[Neuropsychological aspects of schizophrenic mental deterioration].

The authors have administered a test of intelligence (WAIS) and a test of attention (Color Naming) to a group of patients affected by chronic schizophrenic impairment. The scores give shape to a picture of mental deterioration, especially characterized by a decrease of attentive power. This results validates the possibility of a neuropsychological approach to the etiopatogenesis of schizophrenia and supports the hypothesis that an impairment of mental synthesis power may explain both clinical and psychometric features of the disease.