Cognitive deficit and schizophrenia

Abstract

Introduction: In the present paper, the resuits of a number of different studies that have tried to establish the characteristics of the cognitive deficit in schizophrenia are discussed. The principal objective of this study was to ascertain whether exist statistically significative differences in such deficit in schizophrenic patients in relation with their preponderant symptomathology (positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and disorganization) or their degree of «defectual symptoms».

Methodology: Sixty three schizophrenic patients under treatment in a Day Hospital were divided in groups using the dimensions of Liddie and the Scale for assessing the Deficit Syndrome in Schizophrenia. Cognitive deficit was assessed by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST).

Results: Our resuits show that education and gender has no relation with the cognitive deficit exhibited, whereas there is a direct relation with age and years suffering the illness. Patients who exhibited preponderant disorganization symptoms and those describes as «defectual syndrome» schizophrenics showed more cognitive deficit in the WCST. The number of perseverations in the WCST seems to be the main deficit.

Conclusions: The concept of «planning» in suggested as a schizophrenic marker in the frame of theories that claim there is a failure in the neurodevelopment of these patients.