Impairment of visuospatial memory is associated with decreased slow wave sleep in schizophrenia.
Cognitive impairments such as memory deficits and sleep disturbances are common clinical features of schizophrenia. Since sleep plays an important role in consolidation of memory, we hypothesize, that there is an interrelationship between distinct alterations in sleep and memory performance in schizophrenia. We studied 17 patients with schizophrenia on stable antipsychotic medication with amisulpride (age range 22-44 years; 7 women) and 17 healthy controls (matched for age, gender and educational level). Sleep was recorded and scored according to the standard criteria by Rechtschaffen and Kales. Immediately before polysomnography and the morning after we performed neuropsychological tasks including Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test and a test for recall of spatial location for testing aspects of declarative memory and a mirror tracing skill for procedural memory. In comparison to healthy controls, the patients showed a significant increase in sleep onset latency and a significant decrease in sleep efficiency and amount of slow wave sleep (SWS). Furthermore, the patients' performance in recall of the Rey-figure and of spatial location the next morning was significantly impaired. These impairments in the tests for visuospatial memory were positively correlated with reduction in the amount of SWS and in sleep efficiency. These results point to a functional interrelationship between regulation of SWS and performance in visuospatial memory in schizophrenia. If these results of our pilot study hold true, they will allow the development of innovative treatment strategies for neuropsychological deficits in patients with schizophrenia.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center for Integrative Psychiatry (ZIP), Christian-Albrechts-University School of Medicine, Niemannsweg 147, 24105 Kiel, Germany. rgoeder@psychiatry.uni-kiel.de
Robert
R
Göder
Margret
M
Boigs
Sisko
S
Braun
Lars
L
Friege
Gunther
G
Fritzer
Josef Bernd
JB
Aldenhoff
Dunja
D
Hinze-Selch
D000328:Adult; D000077582:Amisulpride; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013028:Space Perception; D013469:Sulpiride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014796:Visual Perception
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D013469:Sulpiride; D000077582:Amisulpride