scholarly journals A review of autobiographical memory studies on patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yujia Zhang ◽  
Sara K. Kuhn ◽  
Laura Jobson ◽  
Shamsul Haque

Abstract Background Patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorders demonstrate various cognitive deficiencies, the most pertinent one being impairment in autobiographical memory. This paper reviews quantitative research investigating deficits in the content, and characteristics, of autobiographical memories in individuals with schizophrenia. It also examines if the method used to activate autobiographical memories influenced the results and which theoretical accounts were proposed to explain the defective recall of autobiographical memories in patients with schizophrenia. Methods PsycINFO, Web of Science, and PubMed databases were searched for articles published between January 1998 and December 2018. Fifty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies implemented the generative retrieval strategy by inducing memories through cue words or pictures, the life-stage method, or open-ended retrieval method. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement guidelines were followed for this review. Results Most studies reported that patients with schizophrenia retrieve less specific autobiographical memories when compared to a healthy control group, while only three studies indicated that both groups performed similarly on memory specificity. Patients with schizophrenia also exhibited earlier reminiscence bumps than those for healthy controls. The relationship between comorbid depression and autobiographical memory specificity appeared to be independent because patients’ memory specificity improved through intervention, but their level of depression remained unchanged. The U-shaped retrieval pattern for memory specificity was not consistent. Both the connection between the history of attempted suicide and autobiographical memory specificity, and the relationship between psychotic symptoms and autobiographical memory specificity, remain inconclusive. Patients’ memory specificity and coherence improved through cognitive training. Conclusions The overgeneral recall of autobiographical memory by patients with schizophrenia could be attributed to working memory, the disturbing concept of self, and the cuing method implemented. The earlier reminiscence bump for patients with schizophrenia may be explained by the premature closure of the identity formation process due to the emergence of psychotic symptoms during early adulthood. Protocol developed for this review was registered in PROSPERO (registration no: CRD42017062643).

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Brandan Letham

<p>The ways we remember our past have been demonstrated to have important implications regarding our psychological functioning (Waters, 2014). Research suggests parents scaffold early remembering skills which can shape the amount of specific detail children can recall from their autobiographical memories (Autobiographical Memory Specificity; AMS) (Reese & Fivush, 1993; Reese, Haden, & Fivush, 1993; Valentino et al., 2014). The current study investigated whether parents and their adolescent children display similar patterns of AMS. In addition, previous literature has predominately utilised only one measure of AMS – the Autobiographical Memory Test (Williams & Broadbent, 1986). A critique of this measure and an argument for adopting a new measure of AMS is provided. A secondary aim was to examine the relationship between parent and adolescent rumination which has been shown to share an important relationship with AMS (Williams et al., 2007) and, like AMS, is suggested to be socialised early in the life span (Nolen-Hoeksema, Wisco, & Lyuboirsky, 2008). Sixty-seven parent-adolescent dyads were recruited, and measures of AMS and rumination were administered. A significant positive relationship between parent and adolescent rumination was found, however, the relationships between parent and adolescent AMS were non-significant. Implications regarding existing theory, limitations, and ideas for future research are discussed.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Brandan Letham

<p>The ways we remember our past have been demonstrated to have important implications regarding our psychological functioning (Waters, 2014). Research suggests parents scaffold early remembering skills which can shape the amount of specific detail children can recall from their autobiographical memories (Autobiographical Memory Specificity; AMS) (Reese & Fivush, 1993; Reese, Haden, & Fivush, 1993; Valentino et al., 2014). The current study investigated whether parents and their adolescent children display similar patterns of AMS. In addition, previous literature has predominately utilised only one measure of AMS – the Autobiographical Memory Test (Williams & Broadbent, 1986). A critique of this measure and an argument for adopting a new measure of AMS is provided. A secondary aim was to examine the relationship between parent and adolescent rumination which has been shown to share an important relationship with AMS (Williams et al., 2007) and, like AMS, is suggested to be socialised early in the life span (Nolen-Hoeksema, Wisco, & Lyuboirsky, 2008). Sixty-seven parent-adolescent dyads were recruited, and measures of AMS and rumination were administered. A significant positive relationship between parent and adolescent rumination was found, however, the relationships between parent and adolescent AMS were non-significant. Implications regarding existing theory, limitations, and ideas for future research are discussed.</p>


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Carruthers ◽  
Gemma Brunetti ◽  
Susan Rossell

