FUNCTIONAL HEMISPHERE IMBALANCE IN PATIENTS WITH PARANOID OR DISORGANIZED SCHIZOPHRENIA

We assessed hemisphere function in right-handed male chronic schizophr enic patients using dichotic listening tests. We evaluated digit, toni c and transitional tests in patients with paranoid schizophrenia (n = 8), patients with disorganized schizophrenia (n = 8) and in control su bjects (n = 8). The dichotic listening analysis discriminated between paranoid and disorganized schizophrenia. In disorganized schizophrenia , functional impairment of both hemispheres was demonstrated, while in paranoid schizophrenia dysfunction was more prominent in the right he misphere. These results indicate the possible involvement of right hem isphere dysfunction in the pathophysiology of chronic paranoid schizop hrenia, in contrast to dysfunction of both hemispheres in chronic diso rganized schizophrenia.