Word and tone working memory deficits in schizophrenia.

Abstract

COGNITIVE DEFICITS are basic pathological characteristics of schizophrenia. Among these deficits, verbal memory dysfunction appears to be particularly severe. Saykin et al found that medicated¹ and drug-naive² patients were more impaired on verbal memory and learning than on 9 other dimensions of function, but also performed significantly more poorly than the controls on all dimensions. Deficits in immediate recall of word lists^3-6 and in verbal learning⁷ have also been reported but were not compared with other cognitive deficits. Thus, while it is clear that verbal memory deficits are prominent in schizophrenia, it is not clear if they are part of a global cognitive dysfunction or, instead, constitute a central pathophysiological feature themselves.