Neurocognitive Research · MATRICS Consensus Domains

Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia

A broad, stable neurocognitive impairment affecting 7 core domains — present before psychosis onset and persisting throughout the illness course.

~1.5SD below
healthy controls
80%of patients show
measurable deficit
7MATRICS cognitive
domains affected
#1predictor of
functional outcome
Deficit Profile by Cognitive Domain
Mean effect sizes relative to age-matched healthy controls (SD units below normal)
Neurocognitive Radar
Comparative profile: schizophrenia vs. healthy controls (normalized 0–100%)
Healthy Controls Schizophrenia
Impairment Spectrum Across Cognitive Functions
Effect sizes (Cohen's d) — where each cognitive domain falls on the severity continuum
Illness Course & Cognitive Trajectory
Cognitive deficits emerge early and remain largely stable — they are not progressive neurodegeneration
Sources: Green et al. 2004; Nuechterlein et al. 2008 (MATRICS); Heinrichs & Zakzanis 1998 meta-analysis · For educational purposes