Objectives : Since memory impairment was reported to be quite prevalent in schizophrenic patients. This study evaluated the clinical and neuropsychological characteristics of schizophrenic patients with normal memory functions and decreased memory fun...
Objectives : Since memory impairment was reported to be quite prevalent in schizophrenic patients. This study evaluated the clinical and neuropsychological characteristics of schizophrenic patients with normal memory functions and decreased memory functions.
Methods : Twenty nine DSM-lV schizophrenic patients, hospitalized with acute symptoms, underwent MAS. There were 10 patients with MAS total score 85 or above (normal memory group) and 13 patients with MAS total score less than 85 (decreased memory group). Two groups were compared in WAIS, WCST, Stroop test and Purdue pegboard test, PANSS on admission and time of testing.
Results : The decreased memory group was older (32.0±6.6 vs 27.2±5.9) and had more numbers of previous hospitalization (4.0±3.0 vs 1.7±1.3). There were no significant differences between two groups in positive and negative symptoms, on admission and on testing, and 10 score. However the decreased memory group showed poor performances in WCST, Stroop test and Purdue pegboard test.
Conclusion : This result suggested that there was a subgroup of schizophrenics with decreased memory functions, which had poor performance in neuropsychological tests. It is warranted to study biological characteristics and longterm outcome of the subgroup with decreased memory functions.