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Cognitive impairment affects a range of functional outcomes in schizophrenia. In addition, people with schizophrenia often take antipsychotics with anticholinergic properties, and anticholinergics are used to treat adverse effects of antipsychotics and for other medical problems. Researchers conducted a naturalistic, prospective, observational study to examine how anticholinergic medication burden affected cognition and ability to benefit from psychosocial interventions.
The 70 participants had schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (94% men; mean age, 39) and were followed for 3 years in Ireland's National Forensic Mental Health Service. Assessments, occurring every 6 months, were of cognition, social and occupational functioning, sympto…