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Attention training in schizophrenia: differing responses to similar tasks
Morris D Bell1, Joanna M Fiszdon, Gary Bryson
1VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
Journal of Psychiatric Research
|June 17, 2008
Summary
Cognitive retraining improved attention task performance in schizophrenia patients. However, improvements on similar tasks did not correlate, suggesting varied effects on attention and the need for diverse training methods.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Schizophrenia is characterized by neurocognitive deficits.
- Cognitive retraining offers a non-pharmacological treatment avenue.
- Visual attention is frequently impaired in schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of computerized visual attention training in schizophrenia.
- To determine if performance improvements vary across different attention tasks.
- To investigate the relationship between training task improvements and neuropsychological attention measures.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-two schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder outpatients underwent at least 40 hours of cognitive training.
- Two computerized visual attention tasks (VT1 and VT2) were used for training.
- Pre-post assessments included Digit Span, Digit Symbol Substitution Task, and Continuous Performance Task.
Main Results:
- Significant performance improvements were observed on both visual attention training tasks.
- No significant correlation was found between performance on the two distinct training tasks.
- Relationships between training improvements and neuropsychological measures differed depending on the training task.
Conclusions:
- Computerized cognitive training effectively enhances performance on attention tasks in schizophrenia.
- Similar attention tasks may engage different cognitive processes, leading to varied outcomes.
- Tailored cognitive retraining programs incorporating multiple exercises and assessment measures are recommended.
