Cognitive disorder or deficit in psychosis

Cognitive deficit in psychosis is a very common picture in patients with this condition.

Cognitive deterioration in psychosis prevents patients from having good performance in many areas of their life, since the intellectual coefficient is affected, in addition to other functions such as executives, care and memory.

This cognitive deficit in psychosis can be more acute. The person has suffered a psychotic episode and has not had a pharmacological treatment.

Cognitive deficit in psychosis

The cognitive deficit in psychosis places the person who suffers from a severe disability that affects its daily functioning in a more accentuated way even than when it comes to the symptoms of the disease.

Therefore, clinical practice must be oriented towards this fact, with the purpose of being able to attenuate disabilities, then, Psychosis is characterized by slowing in several areas, With emphasis on orientation, memory, attention and language.

It is worth noting that, this cognitive deficit can occur in schizophrenia, even before the depipopic phase, so early identification and intervention are key so that the patient can have a favorable course.

However, it is worth noting that Schizophrenia is part of a broader disease known as psychosis, And this is its main difference.

In turn, psychosis is characterized by being a mental state in which an alteration of reality is present, that is, those who suffer from psychosis usually perceive reality altered.

In fact, one of the main symptoms of psychosis is hallucination, in addition to delusions.

Thus, People who suffer from psychosis can believe that, through television, for example, they are sending coded messages, or feel that they listen to voices, in addition to seeing things that do not exist, or believe that there are one or more people against them.

The cognitive deficit, a constant

Cognitive deficit is one of the most notorious symptoms of psychosis. Therefore, the psychologist Juan Antonio García, in his study on cognitive alterations in cases of early functional psychosis, points out that These cognitive deficits are frequent in early start psychosis, that is, when this starts before the age of 18.

Psychosis leads to a specific and severe alteration as regards contact with reality, which affects broad areas of mental functioning.

The way in which this is reflected is, as mentioned, through delusions, cognitive deterioration and hallucinations. The author also adds that the presence of the deficit occurs in memory, learning, attention and executive functions.

In his study, Garcia compared two cases of cognitive alterations in cases of psychosis, and concluded that A deterioration in processing speed and a short -term visual memory deficit was evidenced.

In addition, he observed alterations in the processes of retention and recovery of verbal material, both in the short and long term; abstraction alterations, working memory, inhibition in responses, condition in visuoconstructive skills, as well as in language.

However, psychiatrist Álvaro Barrera, in his research on cognitive disorders of schizophrenia, indicates that these disorders in memory and attention take place even before psychosis begins, and they even last when psychosis has been resolved.

Barrier emphasizes that The concept of attention is multidimensional, Therefore, it includes in it, the stimuli detection processes, the ability to address these stimuli selectively and the ability to sustain attention.

Both studies agree that attention deficits persist, although antisicotic medication can mitigate them.

When listing them, the cognitive deficit in psychosis can affect the following areas:

• The declarative and verbal memory;
• The executive functions;
• Sustained attention;
• Working memory, and
• The sustained attention capacity, which affects social functioning.

As for deficits in executive functions, working memory, declarative memory and attention, these They end up affecting occupational functioning, in addition to the ability to live independently.

The treatment of this disease will depend on the cause of it, but, it could include drugs to treat symptoms, in addition to psychotherapeutic accompaniment to improve the cognitive deficit of psychosis.

In many cases, hospitalization is necessary, especially for patients whose symptoms place them at risk or in danger situations, both family and themselves.

Therefore, it is important that the family receive the right information about this condition in order to be prepared on what they should expect.

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Bibliography:

• Barrera P, Alvaro. (2006). Cognitive disorders of schizophrenia. Chilean Neuro-Psychiatry Magazine, 44(3), 215-221.
• Garcia, J. TO. B. (2013). Cognitive alterations in two cases of early functional psychosis. North of Mental Health, 9(41).
• Soler, c. (1992). Studies on psychosis. Manantial editions.
• Tizón, j. L. (2014). Understand psychosis: towards an integrative approach. Editorial Herder.