title: Working memory impairments in first-episode psychosis and chronic schizophrenia.
abstract: Working memory (WM) impairments are core cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia linked to prefrontal cortical dysfunctions. Determining the differences between early phases of illness allows a better understanding of its course and constitutes an important guide for treatment. The present cross-sectional study examined differences of working memory functions between 33 first-episode and 29 chronic schizophrenic patients, as well as 64 healthy controls. On the basis of a two-back visual-verbal computerized working memory task, reaction time was slower and accuracy was worse in both patient groups than in controls. Test variables, however, were not significantly different between the patient groups, suggesting stability of the deficits over time. Effect size accuracy variables nevertheless showed larger deficits in chronic patients.
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals of Geneva, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Adult Psychiatry, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zanello
authors.forename: Logos
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: Maryse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Badan Bâ
authors.forename: Marco C G
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Merlo
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D055815:Young Adult