Shaun Eack1, Jessica Wojtalik1, Matcheri Keshavan2; 1School of Social Work and Department of Psychiatry University of Pittsburgh, 2Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Harvard Medical School
Background: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the long-term trajectories of cognitive, functional, and clinical outcomes following Cognitive Enhancement Therapy (CET) in early course schizophrenia. Methods: Schizophrenia outpatients from a 2-year randomized clinical trial of CET applied in the early course of the illness are completing a 10-year post-treatment follow-up study. Participants from the original trial have completed a comprehensive battery of cognitive, functional, and clinical assessments identical to those in the original trial. Composite indexes were calculated for processing speed, neurocognition, social cognition, functioning, and symptomatology. Linear growth curve models were used to examine longitudinal durability differences in these five domains 10-years following treatment with either CET or an Enriched Supportive Therapy (EST) comparison treatment. Results: Social-cognitive ability favoring CET was stable across the 10-year follow-up period, with continued evidence of group separation and little evidence of erosion of efficacy. Some reduction in functioning was observed in both groups after completing treatment (all p < .001), but after 10 years patients in CET retained a higher level of functioning over the follow-up period. Finally, group separation favoring CET in symptomatology continued to persist relative to EST over the course of 10-year follow-up. Conclusions: Although these data are considered preliminary, the results suggest that CET is an effective treatment that contributes to long-term and stable improvements in cognition and functional outcome in people with schizophrenia treated in the early course of the illness.
