Relations between negative symptomatology and executive measures in schizophrenia.

Introduction:
Negative symptomatology and cognitive impairments are core features of persons diagnosed with schizophrenia that have a major negative impact on everyday life functioning. Further, some authors (Konstantakopoulos et al., 2011) have suggested that negative symptoms and executive functions might represent different manifestations of the same syndrome, but this relation remains poorly understood.

Objective:
The objective was to explore relations between negative symptomatology (and in particular apathy) and executive functions in persons diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Method:
Twenty-seven individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia were evaluated with an extensive executive battery in addition to several measures of negative symptomatology (including specific measures of apathy) and real world functioning.

Results:
Results revealed that apathy was significantly related to measures of initiation (i.e. verbal fluency) and everyday life functioning. Moreover, more general measures of negative symptomatology were significantly related to multitasking abilities and cognitive flexibility.

Discussion:
In this study, we assessed the relations between negative symptomatology and executive measures. The results confirmed the links between these constructs, thus suggesting a common neural substrate.

Conclusion:
Based on results from the present study, executive dysfunctions and negative symptomatology may be seen as representing different manifestations of the same syndrome.