We conclude that even non-hypoxemic patients with COPD show significant impairments in cognitive performance. These impairments are not associated with deteriorations in health related quality of life. Prospective evaluation of the impact of treatment on cognitive performance in non-hypoxemic patients with COPD would be a logical subsequent study.

No abstract

It has been shown that asthmatics have nocturnal symptoms associated with impaired cognitive performance. We explored more carefully different therapeutic approaches on this performance in relation to lung function in 46 atopics with mild to moderate asthma and with a circadian variation in peak expiratory flow (PEF) > or = 15%. In a double-blind, parallel study they inhaled salmeterol 50 microg or fluticasone 250 microg or a combination of both twice daily for 6 wk. The psychometric tests used informed about focused attention, mental flexibility, concentration, and attention. The results of the psychometric tests were compared with those in healthy control subjects. The PASAT score and the finishing time of the color-word chart subtest were significantly lower in these asthmatics than in the control subjects. Circadian PEF variation was the only independent factor significantly associated with impaired cognitive performance before the treatment period. The three treatment groups were equally effective in reducing circadian PEF variation below 10% and in improving FEV1 and bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine (MCh) both day and night. After 6 wk of therapy, the daytime cognitive performance was improved to levels comparable to those of the healthy control subjects no matter which drug was inhaled. We conclude that a high level of circadian PEF variation (> or = 20%) has been associated with lower daytime cognitive performance in asthmatics. Reduction of circadian PEF variation to below 10% is an important goal of treatment in asthmatics.

No abstract

Impaired social functioning is one of the diagnostic features of schizophrenia. Cognitive functioning is also often impaired in several domains. Meta-analysis has shown a predictive value of cognition for a variety of domains related to social functioning (Green, Kern, Braff, & Mintz, 2000). The significance of these findings for clinical practice has remained largely uninvestigated, however, and is therefore taken up here. We investigated verbal memory, attention and executive functioning in 52 schizophrenia patients. Social functioning was assessed for different types of social roles. The percentages of cognitive and social impairments in our group were assessed according to clinical principles, normally used to judge an individual patient. A possible predictive relationship between cognition and social functioning was studied on the basis of these clinical criteria. A large proportion of patients showed impairments in both cognitive functioning and social functioning. However, the clinical method resulted in a successful prediction of social functioning in only 21-69% of the cases. Social functioning and cognitive functioning were impaired in a large proportion of patients, but were largely independent from each other. Since relationships between cognition and social functioning are weak, assessment procedures are inconsistent and possibly not optimally adjusted to the psychiatric population, the clinical relevance of cognitive testing in order to predict social functioning is as yet questionable.