Specificity deficit in the recollection of emotional memories in schizophrenia.
The influence of emotion on episodic and autobiographical memory in schizophrenia was investigated. Using an experiential approach, the states of awareness accompanying recollection of pictures from the IAPS and of associated autobiographical memories was recorded. Results show that schizophrenia impairs episodic and autobiographical memories in their critical feature: autonoetic awareness, i.e., the type of awareness experienced when mentally reliving events from one's past. Schizophrenia was also associated with a reduction of specific autobiographical memories. The impact of stimulus valence on memory performance was moderated by clinical status. Patients with schizophrenia recognized more positive than negative pictures, and recalled more positive than negative autobiographical memories while controls displayed the opposite pattern. A hypothesis in terms of a fundamental executive deficit underlying these impairments is proposed.
Neumann
Aurore
A
Faculté de Psychologie, Université catholique de Louvain, Place du Cardinal Mercier, 10, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. aurore.neumann@psp.ucl.ac.be
Blairy
Sylvie
S
Lecompte
Damien
D
Philippot
Pierre
P
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001364:Awareness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011939:Mental Recall; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology