Neuropsychological deficits in chronic schizophrenics. Relationship with symptoms and behavior.

Thirty-nine hospitalized chronic schizophrenics were administered the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery (LNNB) and the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised when they were clinically stable. Test variables were related to Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ratings and two behavioral measures of ward functioning, points and activities. Spearman correlations of test variables with the symptom and behavioral measures were entered into a series of median polish analyses. There was an overall significant relationship between the two sets of variables. Neuropsychological test variables that were most highly correlated with symptom/behavioral measures were LNNB Left Frontal, Memory, and Intellectual Processes scales. The positive symptoms of thought disorder and hallucinations were most consistently related to neuropsychological variables. In contrast with other findings in the literature, negative symptoms were not significantly correlated with neuropsychological performance.