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Glucocorticoid interactions with memory function in schizophrenia
J W Newcomer1, S Craft, K Askins
1Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. newcomerj@psychiatry.wustl.edu
Psychoneuroendocrinology
|June 10, 1998
Summary
Glucocorticoid (GC) treatment with dexamethasone (DEX) did not impair verbal memory in schizophrenia patients, unlike in healthy adults. This suggests altered behavioral responses to GC exposure in schizophrenia, warranting further study.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Glucocorticoid (GC) exposure impacts brain function, potentially affecting hippocampal physiology and cognitive performance.
- Previous research indicated that dexamethasone (DEX) treatment reduced verbal memory in healthy adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cognitive effects of DEX treatment in individuals with schizophrenia.
- To compare the response to DEX in schizophrenia patients versus healthy adults.
Main Methods:
- An identical experimental design to a prior study was used, with 11 schizophrenia patients and 8 placebo controls.
- Cognitive function, specifically verbal memory, was assessed during DEX treatment and a washout period.
Main Results:
- DEX treatment did not decrease verbal memory or other cognitive measures in schizophrenia patients.
- A significant interaction indicated differential cognitive effects of DEX between schizophrenia patients and healthy adults.
- Baseline plasma cortisol levels were inversely correlated with delayed verbal recall performance.
Conclusions:
- Preliminary evidence suggests an altered behavioral response to acute GC exposure in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy subjects.
- Findings support a relationship between chronic cortisol changes and memory impairments in schizophrenia.
- Replication with larger sample sizes is needed.