The frontal assessment battery at bedside (FAB) in patients with schizophrenia

Background and aims:Frontal lobe deficits have often been reported in patients with schizophrenia. Recently, Dubois et al (2000) reported a short bedside cognitive and behavioral battery for assessing frontal lobe function in patients with neurological disorders. We hypothesized that cognitive functions of frontal lobe in schizophrenia could be evaluated with this battery.Methods:27 patients with schizophrenia and 30 sex and age-matched controls were included. We performed FAB and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) in both groups and we correlated the scores of six subtests and the total FAB score with handedness, education level, age and duration of disease.Results:The FAB global score was significantly lower in the schizophrenia group compared to controls. There was negative correlation between the FAB scores and their age and duration of disease in the schizophrenia patients. Correlation between FAB scores and MMSE scores was evident in both groups.Conclusion:The FAB is likely to be a useful and brief battery for assessing frontal lobe function in schizophrenia patients.