Studies of neurocognitive function in patients with schizophrenia use widely variable assessment techniques. Clinical trials assessing the cognitive enhancing effect of new medications have used neurocognitive assessment batteries that differed in content, length and administration procedures. The Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) is a newly developed instrument that assesses the aspects of cognition found to be most impaired and most strongly correlated with outcome in patients with schizophrenia.

Keefe RSE¸ Goldberg TE, Harvey PD, Gold JM, Poe M, Coughenour L. The Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia:  Reliability, sensitivity, and comparison with a standard neurocognitive battery.  Schizophrenia Research, 2004; 68(2-3): 283-297.