Language dysfunction in schizophrenia

Similarities between language disorders in aphasia and formal thought disorder in schizophrenia are explored in 24 schizophrenic, 5 manic and 5 depressed psychiatric in-patients, and 28 normal controls. Eight sub-tests from the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination, a picture naming test and the Token Test were administered. Schizophrenics with formal thought disorder showed significant abnormalities compared to all other groups, particularly on the Token Test and the repetition of phrases test. These deficits are suggestive of language comprehension and repetition dysfunctions in a substantial minority of rigorously defined schizophrenics.