The course of neuropsychological functioning in young people with attenuated vs discrete mental disorders

Abstract

Aim: Clinical staging of mental disorders is designed to facilitate the selection of stage-appropriate interventions, early in the course of illness. Neuropsychological performance, particularly at early stages of mental disorder, is a strong predictor of medium-term functional outcomes. Despite this, the longitudinal examination of neuropsychological profiles in early stages of illness is poorly researched. Thus, we examined baseline and longitudinal neuropsychological profiles of young patients with attenuated syndromes vs those with discrete disorders. Methods: Neuropsychological testing of 497 help-seeking young people (21.2 ± 3 years; 56% female). Clinical staging, assigned separately f..