Is it possible to be schizophrenic yet neuropsychologically normal?
This study identified and characterized a group of schizophrenic patients without neuropsychological (NP) impairment. A comprehensive NP battery was administered to 171 schizophrenic outpatients and 63 normal comparison participants. Each participant's NP status was classified through blind clinical ratings by 2 experienced neuropsychologists; 27% of the schizophrenics were classified as NP normal. The NP-normal and NP-impaired schizophrenics were similar in terms of most demographic, psychiatric, and functional characteristics, except that NP-normal patients had less negative and extrapyramidal symptoms, were on less anticholinergic medication, socialized more frequently, and were less likely to have had a recent psychiatric hospitalization. The existence of NP-normal schizophrenics suggests that the pathophysiology underlying the cognitive deficits often associated with schizophrenia may be distinct from that causing some of its core psychiatric features.
Palmer
B W
BW
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, USA.
Heaton
R K
RK
Paulsen
J S
JS
Kuck
J
J
Braff
D
D
Harris
M J
MJ
Zisook
S
S
Jeste
D V
DV
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012919:Social Behavior
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists