title: Neuropsychological impairments in neuroleptic-responder vs. -nonresponder schizophrenic patients and healthy volunteers.
abstract: To determine whether two groups of schizophrenic patients representing the two extremes of the neuroleptic response-spectrum (consistent responders vs. consistent nonresponders) differ with respect to their neuropsychological profile. Neuroleptic-responder (R; n=36) and -nonresponder (NR; n=39) schizophrenic patients were recruited according to a priori defined criteria of responsiveness to typical neuroleptics. Seven neuropsychological domains were assessed and compared between groups: attention-vigilance, abstraction-flexibility, spatial organization, visual-motor processing, visual memory, verbal abilities, and verbal memory and learning. All measures were standardized using the scores of 36 healthy volunteers. NR schizophrenic patients performed worse in all neuropsychological domains compared to normal controls and R schizophrenic patients. However, only performances on visual memory, verbal abilities, and verbal memory and learning were significantly poorer in NR compared to R patients. Only the latter domain significantly differentiated NR patients from the other two groups. R patients performed at an intermediate level in all domains. This report of differences in neuropsychological profile between neuroleptic-responder and -nonresponder schizophrenic patients adds to the growing evidence supporting the value of distinguishing schizophrenic patients on the basis of their therapeutic response to neuroleptics.
authors.affiliation: Douglas Hospital Research Center, McGill University, Que., H3A 1A1, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Ridha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Joober
authors.forename: Guy A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Rouleau
authors.forename: Samarthji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lal
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: O'Driscoll
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palmour
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Annable
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lalonde
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Labelle
authors.forename: Chawki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benkelfat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents