Impairment of semantic categorization processes among thought-disordered schizophrenic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To explore semantic categorization strategies in patients with schizophrenia.


METHODS
A short-term memory-recognition task that reveals the effects associated with categorization was created and applied to 2 groups of patients with schizophrenia and depression.


RESULTS
Only the schizophrenic subgroup with formal thought disorder (measured using Andreasen's Thought, Language, and Communication [TLC] scale) exhibited a deficiency in semantic categorization strategies during the task.


CONCLUSIONS
These results support the hypothesis of the impairment of the processes involved in the processing of contextual information in patients with schizophrenia who suffer from formal thought disorder.
Mesure
G
G
Service de Psychiatrie, Centre Hospitalier Victor Dupouy, Argenteuil, France. Gerald.Mesure@Wanadoo.fr
Passerieux
C
C
Besche
C
C
Widlöcher
D
D
Hardy-Baylé
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011930:Reaction Time; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012660:Semantics; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology