Cognitive impairment in adolescents with schizophrenia

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether adolescent schizophrenia is characterized by neuropsychological deficits. Method: The performance on a battery of neuropsychological tests of 17 adolescents with schizophrenia (mean age=15.71 years) was compared with that of 17 normal adolescents (mean age=15.12 years). Results: Compared with the normal subjects, the patients were impaired on 10 of the 13 measures; larger effect sizes were shown for measures involving working memory and attention than for those involving secondary memory, generative naming, and executive functions. Conclusions: Adolescents with schizophrenia have generalized cognitive dysfunction, which is most apparent on tests of attention and working memory.