances on the concept of schizophrenia, cognitive deficit has been accepted as a core feature. In the DSM-5, cognitive deficit does not introduce diagnostic criteria of schizophrenia, but did one dimension of diagnosis of psychosis. Existing schizophrenia drugs are effective in treatment of positive symptoms of schizophrenia, but lack of effectiveness on improving cognitive function. Led by NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health), the MATRICS (Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia) meeting was conducted in order to achieve consensus on measuring tools and neuropharmacological targets for clinical trials for development of new drugs for improvement of cognitive function in schizophrenia. At the MATRICS consensus meeting, glutamatergic modulators and nicotinic and muscarinic agonists are expected to be promising, but should be proven by a double-blind placebo-controlled multicenter study for patients.

Key Words: Schizophrenia · Cognition · Pharmacotherapy