ABSTRACT
Although the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) is widely used in clinical research, factor analytic studies of the scale have been inconsistent and questions remain about the underlying factor structure of schizophrenia symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the factor structure of the PANSS differs in men and women with schizophrenia. Principal components analysis (PCA) with equamax rotation was used to examine the factor structure of the PANSS separately in 124 males and 74 females with schizophrenia-related psychoses. In males, a four-factor structure was identified: 1) Negative, 2) Cognitive, 3) Positive, and 4) Hostility. In females, a four-factor structure also emerged: 1) Negative, 2) Cognitive, 3) Positive, and 4) Depression. The most notable difference between the male and female PCAs was the presence of a depression factor in the females and a hostility factor in males. These results support sex differences in the factor structure of schizophrenia symptoms, which has important implications for clinical research.
Subject(s)
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales/statistics & numerical data , Psychotic Disorders/classification , Schizophrenia/classification , Sex Characteristics , Adult , Depression/physiopathology , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Female , Hostility , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Principal Component Analysis , Psychotic Disorders/physiopathology , Schizophrenia/physiopathology , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
Cognitive and olfactory deficits occur in schizophrenia, but little is known whether sex modifies these deficits. We examined the relationship between olfaction and cognition in 55 schizophrenia patients and 32 healthy controls. Patients and controls demonstrated significant differences performing cognitive tasks. In patients, sex modified all relationships of odor identification to cognition. Female patients showed significantly stronger trends than male patients correlating better smell identification with higher scores on intelligence, memory, and attention, whereas their correlations of odor identification with executive functioning contradicted those of male patients. Odor acuity significantly correlated with several cognitive measures, especially in male patients, in whom better acuity was generally associated with better cognition. Female patients again differed significantly from males; odor acuity correlations with cognitive measures were weaker, or contradicted, those of male patients. These findings indicate significant sex differences in olfactory processing in schizophrenia. Combining the sexes in research analyses may obscure important differences.
