Neurobehavioral studies in schizophrenia: implications for regional brain dysfunction.

The application of neurobehavioral methods to the study of brain function in schizophrenia can provide useful information on the neurobiology of schizophrenia. Standard neuropsychological batteries were designed to assess behavioral correlates of regional brain function. Methodological considerations in the application of these tests to schizophrenia are discussed. Although there is considerable evidence for both frontal and temporal lobe dysfunction in schizophrenia, the field is likely to advance further through the systematic study of brain function. A combination of neurobehavioral and physiological data obtained simultaneously is a promising avenue to pursue, and the behavioral imaging method is presented as an example of one approach to data integration.