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Executive (frontal) dysfunction and negative symptoms in schizophrenia: apparent gender differences in 'static' v.
P J Scully1, G Coakley, A Kinsella
1Stanley Foundation Research Unit, St Davnet's Hospital, Monaghan, Ireland.
Summary
Executive dysfunction and negative symptoms in schizophrenia are linked differently in men and women. While deficits emerge early in men, they increase over time in women.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Executive (frontal lobe) dysfunction is a core feature of schizophrenia.
- The relationship between executive dysfunction, psychopathology, age, and illness duration in schizophrenia has not been systematically explored between genders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically explore the relationship between executive dysfunction, psychopathology, age, and illness duration in male and female schizophrenia patients.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated executive dysfunction, positive, and negative symptoms in 27 male and 21 female in-patients.
- Patients were well-matched on demographic and clinical measures.
Main Results:
- Executive dyscontrol and negative symptoms were highly associated in both genders.
- In women, executive dyscontrol and negative symptoms increased with age/illness duration.
- No such relationship was observed in men.
Conclusions:
- Prominent executive dyscontrol and negative symptoms in both genders may arise from fundamentally different processes.
- In men, deficits appear early and stabilize.
- In women, deficits are less evident early but increase over time.