The most commonly employed tests in studies of working memory are the Digit Span and Spatial Span.50 These tests include two conditions: forward and backward; the former is a task of maintenance only, while the latter requires both maintenance and

manipulation. Meta-analytic studies (Figure 1) suggest that impairments in tasks selleck chemicals requiring both maintenance and manipulation of information are noticeably Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical larger in schizophrenia than tasks requiring maintenance only12,16,42,51,52 Processing speed “Processing speed” refers to the speed with which different cognitive operations can be executed. Psychometrically, processing speed is typically indexed by the number of trials of a simple task that a subject can complete during a Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical brief interval. The importance of processing speed lies in the fact that many higher cognitive operations – including perceptual processes, encoding and retrieval operations, transformation of information held in active memory, and decision processes – involve internal dynamics that are speed-dependent to some extent. Coding tasks, such as the Wechsler Digit Symbol Coding, are sensitive to a wide array of neuropsychiatric Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical conditions50 including schizophrenia, and are

particularly impaired in schizophrenia.12 According to meta-analyses,11,12,16,39,52 both simple and more complex tasks of processing speed show a severe and substantial impairment in schizophrenia. Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Language, perception, visuospatial ability, and motor speed Language is often assessed using

reading and spelling of single words, or vocabulary tests, skills acquired quite early in life. As indicated by the Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical meta-analytic studies, these functions are relatively preserved in schizophrenia, with only mild impairments (Figure 1).11,12,16,52 Metaanalyses suggest moderate to severe deficits in tasks of simple motor speed.11,12,16 The magnitude of these deficits is smaller than the one evident for memory or executive functions (Figure 1). Moderate to severe impairments Tryptophan synthase have also been observed in pure perceptual problems (Figure 1).11,12,16 Possible moderating factors A possible explanation for the presence of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia is that the neurocognitive deficit is secondary, peripheral, rather than central to the illness. Thus, symptom severity should be associated with severity of cognitive impairments. Other demographic characteristics such as age, education, or duration of illness may also account for some of the neuropsychological deficits. Overall studies indicate that the effect of moderator variables is quite limited: medication status, duration of illness, severity of psychopathology, and positive symptoms were not significantly associated with severity of neuropsychological impairment.