Objective To investigate the cognitive functions in people at high risk for schizophrenia.Methods Two hundred and twenty-two people at high risk for schizophrenia and 331 normal controls were assessed with 14 neuropsychological tests. Results The results of some neuropsychological tests in people at high risk for schizophrenia were worse than those in the normal controls. These tests included information, arithmetic, digital symbol, block design, logical memory, visual memory, Stroop test, verbal fluency, tower of Hanoi, WCST and CPT (Plt;0.01). The time for trail making test A in was longer in the group at high risk for schizophrenia than in the control group (Plt;0.05).Conclusion People at high risk for schizophrenia have general cognitive deficits. Attention and executive function may represent the genetic endophenotype for schizophrenia.