Event-related potential correlates of proactive interference in schizophrenic patients and controls.
Performance and event-related potentials (ERPs) were examined in a proactive interference (PI) task with 15 male schizophrenic patients and 15 matched healthy controls. Within a paired-associate task, 30 pairs of semantically unrelated words (A-B) were presented twice, followed by cued recall, in which the paired-associate B had to be named upon cue A. Subsequently, 50% of the A-words were paired with new words (A-C) and presented in random order together with 15 novel pairings (D-E). Slower responses and poorer recall of C- than of E-words in the final recall indicated PI in both groups. During acquisition, the paired-associates (C/E) evoked larger P3 and positive slow wave in controls than in patients. During recall, cues (A/D) evoked a slow wave with predominating anterior negativity in controls and posterior positivity in patients. The group-specific ERP pattern suggests deviant encoding and retrieval processes in schizophrenic individuals.
Rössner
P
P
Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Germany.
Rockstroh
B
B
Cohen
R
R
Wagner
M
M
Elbert
T
T
D000328:Adult; D003463:Cues; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology