- Email: [email protected]
TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH TO PROBE ATTENTIONAL DEFICITS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA: DUAL-TASK INTERFERENCE IN PRODROMAL, FIRST EPISODE, AND CHRONIC PHASES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA
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Abstracts / Schizophrenia Research 102/1–3, Supplement 2 (2008) 1–279
199 – DISSOCIATION BETWEEN WORKING MEMORY AND MENTAL IMAGERY PERFORMANCE IN SCHIZOPHRENIA Natasha Matthews, Kathleen Collins, Katharine Thakkar, Sohee Park Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA [email protected] Introduction: Objective: Impaired working memory (WM) is a core feature of schizophrenia (SZ), and is hypothesized to stem from a fundamental difficulty in the generation and manipulation of internal representations. However there is also evidence of superior mental imagery (MI) ability in SZ. Both WM and MI rely on the generation and manipulation of internal representations, and indeed there is consistent evidence that WM and MI are associated in healthy populations. Here for the first time we examine the relationship between MI and WM in SZ. Methods: SZ and matched controls (CO) performed a change detection object WM task, and a letter MI task. In the MI task participants were asked to imagine the position of a series of block letters on a grid and determine the overlap between the imagined letters and a marker on the grid. In the perceptual control task, the same task was performed with the letter on the grid. Results: SZ were less accurate and slower compared to CO on the WM task but t hey were faster than CO on the MI task. Importantly, within the MI task the RT advantage for SZ was only observed for the imagery and not for the perceptual control condition, suggesting a selective advantage for the MI component. Conclusions: These results indicate that the generation and manipulation of MI is intact or enhanced in SZ even though they show WM deficits. A comprehensive theory of WM should account for this dissociation between manipulation of internal representations required for performance on WM and MI tasks.
200 – ALEXITHYMIA IN SCHIZOPHRENIA Raymundo J. Muscellini, Karina E. Cuirko, Monica Quiroga Fundacion Recuperar, San Salvador, Cordoba, Argentina [email protected] Introduction: Schizophrenia is associated with a deficit in the ability to perceive and express emotions, which affects carriers of schizophrenia and family. Our goal was to demonstrate that the alexithymia, would be present both in carriers of schizophrenia, as well as relatives and analyze its relationship to the pathology. Few are the researches concerning alexithymia and schizophrenia and there isn’t any record of studies to relatives applying TAS-20. Methods: The sample consists of 120 members selected by random, divided into three groups: Family (PFE), General population (PG), Carriers of Schizophrenia (EP). The Alexitimia Toronto Scale (TAS-20) Spanish version of the Moral Rubia et al. was applied in this study Results: We used a multivariate linear model, using each group as a factor and internal factors of the test as dependent variables, finding significant difference between groups Alexithymia as a primary negative symptom is associated with genetic vulnerability in the family. The EFF and PE results show that the deficit in processing emotions is also seen in relatives. Conclusions: Programs based on therapeutic management of emotion diminish levels of alexithymia.Controlling and reducing stress levels of alexithymia, in EP and FPE, are important in preventing relapses. The alexithymia goes through the pathology from the negative to the cognitive dimension, especially the social cognition.
