Abstract
This chapter presents current information about cognitive and functional deficits in schizophrenia patients in late life. Some interesting research findings suggest that some schizophrenia patients worsen in their cognitive and functional status as they age. Yet the majority of older patients with schizophrenia appear not to have any changes in their functioning into later life. This chapter will examine these findings, describe the current information regarding risk factors for the decline in the subset of patients whose functioning appears to decline, and evaluate the implications of cognitive and functional changes with aging. We identify possible reasons that the course of cognitive and functional diverges across different patients. To do so, we first briefly examine the characteristics of cognitive and functional deficits in schizophrenia patients in general. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)