The cognitive association occurred in groups that also differed clinically.
The exploratory two-service study included fifty-five psychosis-spectrum outpatients. Patients prescribed benzodiazepines continuously for at least six months had lower global and cognitive-function ratings, higher psychiatric symptom scores and more psychotropic medicines than the comparison group.
The small observational sample cannot distinguish medication effects from illness severity or prescribing selection. Similar demographics and antipsychotic doses do not eliminate confounding. Prescription duration does not directly measure adherence, and rating scales are not comprehensive neuropsychological testing.
For evaluating cognitive complaints, reconstruct baseline symptoms, functioning and all medication changes. Do not assume the benzodiazepine caused every difference or dismiss a possible contribution because the patient already had psychosis. The paper identifies an association requiring individualized assessment rather than a causal diagnostic rule.
Source: Publication PMC8115742. Applications to expert review are interpretive analysis.
Related reading: Community Psychiatry Long-Term Prescribing Used a More-Than-180-Day Definition.