Cognitive correlates of the negative, disorganized, and psychotic symptom dimensions of schizophrenia

Knowledge of the relationship between specific cognitive abnormalities and the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia could sive insight into the nature o f their underlying pathophysiology. Composite scores were generated for neg ative, disorganized, and psychotic symptom ratings CI? 134 patients with sc hizophrenia (DSM-IV criteria). Partial correlations (each composite correct ed for the others) were computed with neuropsychological measures. Negative symptoms were related to poor performance on tests of verbal learning and memory, verbal fluency, visual memory, and visual-motor sequencing. Disorga nized symptoms were correlated with lower verbal IQ and poor concept attain ment, Psychotic symptoms had no significant relationship with cognitive def icit.