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Relational memory in first episode psychosis: implications for progressive hippocampal dysfunction after illness
Cali F Bartholomeusz1, Tina M Proffitt, Greg Savage
1National Neuroscience Facility, Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Carlton South, Victoria, Australia. barc@unimelb.edu.au
The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
|March 29, 2011
Summary
Verbal relational memory is intact in first episode psychosis (FEP). This suggests hippocampal and medial temporal lobe decline occurs in later schizophrenia illness stages, not early on.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Verbal episodic memory impairments are characteristic of schizophrenia.
- Hippocampal volume reductions are observed in chronic schizophrenia patients.
- The timing of verbal memory impairment in early psychosis is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate verbal relational memory in first episode psychosis (FEP).
- To determine if verbal memory performance in FEP depends on illness stage.
- To assess if verbal memory deficits are an early biomarker for schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- A novel verbal paired associate task was administered to 47 FEP patients and 36 healthy controls (aged 15-25).
- The task involved learning and recall of word pairs, followed by an interference phase.
- Performance was compared between FEP patients with schizophrenia and schizophreniform disorder diagnoses.
Main Results:
- FEP patients demonstrated intact verbal relational memory, performing similarly to healthy controls.
- No significant performance differences were found between FEP patients diagnosed with schizophrenia versus schizophreniform disorder.
Conclusions:
- Verbal relational memory appears preserved in the early stages of psychosis.
- Hippocampal and medial temporal lobe function decline likely occurs later in the illness trajectory.
- Further research is needed to develop interventions preventing cognitive decline in early psychosis.
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