title: Visual encoding impairment in patients with schizophrenia: contribution of reduced working memory span, decreased processing speed, and affective symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous research has revealed the contribution of decreased processing speed and reduced working memory span in verbal and visual memory impairment in patients with schizophrenia. The role of affective symptoms in verbal memory has also emerged in a few studies. The authors designed a picture recognition task to investigate the impact of these factors on visual encoding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two types of pictures (black and white vs. colored) were presented under 2 different conditions of context encoding (either displayed at a specific location or in association with another visual stimulus). It was assumed that the process of encoding associated pictures was more effortful than that of encoding pictures that were presented alone. Working memory span and processing speed were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the patient group, working memory span was significantly associated with the recognition of the associated pictures but not significantly with that of the other pictures. Controlling for processing speed eliminated the patients' deficit in the recognition of the colored pictures and greatly reduced their deficit in the recognition of the black-and-white pictures. The recognition of the black-and-white pictures was inversely related to anxiety in men and to depression in women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Working memory span constrains the effortful visual encoding processes in patients, whereas processing speed decrement accounts for most of their visual encoding deficit. Affective symptoms also have an impact on visual encoding, albeit differently in men and women.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Research and Development, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu.
authors.forename: Gildas
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brébion
authors.affiliation: Unit of Research and Development, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stephan-Otto
authors.affiliation: Unit of Research and Development, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Huerta-Ramos
authors.affiliation: Unit of Research and Development, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ochoa
authors.affiliation: Unit of Research and Development, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Usall
authors.affiliation: Unit of Research and Development, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abellán-Vega
authors.affiliation: Unit of Research and Development, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roca
authors.affiliation: Unit of Research and Development, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu.
authors.forename: Josep Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Haro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013850:Thinking; D014796:Visual Perception