SMOKING AND COGNITIVE DEFICITS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA - A PILOT-STUDY

The cross-sectional study assessed the associations among smoking stat us, number of cigarettes smoked per day, and psychiatric symptoms in 8 8 chronic schizophrenic outpatients with a stable psychic condition. A mong the 49 smokers, the number of cigarettes smoked per day was assoc iated with the severity of cognitive symptoms of the Positive and Nega tive Syndrome Scale. The authors suggest that smoking may alleviate co gnitive deficits in schizophrenia by increasing dopaminergic neurotran smission in the prefrontal areas of the brain. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scien ce Ltd.