Consistent performance over time of schizophrenic patients on a neuropsychological set of tests

Eleven patients with DSM-III-R diagnosis of schizophrenia were re-investiga ted with neuropsychological tests identical to the tests they were investig ated with 18-23 years previously. At the second investigation each patient was interviewed by a psychiatrist. The assessment included history of illne ss, Brief psychiatric rating scale and Barnes Akathisia rating scale. The r esults showed that in a majority of the patients the general intelligence a bility was stable over time regardless of whether they were below or equal to an age and education matched score. Length of illness, length of medicat ion or psychotic symptoms at the second investigation did not influence the results of the general intelligence ability.