Legge SE, Cardno AG, Allardyce J, et al. - Researchers examined if variability in symptom dimensions and cognitive ability within schizophrenia is associated with genetic liability to schizophrenia, other neuropsychiatric disorders, and intelligence.

• A total of 1,220 individuals with schizophrenia were included in this cross-sectional genetic association study.

• Using confirmatory factor analysis, researchers developed phenotypic dimensions from lifetime ratings of the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, and the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery.

• Schizophrenia polygenic risk scores appeared to be significantly linked with higher levels of disorganized symptoms, but not other symptom dimensions, and lower levels of current cognitive ability.

• Correlation of current cognitive ability was also observed with intelligence polygenic risk scores.

• Overall markers of schizophrenia common genetic liability include variation in disorganized symptoms and cognitive ability in schizophrenia.

• In schizophrenia, cognitive performance may reflect varied contributions from genetic liabilities to both intelligence and schizophrenia.