Deficits of social-cognitive and social-perceptual aspects of theory of mind in remitted patients with schizophrenia: effect of residual symptoms

Abstract

Although ToM deficit in schizophrenia is widely accepted, findings regarding remitted schizophrenia patients are contradictory. Because residual symptoms are present out of psychotic exacerbation periods, the differences between definition of remission may be important to interpret these findings. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between performance of 2 different aspects of theory of mind (ToM) and residual clinical symptoms and other cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Ninety-one stable outpatients with schizophrenia and 55 healthy controls were assessed with a neuropsychological battery. Both social-cognitive and social-perceptual aspects of ToM were impaired in schizophrenia, even in patients who were totally free of residual symptoms. Still, the results showed that ToM deficit is related to residual symptoms of schizophrenia. Social-cognitive ToM abilities seem to be related to both positive and negative symptoms. The ToM deficits of fully remitted patients without persistent negative symptoms may be secondary to a more general cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia.