Assessment of Neuropsychological Functions in Schizophrenia

Cognitive deficits in schizophrenia have been observed with neuropsychological tests. The aim of the present study was to assess neuropsychological profile of patients with schizophrenia. Present study was planned to evaluate the neuropsychological profile of Indian patients with schizophrenia and determine its socio-clinical correlates. The sample consists of twenty clinically stable outpatients with ICD-10 diagnosis of schizophrenia and equal number normal controls matched for age, gender, education and handedness were studied using a battery of neuropsychological tests. The tests consisted of verbal and performance intelligence tests, tests for memory, perceptual motor skills, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Results reveal on WCST and perceptual-motor functions patients with schizophrenia did not showed impairments comparable to healthy controls but patient group performed significantly poor on verbal fluency, arithmetic, comprehension, spatial and Abstract ability of intelligence, immediate recall, delayed recall, new learning and recognition sub-tests of memory. Years of education was positively correlated with scores on conceptual level response (of WCST), verbal fluency, verbal quotient (and its sub-tests), performance quotient, immediate recall, and new learning. Memory improved with stability of illness, whereas ability to maintain cognitive set deteriorated. With increasing duration of illness social cognition and verbal ability (tested on comprehension and verbal fluency respectively) declined. Increased drug dosage was significantly correlated with decline in recent memory and retention. The present study does not provide evidence for a localized neuropsychological impairment in schizophrenia but it is indicative of more generalized deficits. Absence of impairments in WCST and perceptual-motor skills does not agree with the results of other studies using these tests.