Funzioni cognitive frontali e livelli di impulsività: risultati preliminari in un campione di pazienti psichiatrici autori di reato

Frontal cognitive impairment is associated in psychiatric patients with a worse overall outcome and the risk of violent behavior. Thisstudy analyzes impulsivity levels and executive functions in a sample of 16 offender psychiatric patients. Patients with schizophreniaspectrum disorders presented worse attentional levels than patients with other diagnoses. Negative correlations between both total andattentional impulsivity and short-term memory emerged. Attentional performance was positively correlated with functioning whilepsychopathological severity negatively with short-term memory. Further research on larger samples is needed in order to adequatelycharacterize the cognitive profiles of psychiatric patients who commit crimes both for rehabilitation and preventive purposes on the riskof violence.