Verbal and nonverbal neuropsychological test performance in subjects with schizotypal personality disorder

Objective: The authors contrasted verbal and nonverbal measures of attentio n and memory in patients with DSM-IV-defined schizotypal personality disord er in order to expand on their previous findings of verbal learning deficit s in these patients and to understand better the neuropsychological profile of schizotypal personality disorder. Method: Cognitive test performance was examined in 16 right-handed men who met diagnostic criteria for schizotypal personality disorder and 16 matched male comparison subjects. Neuropsychological measures included verbal and nonverbal tests of persistence, supraspan learning, and short- and long-ter m memory retention. Neuropsychological profiles were constructed by standar dizing test scores based on the means and standard deviations of the compar ison subject group. Results: Subjects with schizotypal personality disorder showed a mild to mo derate general reduction in performance on all measures. Verba I measures o f persistence, short-term retention, and learning were more severely impair ed than their nonverbal analogs. Performance on measures of memory retentio n was independent of modality. Conclusions: The results are consistent with previous reports that have sug gested a mild, general decrement in cognitive performance and proportionate ly greater involvement of the left hemisphere in patients with schizotypal personality disorder. The findings provide further support for a specific d eficit in the early processing stages of verbal learning.