Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Study Notes

Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Cognitive impairments play a crucial role in determining the quality of life and everyday functioning in individuals with schizophrenia
Positive symptoms of schizophrenia can be treated with antipsychotics, but negative and cognitive symptoms are more challenging to treat and can lead to long-term difficulties

Cognitive Impairments and Underlying Mechanisms

Cognitive impairments in schizophrenia involve a broad range of cognitive processes, making it difficult to understand the underlying mechanisms and develop effective interventions

The Hypothesis: A Common Mechanism Across Cognitive Domains

Researchers Barch and Ceaser (2012) propose a hypothesis that a common mechanism, involving 'context processing', 'working memory (WM)', and 'episodic memory', underlies cognitive impairments in schizophrenia
Impairment in representing goal information in working memory (WM) impairs proactive control, leading to difficulties in guiding behavior

Proactive Control and Goal Representation

Proactive control involves representing goals before tasks or decisions are made, enabling focus and preparation of the motor system
Goals refer to intended outcomes of actions or mental operations, such as communicating main points in a conversation or organizing a shopping trip
Proactive control is associated with the representation of information in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)

Schizophrenia and Proactive Control

A meta-analysis of fMRI studies (Minzenberg et al., 2009) showed reduced DLPFC activity in schizophrenia patients during tasks requiring proactive control
This reduction in DLPFC activity may lead to more actions going wrong, requiring schizophrenia patients to rely more heavily on reactive control
Impaired proactive control can affect both motor and internal processes, potentially explaining language deficits in schizophrenia patients

Description

This quiz covers the cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia, which can significantly impact everyday functioning. Despite the effectiveness of antipsychotics in treating positive symptoms, negative and cognitive symptoms remain challenging to address. Learn about the complexities of cognitive impairments and the difficulties in developing effective interventions.