title: Sex-specific differences in cognitive functioning among schizophrenic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cognitive deficits in schizophrenia are regarded by many psychiatrist as an important symptom, which requires appropriate treatment and rehabilitation. There are different conditions, which may have an influence on cognitive impairment in schizophrenic patients. One the factors differentiating subgroups of schizophrenic patients when neuropsychological functioning is analyzed is sex.
  
  
  METHODS
  This Review was focused on cognitive functioning of schizophrenic patients of different sexes. In order to achieve this result PubMed was searched using following terms: cognitive functions, schizophrenia, gender differences, sex hormones, memory, attention, neuropsychological, psychopatological symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the analyzed papers reflecting the cognitive differences between men and women suffering from schizophrenia postulate a worse performance in neuropsychological test by male patients. However according to some authors there are no gender differences in cognitive functioning in schizophrenic patients or those differences are not clinically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The problem of sex-specific differences in cognitive functioning in patients in schizophrenia needs further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Ziołowa 45/47, 40-635, Katowice, Poland, krysta@mp.pl.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krysta
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murawiec
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klasik
authors.forename: Mariusz S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wiglusz
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krupka-Matuszczyk
mesh_terms: D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors