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Increased stress responsivity in schizotypy leads to diminished spatial working memory performance.
Nathan T Smith1, Mark F Lenzenweger1
1Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Binghamton.
Personality Disorders
|December 5, 2012
Summary
Loud noise significantly impairs spatial working memory (SWM) in individuals with schizotypy, unlike other cognitive tasks. This stressor particularly affects SWM encoding, highlighting its vulnerability in this population.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
Background:
- Stress is linked to psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia.
- Environmental stressors' impact on cognitive processes in schizophrenia is under-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of a loud noise stressor on cognitive tasks in schizotypy.
- To compare cognitive performance between schizotypic subjects and controls under stress.
Main Methods:
- 29 schizotypic subjects and 45 controls completed cognitive tasks (spatial working memory, visual memory, sustained attention) across four conditions: baseline, noise stress, and two follow-ups.
- Heart rate (BPM) and subjective stress ratings were measured during the loud noise stressor.
Main Results:
- Schizotypy group showed greater heart rate increase and subjective stress response to loud noise compared to controls.
- Schizotypic subjects exhibited significant decreases in spatial working memory (SWM) during the noise stressor, unlike controls.
- No significant differences were found in non-SWM tasks or SWM performance in noise-free conditions.
Conclusions:
- Spatial working memory (SWM) is particularly vulnerable to loud noise stressors in individuals with schizotypy.
- The encoding stage of SWM may be negatively impacted by loud noise exposure.
- Findings underscore the need to consider environmental stressors in cognitive assessments for schizotypy.
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