Neuropsychological correlates of symptom profiles in first episode schizophrenia

This paper aimed to examine the relationship between the trichotomous symptom structure of psychopathology and neuropsychological functioning in young people with first episode schizophrenia (FES), most of whom were receiving atypical antipsychotic medication. This was with a view to providing insight into the underlying pathophysiology of the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia. Fifty-three young people (aged 13-25 years) with FES participated in the study. Subjects completed a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological examination. Cognitive domain scores were correlated with composite scores relating to Disorganisation, Psychomotor Poverty and Reality Distortion. A significant association was identified between Disorganisation and Verbal Acquisition, Verbal Recall and Cognitive Flexibility. There were no significant associations between cognitive domains and either Reality Distortion or Psychomotor Poverty, nor with measures of depressive symptomatology. The present study provides preliminary evidence that symptoms associated with the Disorganisation factor are significantly associated with cognitive deficits suggesting impaired frontal-temporal functioning. Differences between the current findings and those of similar research may reflect the effects of different medication regimes, as well as the absence of illness chronicity.