Learning and forgetting in schizophrenia

Recent studies of patients with schizophrenia have consistently demonstrate d marked deficits on measures of initial learning. However, contradictory r esults have been reported concerning retention and forgetting. The present study examined the level of initial and delayed recall of stories and visua l figures in a group of 76 patients with schizophrenia and 51 normal contro ls. schizophrenia patients demonstrated marked impairments in initial and d elayed recall as well as significantly worse percentage retention scores. H owever. schizophrenia patients and healthy controls individually matched on level of initial recall bad nearly identical delayed recall performance. T he results suggest a primary deficit in the initial acquisition of informat ion rather than an accelerated rate of forgetting in schizophrenia.