Olfactory perception was examined in deficit syndrome (DS) and nondeficit syndrome (ND) schizophrenia patients. Participants included 22 controls (CN) and 41 patients with schizophrenia who were divided into DS (n = 15) and ND (n = 26) subtypes using the Schedule for the Deficit Syndrome (SDS). Olfactory perception for pleasant and unpleasant odors was assessed using the Brief Smell Identification Test. Participants were instructed to identifying each smell as well as provide hedonic judgment ratings of each smell on a 7-point scale (1 = extremely pleasant, 4 = neutral, and 7 = extremely unpleasant). Results indicated that when compared with the ND patients, the DS patients rated pleasant smells as being significantly less pleasant, although no difference between the groups was present for unpleasant smells, and both ND and DS groups significantly differed from CN on rating and identifying pleasant and unpleasant items. Additionally, lower smell identification accuracy was negatively correlated with SDS symptom severity, and valence ratings for pleasant odors were positively correlated with SDS diminished emotional range. Findings suggest that the DS is characterized by a unique pattern of olfactory valence judgment that is characterized by abnormalities in processing positively valenced stimuli.

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Individuals with schizophrenia are at a greater risk for experiencing trauma and developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than the general population. Despite an increased incidence of neurocognitive dysfunction in both schizophrenia and PTSD, there are few studies that have examined the potential compounding effects of these diagnoses when they co-occur. The current study examined this issue by administering comprehensive diagnostic, symptom, and neurocognitive evaluations to four groups including normal controls (C), as well as individuals with PTSD (PTSD), schizophrenia (SZ), or both schizophrenia and PTSD (SZP). Results indicated that when compared to the SZ group, the SZP group exhibited higher rates of positive symptoms, general psychopathology, and PTSD symptoms, as well as lower rates of negative symptoms. Regarding neurocognitive test performance, both schizophrenia groups performed significantly worse than the C and PTSD groups across all neurocognitive domains. However, differences were not significant between the SZP and SZ groups, although a differential pattern of performance between the groups was indicated. Results of this study do not support the idea that the presence of comorbid PTSD in SZ results in a substantial increase in cognitive impairment.

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