Modal attention asymmetry in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
This cross-sectional study examined modal attention asymmetries in patients with schizophrenia (n = 47) and bipolar disorder (n = 42), as contrasted to a matched-sample comparison group of normal participants (n = 89). A test of continuous auditory and visual attention was the primary measure. The data were analyzed from 2 experimental conditions: simple modal responses (auditory and visual) and modal switching responses (ipsimodal and cross-modal switching). In the simple modal condition, patients with schizophrenia demonstrated a visual over auditory asymmetry; patients with bipolar disorder showed no differences. In modal switching conditions, however, patients with bipolar disorder displayed a significant auditory over visual asymmetry. No main effect was detected between medications and attention functioning. Results are discussed in light of differentiating these 2 populations on the basis of modal specificity of attention functioning.
Baerwald
J P
JP
Department of Psychology, Loyola College in Maryland, Baltimore 21210, USA. jbaerwald@loyola.edu
Tryon
W W
WW
Sandford
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011594:Psychometrics; D011930:Reaction Time; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013067:Speech Perception