The asymmetric lateralization of tactile extinction in schizophrtenia: the possible role of limbic and frontal regions

This study evaluates the tactile extinction rate in acute and chronic schizophrenics by means of the Quality Extinction Test (QET) proposed by Schwartz in 1977. This procedure is successful in detecting ipsilateral abnormal extinction rates in neurological patients with dominant frontal lesions. Sixty schizophrenics and sixty controls were tested. The results suggest a dominant temporo-parietal dysfunction in acute patients and a dominant frontal dysfunction in chronic patients.