Insight and schizophrenia

Few clinical attributes, if any, have such a profound impact on the management of schizophrenia as that associated with lack of insight. Yet, despite its importance, the clinical correlates of lack of insight are poorly understood. In one present study of long-stay patients at a state facility, lack of insight showed modest associations with positive and negative symptoms and with diminished executive function on cognitive testing. Insight did not differ between patients receiving typical and atypical antipsychotic medications. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.