Neuropsychological differences among empirically derived clinical subtypesof schizophrenia

Neuropsychological profile differences between empirically derived clinical subtypes of schizophrenia were examined. Two hundred five patients and 209 demographically matched controls were administered a neuropsychological ba ttery examining 8 domains. Subtypes included negative, disorganized, parano id, Schneiderian, and mild. All subtypes displayed a neuropsychological pro file of generalized impairment with greater deficits in learning, memory, a nd attention. Results were suggestive of diffuse cognitive dysfunction in s chizophrenia with more severe deficits in learning and memory relative to e xecutive skills. This pattern of greater learning and memory impairment was pronounced for disorganized patients. In contrast, paranoid patients outpe rformed disorganized and negative patients in several domains. These findin gs reflect bilateral frontal-temporal dysfunction, particularly in disorgan ized and negative patients. Subtype differences highlight the importance of conceptualizing schizophrenia as a multifocal disorder.