Abstract. The current study aims to establish cognitive dysfunctions in patients with bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia, and to compare these cognitive dysfunctions in both groups of patients. It also aims to register factors of the clinical picture and the course of both illnesses that impact cognition. The study is cross-sectional and includes 132 participants, 42 with bipolar disorder, 53 with schizophrenia, and 37 healthy controls. The data for the demographic characteristics, clinical picture, and course of the disorders are collected through the Diagnostic interview for psychosis (DIP). The cognitive status is assessed with Trail Making Test (ТМТ-А, В), Digit Symbol Test (DST), Verbal Fluency Test (VFT). We found a statistically significant difference in both group patients in DST and VFT as compared to healthy controls. Patients with bipolar affective disorder do not have statistically significantly worse results than healthy controls in TMT, parts A and B (р=0,136 и р=0,184, respectively). The results of all tests are worse in schizophrenic than in bipolar patients. The presence of psychotic symptoms in the history of the disorder negatively impacts the cognitive abilities of the patients with bipolar affective disorder (р=0,037). The duration of the disease and the number of hospitalizations tend to affect the cognition of patients with schizophrenia negatively.

Key words: bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, cognitive dysfunction

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