LANGUAGE DYSFUNCTION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Twenty-four medicated schizophrenic subjects participated in a study a imed at assessing language dysfunction in schizophrenia. Two groups of subjects participated: schizophrenic responders and non-responders to treatment with antipsychotic medication. All subjects were tested on The Western Aphasia Battery test (WAB), the Cookie Theft picture descr iptions task, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales - Revised (WA IS-R) block design and picture arrangement subtests. All verbal and no n-verbal assessments were compared between groups. The three main find ings of this study were: 1. Severe language dysfunction among schizoph renic patients who do not respond to medication treatment. That is, th erapeutic response to medication was the major predictor of the severi ty of language dysfunction in schizophrenia. 2. A group profile of lan guage dysfunction differed in severity but not in shape between respon ders and non-responders to treatment with antipsychotic medication. 3. Schizophrenic responders and non-responders to medication treatment d id not differ in their performance on a standardised picture descripti on task and failed to reach low-moderate aphasia level. Secondary find ings suggest that non-verbal aspects, such as attention and logical se quencing, may be influenced by treatment. This study represents an ass essment of schizophrenic language function in relation to known langua ge deficits of neurological patients, lending further support for the role of central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction in schizophrenia, and the importance of assessing language dysfunction as a sensitive gauge to treatment response.