OBJECTIVE： To compare the therapeutic efficacy and safety of olanzapine and risperidone in the treatment of cognitive function in schizophrenia patients. METHODS： The information of 98 patients with schizophrenia were analyzed retrospectively and divided into control group and observation group according to therapy method， with 49 cases in each group. The patients receiving antipsychotic drugs were included in study after 7 d of drug withdrawal and cleaning. Control group received Risperidone tablet with initial dose of 1 mg， twice a day， orally， increasing to 4-6 mg within a week， twice a day， for consecutive 6 months. Observation group was given Olanzapine tablet with initial dose of 5 mg， twice a day， orally， increasing to 15-20 mg within a week， twice a day， for consecutive 6 months. Clinical efficacies of 2 groups were observed， and PANSS， WMS score （MQ score）， TMT score （TMT-A connection time， TMT-A error number， TMT-B connection time， TMT-B error number score）， WCST score （the number of completion classification， the number of sustained response， total number of errors， the number of persistent error and total correct number） were observed before and after treatment. The occurrence of ADR was recorded. RESULTS： There was no statistical significance in total response rate between 2 groups （93.88％ vs. 97.96％，P＞0.05）. After treatment， PANSS score， TMT-A connection time， TMT-A error number， TMT-B connection time， TMT-B error number， sustained response number， total error number and persistent error number scores in 2 groups were significantly lower than before treatment； PANSS score of observation group was significantly lower than that of control group；there was no statistical significance in other indexes betwee 2 groups. MQ score， the number of completion classification and total correct number score of 2 groups were significantly higher than before treatment， with statistical significance （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）；but there was no statistical significance between 2 groups（P＞0.05）. The incidence of weight gain and lethargy in observation group was significantly higher than control group， and the incidence of extrapyramidal reaction， insomnia， headache， dizziness and dry mouth were significantly lower than control group， with statistical significance （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS： Therapeutic efficacy of olanzapine is similar to that of risperidone in the treatment of schizophrenia. Both of them can effectively improve cognitive function. Olanzapine is better than risperidone in improving psychiatric symptoms， but it increases the incidence of body weight gain and lethargy.