Evidence of Exacerbated Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia Patients With Comorbid Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is associated with both schizophrenia and cognitive performance. The authors compared cognitive performance in three groups: patients with schizophrenia and diabetes, patients with diabetes only, and patients with schizophrenia only. Results indicated that the schizophrenia/diabetes group was impaired cognitively relative to both other groups, especially in the domains of processing speed and visual/spatial ability. Also, these impairments were associated with diabetes severity markers. Because either illness creates cognitive vulnerability, comorbid occurrence is even more likely to undermine essential functional brain systems, leading to an increased rate and magnitude of cognitive decline with associated declines in community functioning.