Relationship between Clock-Drawing Performance and Neuropsychological Functions in Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia / 대한정신분열병학회지

ABSTRACT

Objectives@#This study investigated the relationship between clock-drawing test (CDT) performance and neuropsychological functions in patients with chronic schizophrenia. @*Methods@#Thirty-one patients with schizophrenia and 30 healthy controls participated in this study. The CDT was administered in three conditions and analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative scoring systems. Comprehensive neuropsychological tests were administered. @*Results@#The results of the quantitative analysis showed that the schizophrenia group performed significantly worse in all three conditions of the CDT compared with the control group. However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups, when the IQ and educational level were controlled. The qualitative analysis showed that the schizophrenia group exhibited significantly more errors in “graphic difficulty” compared with the control group. In addition, CDT quantitative scores were significantly correlated with visuospatial function, memory, attention and executive functions in patients with schizophrenia. Conversely, each qualitative error type was correlated with specific cognitive domains. Furthermore, “graphic difficulty” and “spatial/ planning deficit” were identified as predictors of depression symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. @*Conclusion@#The present study demonstrated that the CDT is useful for assessing cognitive dysfunctions in patients with schizophrenia, while qualitative analyses provide more specific information about cognitive deficits compared with quantitative analyses.