Immediate and delayed memory performance in schizophrenia spectrum patients: Use of matched tasks

Rapid forgetting has been observed in long-term schizophrenic patients in t he past. In this study, the rate of forgetting was assessed in short-term s chizophrenic, schizophreniform and schizoaffective patients who had positiv e symptoms in the past, and in schizophreniform patients who never had posi tive symptoms. Four groups of patients representing these distinctions and a group of normal controls were assessed using immediate and delayed recall tasks, while controlling for effects of discriminating power of tasks, usi ng matched-task methodology. The results showed that all schizophrenia spec trum patients with positive symptoms showed rapid forgetting as compared to schizophreniform patients with negative symptoms and normal controls. It i s concluded that better immediate than delayed recall characterizes schizop hrenia spectrum patients who have had positive symptoms. However, schizophr enia spectrum patients with negative symptoms may be qualitatively differen t from patients with positive symptoms in showing a slower rate of forgetti ng. The results support the hypothesis that there is at least one and possi bly two brain dysfunctions affecting memory in schizophrenia. Copyright(C) 2001 S. KargerAG, Basel.