Neuropsychological correlates of central monoamine function in chronic schizophrenia: relationship between CSF metabolites and cognitive function.
Schizophrenia is associated with multiple cognitive deficits which in turn may be related to abnormal dopamine (DA) function. To examine possible associations between cognitive dysfunction and central DA activity in schizophrenia, neuropsychological measures (visuospatial and verbal recall; performance on the Wisconsin Card Sort Test (WCST); visuospatial perception) were examined in 17 drug-free male schizophrenic patients and related to cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of the metabolites of dopamine (homovanillic acid (HVA)), serotonin, and norepinephrine. CSF HVA concentrations were correlated with the ability to recall visuospatial information, with attention to verbal tasks, and with WCST performance (low CSF HVA concentrations predicting poor performance on these tests) but not with the ability to recall verbally presented material and visuospatial perception. These data are consistent with earlier results suggesting that (cortical) DA function is associated with recall and retrieval of visuospatial information and with WCST performance.
Kahn
R S
RS
Department of Psychiatry (116A), Mount Sinai School of Medicine/Bronx Veterans Administration Hospital, NY 10468.
Harvey
P D
PD
Davidson
M
M
Keefe
R S
RS
Apter
S
S
Neale
J M
JM
Mohs
R C
RC
Davis
K L
KL
D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000523:psychology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D014888:Wechsler Scales
D012701:Serotonin; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid