NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF SYNDROMES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Background On the basis of Liddle's three-syndrome model of schizophre nia, it was predicted that: (I)symptoms of psychomotor poverty would b e particularly correlated with impaired performance on neuropsychologi cal tests likely to reflect functioning of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; (2) disorganisation would be particularly correlated with imp aired performance on tests sensitive to medio-basal prefrontal functio ning; and (3) reality distortion would be particularly correlated with measures sensitive to temporal lobe functioning Method The above hypo theses were tested on 87 subjects with a confirmed diagnosis of schizo phrenia. Patients' symptoms were scored for each of the three syndrome s. Patients completed six neuropsychological tests designed to measure impairment in specific areas of the brain. Results There was no suppo rt for the first two hypotheses. There was, however, evidence of a spe cific relationship between reality distortion and neuropsychological p erformance usually considered to be related to left temporal lobe func tioning Conclusions Although not directly supporting the first two hyp otheses; the results are, in general, consistent with there being diff erent cortical-subcortical circuits associated with each of psychomoto r poverty and disorganisation. Temporal lobe functioning appears to ha ve particular significance for the reality distortion syndrome.