Cognitive impairment is a core deficits in schizophrenia and in bipolar disorders. The cognitive dysfunctions are related to the abnormal brain activation in these illnesses. Working memory and executive dysfunctions associated with prefrontal cortex abnormalities in these illnesses are known as an neuropsychological marker of vulnerability to the diseases.

The most important methods used in assessment of abnormal brain activation are neuroimaging methods and neuropsychologial tests. Current data show high coincidence between the level of performance on cognitive tests and activation of the brain. The data obtained in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder show the significant association between level of hypofrontality (decrease of blood flow and intensity of glucose metabolism) and the level of impairment of the performance of prefrontal tests.

The Cogtest Battery it the novel computerized neuropsychological battery used for cognitive screening in different mental and neurological diseases. This battery consisted with tests for evaluation different domains of cognition, such as frontal functions (working memory and executive functions), verbal abilities (connected mostly with left hemisphere activation), attention, psychomotor speed, spatial and motor performance, memory and learning (associated with temporal lobe activation). Based on gold standard paper and pencil tests. The computer version of the tests and touch screen make possible to examine patients with motor disabilities - such as patients with Parkinson's Disease. The specific data management system make possible to eliminate data with artifacts.

Selected tests from the system are used as a cognitive stimulation during neurophysilogical assessment (EEG, EMG, EOG) and during neuroimaging, especially with F-MRI.