Cognitive Functioning in Schizophrenia, Methamphetamine‑induced Psychotic Disorder, and Healthy People: A Comparative Study

Methamphetamine‑induced psychotic disorder (MIP) cannot be easily differentiated from other psychotic disorders. Some studies have reported that patients with MIP and schizophrenia have differences in their cognitive functioning. We hypothesized that their performance would be different on neuropsychological tests which assess executive functions and visual memory.

In a cross‑sectional study, 30 patients with MIP, 31 patients with schizophrenia, and 31 healthy controls were assessed by Rey–Osterrieth complex figure (ROCF) test and visual search and attention test (VSAT). One‑way analysis of variance was performed to compare the mean scores of tests. Tukey’s HSD test was used for post hoc analysis.

Three groups had significant differences according to ROCF test (F = 15.76, P < 0.0001), VSAT (F = 39.78, P < 0.0001), left VSAT (F = 37.96, P < 0.0001), right VSAT (F = 40.40, P < 0.0001), and the time of the test administration (F = 3.26, P = 0.04). The post hoc analysis showed that the mean score of ROCF test and VSAT (total, right, and left) was significantly higher in the control group than in the other two groups. The time of administering the test in the control group was significantly shorter than in the MIP group (P < 0.03) and nonsignificantly shorter than in the schizophrenia group (P = 0.54). The mean score of right side VSAT was significantly higher in the MIP group than in the schizophrenia group.

ROCF could not differentiate MIP from schizophrenia. The better performance of patients with MIP on right side VSAT that is reported in this and in the previous study needs to be reevaluated in more controlled studies.