Journal of Clinical Medicine (Jun 2021)

The Role of Premorbid IQ and Age of Onset as Useful Predictors of Clinical, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of Individuals with a First Episode of Psychosis

  • Mariola Molina-García,
  • David Fraguas,
  • Ángel del Rey-Mejías,
  • Gisela Mezquida,
  • Ana M. Sánchez-Torres,
  • Silvia Amoretti,
  • Antonio Lobo,
  • Ana González-Pinto,
  • Álvaro Andreu-Bernabeu,
  • Iluminada Corripio,
  • Eduard Vieta,
  • Inmaculada Baeza,
  • Anna Mané,
  • Manuel Cuesta,
  • Elena de la Serna,
  • Beatriz Payá,
  • Iñaki Zorrilla,
  • Celso Arango,
  • Miquel Bernardo,
  • Marta Rapado-Castro,
  • Mara Parellada

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10112474
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 11
p. 2474

Abstract

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Background: premorbid IQ (pIQ) and age of onset are predictors of clinical severity and long-term functioning after a first episode of psychosis. However, the additive influence of these variables on clinical, functional, and recovery rates outcomes is largely unknown. Methods: we characterized 255 individuals who have experienced a first episode of psychosis in four a priori defined subgroups based on pIQ (low pIQ d = 0.59), poorer functioning (d = 0.82), lower remission (61% vs. 81.1%), and clinical recovery (34.1% vs. 62.2%). Conclusions: early-onset individuals with low pIQ may present persistent negative symptoms, lower functioning, and less recovery likelihood at two-year follow-up. Intensive cognitive and functional programs for these individuals merit testing to improve long-term recovery rates in this subgroup.

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