201 – TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH TO PROBE ATTENTIONAL DEFICITS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA: DUAL-TASK INTERFERENCE IN PRODROMAL, FIRST EPISODE, AND CHRONIC PHASES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA Keith Nuechterlein 1 , Harold Pashler 2 , Kenneth Subotnik 1 , Michael Green 3 , Tyrone Cannon 4 , Carrie Bearden 3 1 UCLA Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, Los Angeles, CA; 2 UCSD Department of Psychology, San Diego, CA; 3 UCLA Department of Psychiatry, Los Angeles, CA 4 UCLA Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Los Angeles, CA [email protected] Introduction: Paradigms that involve completing two tasks that overlap in time are particularly useful for examination of the division and control of attention [1–3]. We have translated to schizophrenia research a series of dual-task interference paradigms that have particular promise to differentiate between two distinctive models of attentional functioning and offer opportunities to isolate which elementary cognitive processes are sources of attentional limitation because they cannot be completed simultaneously [2,4]. In one model, attention is viewed as a pool of “processing resources” that can be shared flexibly between simultaneous cognitive tasks. The alternative model posits that certain classes of cognitive processes cannot be completed in two tasks at once. These “structural processing bottlenecks” are the source of limitations in divided attention. Methods: In four studies, we examined manipulations of the duration of perceptual encoding, decision/response selection, or response production in two temporally overlapping reaction time tasks. Results: These studies indicate that a structural processing bottleneck model accounts for divided attention deficits in schizophrenia better than a processing resource model. The divided attention deficits in schizophrenia are evident in greater than normal interference when tasks overlap substantially. Structural processing bottlenecks are evident for response selection and response production processes, but perceptual encoding can be completed in parallel without interference even in schizophrenia. These specific points of processing bottlenecks contribute to divided attention deficit across prodromal, first episode, and chronic phases of illness. The impact of dual-task interference spreads over a longer interval between tasks as the illness progresses. References [1] Pashler H. Dual-task interference in simple tasks: Data and theory. Psychological Bulletin. 1994;116(2):220-244. [2] Pashler HE. The Psychology of Attention. MIT Press; Cambridge: 1998. [3] Johnson A, Proctor RW. Attention: Theory and practice. Sag e Publications; Thousand Oaks, CA: 2004. [4] Nuechterlein KH, Pashler HE, Subotnik KL. Translating basic attentional paradigms to schizophrenia research: reconsidering the nature of the deficits. Dev Psychopathol. 2006;18(3):831-851.
202 – PRIMARY IMPAIRMENT OF DECODING SEMANTIC INFORMATION IN SUBCORTICAL BRAIN STRUCTURES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA: DATA OF PSYCHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION Vera Orlova Mental Health Research Centre, Moscow, Russia [email protected] Introduction: Some data suggest that the memory activity is closely connected with DNA-RNA function. Its disturbances may reflect abnormalities of semantic information decoding and should be carefully studied in schizophrenia. Methods: Psychological pictogram method as well as neuropsychological Luria‘s scheme for audio-speech memory were used. Qualitative and quantitative (retention productivity score (RPS), scores of material-specific immediate and delayed recall parameters related to subcortical brain regions of both hemispheres) were analyzed. Results: The results demonstrated that the RPS was less in patients
Abstracts / Schizophrenia Research 102/1–3, Supplement 2 (2008) 1–279
199 – DISSOCIATION BETWEEN WORKING MEMORY AND MENTAL IMAGERY PERFORMANCE IN SCHIZOPHRENIA Natasha Matthews, Kathleen Collins, Katharine Thakkar, Sohee Park Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA [email protected] Introduction: Objective: Impaired working memory (WM) is a core feature of schizophrenia (SZ), and is hypothesized to stem from a fundamental difficulty in the generation and manipulation of internal representations. However there is also evidence of superior mental imagery (MI) ability in SZ. Both WM and MI rely on the generation and manipulation of internal representations, and indeed there is consistent evidence that WM and MI are associated in healthy populations. Here for the first time we examine the relationship between MI and WM in SZ. Methods: SZ and matched controls (CO) performed a change detection object WM task, and a letter MI task. In the MI task participants were asked to imagine the position of a series of block letters on a grid and determine the overlap between the imagined letters and a marker on the grid. In the perceptual control task, the same task was performed with the letter on the grid. Results: SZ were less accurate and slower compared to CO on the WM task but t hey were faster than CO on the MI task. Importantly, within the MI task the RT advantage for SZ was only observed for the imagery and not for the perceptual control condition, suggesting a selective advantage for the MI component. Conclusions: These results indicate that the generation and manipulation of MI is intact or enhanced in SZ even though they show WM deficits. A comprehensive theory of WM should account for this dissociation between manipulation of internal representations required for performance on WM and MI tasks.
