title: Cognitive functioning and negative symptoms in first episode schizophrenia: different patterns of correlates.
abstract: Negative symptoms of schizophrenia have been related to disturbances of executive functions, memory, attention and motor functioning. The executive functions dimension comprises a variety of cognitive subprocesses, including speed of processing, flexibility and working memory. We independently analysed the relationship between different cognitive tasks and clinical symptoms (negative, positive and disorganized) in a sample of 126 first-episode patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Negative symptoms were significantly associated with performance on executive-functions and motor coordination tasks. Within the executive functions domain only those tests that required speeded performance showed a significant association with the negative dimension. The widely described relationship between negative symptoms and executive impairments in schizophrenia appears to be mediated by likely dysfunctions in the speed of processing instead of by working memory impairment.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Sánchez
authors.forename: Benedicto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Crespo-Facorro
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: González-Blanch
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pérez-Iglesias
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Jiménez
authors.forename: Obdulia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Barquero
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index