A DISPUTABLE ISSUE OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IN MENTAL DISORDERS
This issue is especially important because it has to do with the essential role of cognitive impairment in mental disorders. In the publication reviewed the authors raise a question whether cognitive impairment in mental disorders is an endophenotype or an epiphenomenon? In the editorial associated with this publication, N. Sartorius writes that towards the end of the 20 <sup>th</sup> century a change happened that could be called a ‘silent revolution'. Specifically, previously the presence of cognitive impairment in brain damage was considered as key difference with ‘functional' mental disorders like schizophrenia and depressive disorder. An international group of authors including C.Hoschi (Prague), K.Kane (New York), W.Labee (Dusseldorf), Ph.Lorwood (Paris) and S.Kennedy (Toronto) focus on the following issue: do the cognitive impairments play a causal role in development of schizophrenia and major depressive disorder or they just form a new group of symptoms in these disorders? The content of discussion, the arguments of participants as well as proposed directions for further research could be of interest for Russian researchers, medical doctors and other specialists, especially those dealing with the subject of cognitive impairment.