200 – ALEXITHYMIA IN SCHIZOPHRENIA Raymundo J. Muscellini, Karina E. Cuirko, Monica Quiroga Fundacion Recuperar, San Salvador, Cordoba, Argentina [email protected] Introduction: Schizophrenia is associated with a deficit in the ability to perceive and express emotions, which affects carriers of schizophrenia and family. Our goal was to demonstrate that the alexithymia, would be present both in carriers of schizophrenia, as well as relatives and analyze its relationship to the pathology. Few are the researches concerning alexithymia and schizophrenia and there isn’t any record of studies to relatives applying TAS-20. Methods: The sample consists of 120 members selected by random, divided into three groups: Family (PFE), General population (PG), Carriers of Schizophrenia (EP). The Alexitimia Toronto Scale (TAS-20) Spanish version of the Moral Rubia et al. was applied in this study Results: We used a multivariate linear model, using each group as a factor and internal factors of the test as dependent variables, finding significant difference between groups Alexithymia as a primary negative symptom is associated with genetic vulnerability in the family. The EFF and PE results show that the deficit in processing emotions is also seen in relatives. Conclusions: Programs based on therapeutic management of emotion diminish levels of alexithymia.Controlling and reducing stress levels of alexithymia, in EP and FPE, are important in preventing relapses. The alexithymia goes through the pathology from the negative to the cognitive dimension, especially the social cognition.
201 – TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH TO PROBE ATTENTIONAL DEFICITS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA: DUAL-TASK INTERFERENCE IN PRODROMAL, FIRST EPISODE, AND CHRONIC PHASES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA Keith Nuechterlein 1 , Harold Pashler 2 , Kenneth Subotnik 1 , Michael Green 3 , Tyrone Cannon 4 , Carrie Bearden 3 1 UCLA Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, Los Angeles, CA; 2 UCSD Department of Psychology, San Diego, CA; 3 UCLA Department of Psychiatry, Los Angeles, CA 4 UCLA Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Los Angeles, CA [email protected] Introduction: Paradigms that involve completing two tasks that overlap in time are particularly useful for examination of the division and control of attention [1–3]. We have translated to schizophrenia research a series of dual-task interference paradigms that have particular promise to differentiate between two distinctive models of attentional functioning and offer opportunities to isolate which elementary cognitive processes are sources of attentional limitation because they cannot be completed simultaneously [2,4]. In one model, attention is viewed as a pool of “processing resources” that can be shared flexibly between simultaneous cognitive tasks. The alternative model posits that certain classes of cognitive processes cannot be completed in two tasks at once. These “structural processing bottlenecks” are the source of limitations in divided attention. Methods: In four studies, we examined manipulations of the duration of perceptual encoding, decision/response selection, or response production in two temporally overlapping reaction time tasks. Results: These studies indicate that a structural processing bottleneck model accounts for divided attention deficits in schizophrenia better than a processing resource model. The divided attention deficits in schizophrenia are evident in greater than normal interference when tasks overlap substantially. Structural processing bottlenecks are evident for response selection and response production processes, but perceptual encoding can be completed in parallel without interference even in schizophrenia. These specific points of processing bottlenecks contribute to divided attention deficit across prodromal, first episode, and chronic phases of illness. The impact of dual-task interference spreads over a longer interval between tasks as the illness progresses. References [1] Pashler H. Dual-task interference in simple tasks: Data and theory. Psychological Bulletin. 1994;116(2):220-244. [2] Pashler HE. The Psychology of Attention. MIT Press; Cambridge: 1998. [3] Johnson A, Proctor RW. Attention: Theory and practice. Sag e Publications; Thousand Oaks, CA: 2004. [4] Nuechterlein KH, Pashler HE, Subotnik KL. Translating basic attentional paradigms to schizophrenia research: reconsidering the nature of the deficits. Dev Psychopathol. 2006;18(3):831-851.
202 – PRIMARY IMPAIRMENT OF DECODING SEMANTIC INFORMATION IN SUBCORTICAL BRAIN STRUCTURES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA: DATA OF PSYCHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION Vera Orlova Mental Health Research Centre, Moscow, Russia [email protected] Introduction: Some data suggest that the memory activity is closely connected with DNA-RNA function. Its disturbances may reflect abnormalities of semantic information decoding and should be carefully studied in schizophrenia. Methods: Psychological pictogram method as well as neuropsychological Luria‘s scheme for audio-speech memory were used. Qualitative and quantitative (retention productivity score (RPS), scores of material-specific immediate and delayed recall parameters related to subcortical brain regions of both hemispheres) were analyzed. Results: The results demonstrated that the RPS was less in patients