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders are chronic and debilitating mental illnesses characterised by both cognitive impairments and sleep deficits. In this systematic review protocol, we outline an approach to examine the available literature investigating the relationship between sleep and cognition in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorder.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
J. N. de Boer ◽  
A. E. Voppel ◽  
S. G. Brederoo ◽  
H. G. Schnack ◽  
K. P. Truong ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Clinicians routinely use impressions of speech as an element of mental status examination. In schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, descriptions of speech are used to assess the severity of psychotic symptoms. In the current study, we assessed the diagnostic value of acoustic speech parameters in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, as well as its value in recognizing positive and negative symptoms. Methods Speech was obtained from 142 patients with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder and 142 matched controls during a semi-structured interview on neutral topics. Patients were categorized as having predominantly positive or negative symptoms using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Acoustic parameters were extracted with OpenSMILE, employing the extended Geneva Acoustic Minimalistic Parameter Set, which includes standardized analyses of pitch (F0), speech quality and pauses. Speech parameters were fed into a random forest algorithm with leave-ten-out cross-validation to assess their value for a schizophrenia-spectrum diagnosis, and PANSS subtype recognition. Results The machine-learning speech classifier attained an accuracy of 86.2% in classifying patients with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder and controls on speech parameters alone. Patients with predominantly positive v. negative symptoms could be classified with an accuracy of 74.2%. Conclusions Our results show that automatically extracted speech parameters can be used to accurately classify patients with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder and healthy controls, as well as differentiate between patients with predominantly positive v. negatives symptoms. Thus, the field of speech technology has provided a standardized, powerful tool that has high potential for clinical applications in diagnosis and differentiation, given its ease of comparison and replication across samples.


2021 ◽  
pp. 000486742110574
Author(s):  
Luis Martinez Agulleiro ◽  
Renato de Filippis ◽  
Stella Rosson ◽  
Bhagyashree Patil ◽  
Lara Prizgint ◽  
...  

Objective: Self-reports or patient-reported outcome measures are seldom used in psychosis due to concerns about the ability of patients to accurately report their symptomatology, particularly in cases of low awareness of illness. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of insight on the accuracy of self-reported psychotic symptoms using a computerized adaptive testing tool (CAT-Psychosis). Methods: A secondary analysis of data drawn from the CAT-Psychosis development and validation study was performed. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Scale of Unawareness of Mental Disorders were administered by clinicians. Patients completed the self-reported version of the CAT-Psychosis. Patients were median-split regarding their insight level to compare the correlation between the two psychosis severity measures. A subgroup sensitivity analysis was performed only on patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Results: A total of 159 patients with a psychotic disorder who completed both CAT-Psychosis and Scale of Unawareness of Mental Disorders were included. For the whole sample, CAT-Psychosis scores showed convergent validity with Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ratings ( r = 0.517, 95% confidence interval = [0.392, 0.622], p < 0.001). Insight was found to moderate this correlation (β = –0.511, p = 0.005), yet agreement between both measures remained statistically significant for both high ( r = 0.621, 95% confidence interval = [0.476, 0.733], p < 0.001) and low insight patients ( r = 0.408, 95% confidence interval = [0.187, 0.589], p < 0.001), while psychosis severity was comparable between these groups (for Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale: U = 3057, z = –0.129, p = 0.897; disorganization: U = 2986.5, z = –0.274, p = 0.784 and for CAT-Psychosis: U = 2800.5, z = –1.022, p = 0.307). Subgroup of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders showed very similar results. Conclusions: Insight moderates the correlation between self-reported and clinician-rated severity of psychosis, yet CAT-Psychosis remains valid in patients with both high and low awareness of illness.


Author(s):  
Rebecca J. Hamblin ◽  
Jennifer Moonjung Park ◽  
Monica S. Wu ◽  
Eric A. Storch

Individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often have good insight into the irrational nature of their obsessions and the excessive character of their compulsions, but insight exists along a continuum and is markedly poor in some patients. This chapter reviews the assessment and phenomenological correlates of variable insight in OCD in both pediatric and adult populations. It reviews the definition of insight and its relationship to the evolution of diagnostic criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as the major assessment tools used to measure and quantify insight for clinical and research purposes. The relationships between insight and clinical characteristics of OCD, including symptom severity, comorbidity, and treatment response are reviewed, followed by a review of neurobiological correlates of insight and the relationship between poor insight and schizophrenia spectrum disorders.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. s253-s254
Author(s):  
M. Holubova ◽  
J. Prasko ◽  
K. Latalova ◽  
M. Ociskova ◽  
A. Grambal ◽  
...  

