Cognition and global assessment of functioning in male and female outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

The relationship between the symptom and function subscales of the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and neurocognitive test performance was studied in 195 outpatients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or delusional disorder who were assigned to functional groups based on their sex. A composite cognition score was created based on z-scores. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to assess the predictive value of GAF Symptom and GAF Function on composite cognition and to check for the effect of the individual cognitive tests against the GAF subscales. Better composite cognition scores were predicted by higher function levels in male patients and by lower symptom levels in female patients. There was also a sex-specific difference in neurocognitive components, indicating that executive functioning may have a greater impact on the symptom and function profiles of male schizophrenia spectrum patients than on that of female patients. The results suggest that endophenotypes in schizophrenia may be sex-specific.