This project uses experimental psychological techniques to examine whether schizophrenic deficits in ocular-motor, cognitive and social tasks result from an impaired ability to suppress inappropriate responses linked to dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex and related brain areas. Data collection from our core sample of 65 medicated schizophrenics and 44 matched normals is complete. We are, however, continuing to test subjects available in both a medicated and a drug free state. This year, in order to elucidate the nature of the psychological effects of pharmacological treatments and to explore differences between typical and atypical neuroleptics, we developed some new experimental procedures that finely examine the temporal dimensions of selective attention and negative priming. We have also modified for use by schizophrenic subjects new experimental measure of working memory and negative priming. In addition, we continued the tasks of preparing our data for analysis and carrying out analyses of already prepared data. This year we paid particular attention to the complex issues involved in eye- movement measurement. In particular, we analyzed memory-guided saccades. The data from these experiments together with other data we have collected on the same subjects raise the possibility of a particular memory deficit in schizophrenic individuals in the 50 to 150 ms range. If this is the case, it would also suggests that schizophrenics may not experience reality as a continuous flow.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01MH000683-11
Application #
6111105
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (SSES)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
U.S. National Institute of Mental Health
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code