Memory-delineated subtypes of schizophrenia: relationship to clinical, neuroanatomical, and neurophysiological measures

Neuropsychology. 2002 Oct;16(4):481-90.

Abstract

Memory performance was examined in patients with schizophrenia to determine whether subgroups conforming to cortical and subcortical dementias could be identified and, if so, whether subgroups differed on clinical, neuroanatomical, and neurophysiological measures. A cluster analysis of California Verbal Learning Test performance classified patients into 3 subgroups. Two groups exhibited memory deficits consistent with the cortical-subcortical distinction, whereas 1 group was unimpaired. Cortical patients tended to be male, and they had earlier illness onset, reduced temporal lobe gray matter, and hypometabolism. Subcortical patients had ventricular enlargement and more negative symptoms. Unimpaired patients had fewer negative symptoms and dorsal medial prefrontal hypermetabolism. The authors conclude that categorizing patients on the basis of memory deficits may yield neurobiologically meaningful disease subtypes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / pharmacokinetics
  • Frontal Lobe / anatomy & histology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / diagnosis
  • Memory Disorders / etiology*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Prefrontal Cortex / metabolism*
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / pharmacokinetics
  • Schizophrenia / classification
  • Schizophrenia / complications*
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis
  • Temporal Lobe / anatomy & histology
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed
  • Verbal Learning

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18