NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL DEFICIT IN NEWLY-DIAGNOSED PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA OR SCHIZOPHRENIFORM DISORDER

Forty-six patients with schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder adm itted to hospital for the first time were compared with 21 healthy vol unteers on neuropsychological tests reflecting prefrontal and left res pectively right hemisphere function. The patients with schizophrenia o r schizophreniform disorder had a poorer performance on neuropsycholog ical tests (such as Wisconsin Card Sorting) compared with healthy volu nteers. Both left and right hemisphere seemed to be involved. Especial ly poor performance was found on somewhat complicated tests requiring ability of analysis, abstraction and memory, thus indicating dysfuncti on of prefrontal and temporohippocampal regions. Signs of sulcal enlar gement and size of lateral ventricles on computed tomographic scan cor related with poor test performance on some tests both in patients and in healthy volunteers. No correlations were found between performance on neuropsychological test and negative symptoms.