Frontal lobe function, attentional deficit and schizotypy in adolescents

In this study we analyze the relationship between the attentional deficit (assessed by the Continuous Performance Test), the performance in frontal lobe function tests, intelligence and psychometric schizotypy (Chapman's Scales) in a normal adolescent sample. Subjects were grouped following: 1) TMT-FAS performance and 2) WCST performance. Very significant differences were found in the attentional performance between the groups of high and low frontal function. A greater deficit in the group defined by the TMT-FAS was detected. A poor performance in the TMT and the FAS implies a poor efficiency in the WCST, but not viceversa. Intellectual performance was lower in the low frontal performance groups. We did not find differences in psychometric schizotypy related to frontal lobe performance.