Short-term memory activity in schizophrenic patients

Abstract

Introduction: Recent research findings about schizophrenia have shown that this disorder was associated with considerable cognitive and perceptual deficits, specifically in areas of attention and executive memory. The main aim of this study was to examine the executive memory and its dimensions in schizophrenic patients compare with normal individuals. Method: 30 schizophrenic male patients hospitalized in "Shahrood Psychiatric Hospital" selected using available sampling method, tested by revised version of WMS-III and compared by 30 normal randomly selected male individuals in same range of age and educational level. Results: Provided from MANOVA revealed significant differences between two groups in four subscales: orientation, control, visual memory and digits memory. Conclusion: Performance of the schizophrenics in conceptualizing and memory is lower than normal people. This finding is consistent by the hypothesis that schizophrenic patient suffers from a front-temporal lesion. Cognitive rehabilitation therapy seems to be necessary for these patients.