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Schizophrenia - progressive and massive decline in response readiness by episodes

Levander, Sten LU ; Jensen, J ; Grawe, R and Tuninger, Eva LU (2001) In Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 104(Suppl. 408). p.65-74
Abstract
Objective: To relate the pattern of neuropsychological impairments among schizophrenic patients to case history data and disease characteristics in a cross-sectional study of unselected patients, and to integrate these data with two previous longitudinal studies of neuropsychological impairments among schizophrenic patients. Method: One hundred consecutive schizophrenic patients were studied with respect to clinical case history and current symptoms, medication and neuropsychological impairment using a comprehensive computerized test battery. Results: The most salient finding was a marked slowing of response readiness, linearly related to the number of previous acute episodes. The resulting deficit was far beyond what has been obtained in... (More)
Objective: To relate the pattern of neuropsychological impairments among schizophrenic patients to case history data and disease characteristics in a cross-sectional study of unselected patients, and to integrate these data with two previous longitudinal studies of neuropsychological impairments among schizophrenic patients. Method: One hundred consecutive schizophrenic patients were studied with respect to clinical case history and current symptoms, medication and neuropsychological impairment using a comprehensive computerized test battery. Results: The most salient finding was a marked slowing of response readiness, linearly related to the number of previous acute episodes. The resulting deficit was far beyond what has been obtained in any other group of subjects (average -6 SD for > five episode patients). The impairments in many of the other neuropsychological parameters could to some extent be explained with reference to response slowing, with one exception - verbal short-term memory. Adjustment for important confounding factors (age, duration of illness, medication) did not change the strong negative association between response readiness and number of previous episodes. Conclusion: These findings, together with findings of our two previous longitudinal studies and a recent replication, prompted us to suggest that each acute schizophrenic episode inflicts damage to a set of hypothetical structures, cognitive pattern generators. We assume that these structures translate intentions to logistic programs. When damaged, delays are introduced into executive functions and corollary discharge processes will run out of phase with intentions. This model implicates new ways of looking at the generative mechanisms of the illness, and on treatment strategies. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
schizophrenia, neuropsychology, symptoms, neuroleptic drugs, clozapine, response readiness
in
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
volume
104
issue
Suppl. 408
pages
65 - 74
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000172067000007
  • scopus:0034740718
ISSN
1600-0447
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a3478067-e765-490b-a006-2eba7e514aea (old id 1118752)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 17:06:22
date last changed
2022-01-29 00:23:02
@article{a3478067-e765-490b-a006-2eba7e514aea,
  abstract     = {{Objective: To relate the pattern of neuropsychological impairments among schizophrenic patients to case history data and disease characteristics in a cross-sectional study of unselected patients, and to integrate these data with two previous longitudinal studies of neuropsychological impairments among schizophrenic patients. Method: One hundred consecutive schizophrenic patients were studied with respect to clinical case history and current symptoms, medication and neuropsychological impairment using a comprehensive computerized test battery. Results: The most salient finding was a marked slowing of response readiness, linearly related to the number of previous acute episodes. The resulting deficit was far beyond what has been obtained in any other group of subjects (average -6 SD for > five episode patients). The impairments in many of the other neuropsychological parameters could to some extent be explained with reference to response slowing, with one exception - verbal short-term memory. Adjustment for important confounding factors (age, duration of illness, medication) did not change the strong negative association between response readiness and number of previous episodes. Conclusion: These findings, together with findings of our two previous longitudinal studies and a recent replication, prompted us to suggest that each acute schizophrenic episode inflicts damage to a set of hypothetical structures, cognitive pattern generators. We assume that these structures translate intentions to logistic programs. When damaged, delays are introduced into executive functions and corollary discharge processes will run out of phase with intentions. This model implicates new ways of looking at the generative mechanisms of the illness, and on treatment strategies.}},
  author       = {{Levander, Sten and Jensen, J and Grawe, R and Tuninger, Eva}},
  issn         = {{1600-0447}},
  keywords     = {{schizophrenia; neuropsychology; symptoms; neuroleptic drugs; clozapine; response readiness}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{Suppl. 408}},
  pages        = {{65--74}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica}},
  title        = {{Schizophrenia - progressive and massive decline in response readiness by episodes}},
  volume       = {{104}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}