A neuropsychological perspective on three schizophrenic patients with midline structural defects

Background: The relationship between midline structural defects and schizophrenia remains unclear, although a number of neuroradiological studies have reported an association between schizophrenia and a range of anomalies. Method: Three patients are reported, each diagnosed with schizophrenia and neuroradiological evidence of midline structural anomalies. MRI scans are reported in conjunction with performance over a range of neuropsychological tests designed to assess frontal and lateralised cognitive functions. Results: Evidence of anterior dysfunction was present in all three cases, while on an individual basis patients displayed varying patterns of preserved and dysfunctional cognitive processing. Conclusion: The reported findings raise a number of interesting issues regarding the nature of hemispheric involvement in schizophrenia.