Neuropsychology and neurophysiology of schizophrenia

Distinctive profiles of neuropsychological impairment and neurophysiological abnormalities exist in schizophrenia. At the cognitive level, these impairments appear to involve various aspects of working, semantic, and secondary memory. Some of these deficits may be unresponsive to neuroleptic medication. Functional neuroimaging has indicated a pattern of cerebral frontal hyperactivity and temporal hyperactivity consistent with the cognitive findings. Taken together, these results may begin to account for the frequent and often severe morbidity associated with the disorder.