Auditory-verbal hallucinations and the phonological loop: a cognitive neuropsychological study.
A patient with continuous auditory-verbal hallucinations was studied, in comparison with two cases with a past history of similar hallucinations, from a cognitive neuropsychological perspective. This attempts to place hallucinations in the context of a normal cognitive process which has become disordered. The process in question is the phonological loop, equivalent to inner speech, derived from a model of short-term or working memory. A series of short-term memory tests, assumed to rely on the adequate functioning of the phonological loop, was administered, the results of which broadly conformed to a normal pattern of performance. It is concluded that verbal hallucinations cannot be regarded as involving the phonological loop directly. Other points in the short-term memory/language system at which verbal hallucinations could arise are discussed, as are suggestions for further research of this kind.
David
A S
AS
Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London, UK.
Lucas
P A
PA
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010700:Phonetics; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012660:Semantics; D013067:Speech Perception; D014706:Verbal Learning