[Significance of information processing systems for schizophrenic diseases, exemplified by deficient memory...

The occurrance of interference as a basic disturbance in sensory input and information processing in schizophrenic patients is explained both by means of a theoretical model implying a deficit in filtering, as well as describing a time delay in the information processing. Such basic disturbances seem to be at least partly, due to short-term memory processing when it is considering that this kind of storage represents a main function of the information processing system. The results presented here, indicate that schizophrenic patients show disturbances in various memory functions, in relationship to their subjective awareness of these disturbances. Immediate memorizing is a task that is particularly affected here, especially when examined under non-artificial, that is, everyday conditions requiring the simultaneous solving of a variety of tasks and entailing a disruption in attention. Schizophrenics were found to deviate highly significantly from nonschizophrenics regarding their ability to retain short-term material. The main cause for these results is their low resistance towards distraction, and the potential to be disturbed through interference. The question that arises here is: how the main schizophrenic symptom, known as thought disorder, can be explained by the handicap of a short-term memory, and not neglect the possible importance of the correlation with other psychic functions such as attention and concentration. The pathological significance of a malfunctioning memory can be illustrated by the significant correlations seen between immediate memory and the prognosis of the disease schizophrenia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)