Correlations between cognitive performances and psychotic or schizotypal dimensions.
OBJECTIVE
To test if specific correlations exist between cognitive measures and psychotic dimensions in schizophrenic subjects and if similar correlations, between cognition and schizotypal dimensions, are present in non-psychotic subjects.


METHODS
We administered the same battery of cognitive tests (Source Monitoring, Verbal Fluency [VF] and Stroop tests) to schizophrenic subjects (N=54), their first-degree relatives (N=37) and controls (N=41). Scores of negative, positive and disorganisation dimensions were derived from the Signs and Symptoms of Psychotic Illness scale in schizophrenic subjects, and from the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire in relatives and controls.


RESULTS
In schizophrenic subjects, as hypothesised, the negative dimension correlated with performance on VF and disorganisation with performance in the Stroop test. The positive dimension did not correlate with any cognitive measure. With only one exception, the significant correlations observed in non-psychotic subjects did not match correlations seen in schizophrenic subjects. In non-psychotic subjects greater disorganisation was associated with more clustered words in VF suggesting that excessive automatic spreading of activation in semantic networks could underlie this dimension.


CONCLUSIONS
As a whole, data lent partial support to our hypothesis of specific cognitive-clinical correlations in schizophrenic subjects but did not support the existence of similar correlations in non-psychotic subjects.
Szöke
Andrei
A
INSERM U955, 94000 Créteil, France. andrei.szoke@ach.aphp.fr
Méary
Alexandre
A
Ferchiou
Aziz
A
Trandafir
Anca
A
Leboyer
Marion
M
Schürhoff
Franck
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012660:Semantics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires