[The cognitive deficit in schizophrenia].

Schizophrenia is a chronic debilitating disorder with a wide spectrum of clinical phenomenology, of which the positive signs, delusions and haLLucinations are best known. The cognitive deficit in schizophrenia patients is one of the prominent dimensions of the disorder The deficit starts early in the course of the disease even before the other signs manifest, it is profound and pervasive and involves several skills including the working memory, attention, learning and social functioning. The current pharmacotherapy for schizophrenia does not affect the cognitive status. Moreover, it appears that the severity of the deficit is the best predictor for social functioning in the community. In recent years, the cognitive deficit is the focus of research. As a result, a battery of cognitive tests was established and validated as a consensus measure for assessing the deficit and evaluating the effectiveness of novel compounds geared to enhance cognitive function in schizophrenia.