NEUROCOGNITIVE DEFICITS AND NEUROLOGICAL SIGNS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Objective: This is a comprehensive study designed to examine the assoc iation between specific clusters of neurological abnormalities and sev eral clinically relevant aspects of schizophrenia such as positive and negative symptoms, neurocognitive deficits and psychosocial performan ce. Methods: Thirty-seven clinically stable schizophrenic (DSM-III-R) patients maintained on antipsychotic medication were comprehensively e xamined and Convit's Quantified Neurologic Scale (QNS) was completed. In addition, patients' psychopathology was rated on the Positive and N egative Syndromes Scale (PANSS); psychosocial performance was rated on the Global Scale of Adaptive Functioning (GAF) and the Social Perform ance Schedule (SPS); and neurocognitive deficits were measured with a computer-assisted neurocognitive test battery, COGLAB. The association between these factors was determined using Pearson's correlation coef ficients. Results: Frontal and soft neurological scores on the QNS cor related significantly with negative syndrome scores (r=0.45-0.51, p<0. 05) and general psychopathology scores (r=0.46-0.49, p<0.02) on PANSS; poor psychosocial performance on GAF (r = 0.43-0.56, p < 0.02) and SP S (r = 0.37-0.54, p < 0.007); and performance on the span of apprehens ion (r=0.48-0.74, p<0.0001), backward masking (r=0.34-0.54, p<0.01) an d Wisconsin card sorting (r=0.48-0.67, p <0.001) tasks. Conclusion: Fr ontal and soft neurological signs in schizophrenic patients are associ ated with prominent negative symptoms, relatively poor psychosocial pe rformance and significantly more cognitive impairment. Past research h as associated soft neurological signs, cognitive impairment and struct ural brain abnormalities with poor outcome and prognosis in patients w ith schizophrenia.