Control of cognitive functions with the camdex test on long term hospitalized cronic psychotic patients

Background

In this essay we describe the studies and results of the camdex test on chronic schizophrenic patients with long term hospitalization and an average time of disease 33 years for men and 28 for women. Aggravating factor for these patients, besides the progress of the disease was the lack of supporting familial environment.

Materials and methods

There were registrated in study, 60 psychotic patients, 30 men and 30 women with diagnosis of schizophrenia – residual type.

Average age was 53 years for the men and 50 for the women.

Average duration of illness was 33 years for the men and 28 for the women.

Average duration of hospitalisation was 100,6 months for the men and 103 months for the women.

We took in account the educational level, the familial situation and the existence of familial environment.

Results

the same group of men that was tested with the mmse and was on cut off limits, in the camdex test had an average score of 83,13 which is 9,13 points higher than the 74, considered to be the cut off point of this test. The group of women marked an average result of 76 only 2 points higher than the cut off point which is considered as a disputable area for this test.

Discussion

The different results of the tests on the same categories of patients conclude that no test by itself is capable to evaluate the capacity of making lawful acts because someone that has failed those tests doesn't necessarily lose his ability to decide over his properties.