Psychopathology and wisconsin card sorting test performance in young unmedicated schizophrenic patients.
The relationship between psychopathology and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) performance was evaluated in 25 unmedicated young acute schizophrenic female patients (14 neuroleptic-naive and 11 neuroleptic-free) and 15 female controls. The schizophrenic patients (especially the neuroleptic-free) performed more poorly than controls in the WCST. In addition, WCST impairment correlated with both negative and positive symptoms. The results suggest that the neuropsychological dysfunction in schizophrenia is present at the onset of the illness, and is neither secondary to previous neuroleptic treatment nor to chronicity of the illness.
Parellada
E
E
Psychiatric Department, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Hospital Clínic, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, España.
Catarineu
S
S
Catafau
A
A
Bernardo
M
M
Lomeña
F
F
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index