to assess the cortisol level, the cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and to assess the correlation between cognitive functions, severity of positive & negative symptoms and cortisol level in patients with schizophrenia.

This is a case control cross sectional study. After taking approval from Scientific and Ethical Committee in kasr El Aini hospital, 30 patients having the diagnosis of Schizophrenia diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria recruited from the Psychiatric outpatient clinic and inpatient from Kasr El Aini University hospitals. All patients gave consent to participate in the study. Thirty control subjects (healthy volunteers among medical and paramedical personnel staff of Kasr Al-Aini University hospitals. All the scales show absence of psychopathology in the control group. They were matched in age and sex. Tools: All subjects were subjected to designed socio-demographic data sheet, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Selected subtests from Wechsler Adult Intelligent Scale, Selected subtests from Wechsler Memory Scale- Revised. Laboratory: Salivary samples for cortisol levels assessment.

Elevated level of cortisol in the patient group, There are highly significant statistical differences between the two groups as regarding the cortisol level. There is no correlation between positive &negative syndrome scale and salivary cortisol level.

The patients with schizophrenia have impairment in cognitive performance. The level of cortisol is elevated in patient with schizophrenia than normal people. There is no correlation between cortisol level and symptoms expression, cognitive performance. There is negative correlation between the cognitive performance and the severity of symptoms.