The time course of information-processing deficits in schizophrenia.
A visual backward masking task was used to specify the time course of the information-processing dysfunction in 19 schizophrenic patients and 15 matched control patients using novel interstimulus intervals. The authors found that the information-processing deficit in schizophrenic subjects occurred at interstimulus intervals of greater than 60 msec and less than 500 msec. These data are compared with the results of evoked-potential and other psychophysiological studies. The visual-processing impairment is specific and time-linked rather than a reflection of the effects of gross psychopathology or medication in schizophrenic individuals.
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D003071:Cognition; D006801:Humans; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011930:Reaction Time; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013997:Time Factors; D014888:Wechsler Scales