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Originalia

Selective Memory Impairment in Schizophrenia: A Comparison with that Observed in Alcoholism

Published Online:September 01, 2006https://doi.org/10.1024//1016-264X.12.1.15

Abstract

Abstract: This study assessed the pattern of memory performance both in working memory components and episodic long-term memory in a sample of 30 schizophrenic patients, showing intact intellectual and attentional functions. The patients were compared with 30 alcoholics and 30 normal control subjects, matched for age, sex and estimated premorbid IQ. Intellectual functions, assessed using a short form of WAIS, showed no deficits in estimated Full-Scale IQ between the three groups. Attention, working memory, verbal and visual long-term memory were assessed by the subtests of WMS-R. Schizophrenic patients only showed poor overall performance in verbal and visual long-term memory, whereas alcoholics showed a broader pattern of cognitive dysfunction including attentional, working memory and verbal long-term memory components. Taken together the neuropsychological pattern of intact working memory components and impaired long-term memory in schizophrenia is similar to the classic amnesic syndrome and suggest a selective medial temporal-hippocampal dysfunction.


Schizophrenie und Gedächtnis: Selektive Leistungsminderungen schizophrener Patienten im Vergleich zu alkoholkranken Patienten

Zusammenfassung: Diese Studie untersuchte das Leistungsprofil in den Komponenten des Working Memory und dem episodischen Langzeitgedächtnis bei 30 schizophrenen Patienten, die intellektuell und aufmerksamkeitsbedingt keine Einschränkungen aufwiesen. Die Patienten wurden mit 30 alkoholkranken und 30 gesunden Probanden verglichen, die Gruppen waren kontrolliert nach Alter, Geschlecht und prämorbidem IQ. In der Intelligenz, gemessen über eine Kurzform des WAIS, zeigten sich keine Unterschiede zwischen den drei Gruppen bezüglich des geschätzten Gesamt-IQ. Aufmerksamkeit, Working Memory, verbales und visuelles Langzeitgedächtnis wurden über die Subtests der WMS-R erfaßt. Schizophrene Patienten zeigten ausschließlich Leistungsminderungen im verbalen und visuellen Langzeitgedächtnis, während alkoholkranke Patienten Defizite in den Bereichen Aufmerksamkeit, Working Memory und verbales Langzeitgedächtnis aufwiesen. Zusammengefaßt zeigt das neuropsychologische Profil schizophrener Patienten mit intakten Working Memory Komponenten und Einschränkungen im episodischen Langzeitgedächtnis Ähnlichkeiten mit dem klassisch amnestischen Syndrom und spricht für das Vorliegen einer medio-temporalen hippocampalen Dysfunktion.

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