Schizophrenic syndrome and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test dimensions

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Principal component analysis of Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) scores identified three factors.
• The Perseveration factor is hypothesized to reflect dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity in schizophrenia.
• Liddle's hypothesis links DLPFC dysfunction to the negative syndrome in schizophrenia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To replicate the factor analysis of WCST scores in schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients.
• To examine the relationship between the Perseveration factor and negative syndrome symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Replication of factor analysis on WCST scores from 38 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
• Correlation analysis between the Perseveration factor and negative syndrome severity.
• Subgroup analysis based on DSM-III-R diagnosis (schizophrenia vs. schizoaffective disorder).

Main Results:

• Factor analysis yielded similar results to previous studies.
• No significant correlation was found between the negative syndrome and the Perseveration factor in the total group (schizophrenia and schizoaffective patients).
• A significant correlation was observed between the negative syndrome and the Perseveration factor in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (n=30).

Conclusions:

• The Perseveration factor of the WCST may specifically reflect DLPFC dysfunction associated with the negative syndrome in schizophrenia.
• The findings support Liddle's hypothesis regarding the specificity of DLPFC dysfunction in the negative syndrome of schizophrenia.
• Distinguishing between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder is crucial when examining DLPFC-related cognitive deficits.