IntroductionSelf-stigma is a maladaptive psychosocial phenomenon that can disturb self-image and quality of life in psychiatric outpatients and may lead to dysphoria, social isolation and reduced adherence to treatment.ObjectivesSelf-stigma and QoL could be reflected as important factors for patients, who suffer from schizophrenia spectrum disorders, their caregivers and mental health specialists. Focus on reducing the self-stigma in supportive and educational therapy could be an important factor in promoting a higher QoL.AimsCurrent research moved attention to the relationship between demographic data, the severity of symptoms, self-stigma and quality of life in schizophrenic outpatients compared to the QoL in healthy controls.MethodsPatients who met ICD-10 criteria for schizophrenia spectrum disorder were recruited in the study. The Quality of Life Satisfaction and Enjoyment questionnaire (Q-LES-Q), Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) and severity of the disorder measured by objective and subjective Clinical Global Impression severity scales (CGI) were assessed.ResultsOne hundred and nine psychotic patients and 91 healthy controls participated in the study. Compared to the control group, there was a lower QoL and a higher score of self-stigma in psychotic patients. We found the correlation between the self-stigma, duration of disorder and QoL. The level of self-stigma correlated positively with total symptom severity score and negatively with the QoL. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that the objective severity and self-stigma score were significantly associated with the quality of life (Figure 2 and 3, Fig. 1).ConclusionsOur study suggests a negative impact of self-stigma level on the quality of life in patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Faulkner ◽  
Penny E. Bee ◽  
Richard J. Drake

Abstract BackgroundSleep problems are common in people with diagnoses of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (> 50%), even during periods of relative stability of psychotic symptoms. Evidence suggests that people living with schizophrenia spectrum disorders are often keen to improve their sleep, but few non-pharmacological sleep treatments are available to patients in specialist mental health services. It has been proposed that occupational therapists may have the relevant skills for the delivery of behavioural sleep interventions. This mixed method, proof-of-concept study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a new intervention, Light-Dark and Activity Rhythm Therapy (L-DART), to improve sleep in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorder diagnoses.MethodsA single group of 10 service users with schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses and self-reported problems with sleep onset, maintenance, timing or quality will be offered L-DART. L-DART will be delivered over 6–9 in person sessions and 3–6 phonecalls by an occupational therapist. Feasibility measures will comprise recruitment and retention logs, fidelity based on session records, adverse effects, and study attrition. Intervention uptake, engagement and adherence will be measured, and barriers to adherence explored. Acceptability will be assessed though quantitative satisfaction ratings and qualitative interviews. Activity patterns and dynamic light exposure will be measured, as well as self-reported sleep, wellbeing and functioning, to inform outcome selection in a larger trial.DiscussionThe findings will inform any necessary modifications to the intervention and its materials, enabling the development of a stage 2 manual and a therapist training package. The results will support the design of a randomised multi-therapist feasibility trial.Trial registrationISRCTN11998005, assigned registration on 17.02.2020


Author(s):  
Stefan Fritze ◽  
Fabio Sambataro ◽  
Katharina M. Kubera ◽  
Geva A. Brandt ◽  
Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg ◽  
...  

AbstractThe rapidly evolving field of sensorimotor neuroscience reflects the scientific and clinical relevance of sensorimotor abnormalities as an intrinsic component of the disease process, e.g., in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Despite previous efforts, however, prevalence rates and relationships between different categories of sensorimotor abnormalities in SSD patients are still subject of ongoing debate. In this study, we examined five different categories of the sensorimotor domain (Neurological soft signs (NSS), parkinsonism, catatonia, akathisia, and tardive dyskinesia) according to well-established clinical ratings scales and the respective cut-off criteria in a sample of 131 SSD patients. We used a collection of statistical methods to better understand prevalence, overlap and heterogeneity, as well as psychopathological and cognitive correlates of sensorimotor abnormalities. 97.7% of the SSD patients considered by this study exhibited at least one categorically defined sensorimotor abnormality that tended to co-vary within three different sensorimotor subgroups (moderate, hyperkinetic and hypokinetic). Finally, hyperkinetic and hypokinetic groups differed significantly in their neurocognitive performance compared with the moderate group. The results suggest different patterns of clinical overlap, highlight the relationship between sensorimotor and cognitive domain and provide clues for further neurobiological studies.


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