Cognitive performance in 46 first episode schizophrenics was assessed within 1 week of admission to hospital by Progressive Matrices, Mill Hill Vocabulary Scale, Block Design and Similarities subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and Digit Copying Test. Patients' intellectual performance was at a dull normal level, just within one standard deviation from the mean. There was an association between the presence of anxiety and depression and lower scores on psychological tests. Patients assessed by the Present State Examination as belonging to the ‘uncertain psychosis' category performed more poorly.