What is it about?
The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether declarative memory deficits are related to executive function deficits (EF), since they could be a consequence of a poor organization of the material to memorize. This interaction between both cognitive processes can be studied simultaneously in a single task such as the Test of Memory Strategies (TSM). 23 patients with paranoid schizophrenic disorder, 11 with bipolar disorder with psychotic symptoms, 13 with bipolar disorder without psychotic symptoms and 15 healthy subjects were evaluated with the TSM; with the memory test Texts A and B (subtest of the Barcelona neuropsychological assessment battery), which assesses short-term and immediate recall without the influence of EF; and with the Trail Making Test (TMT): Part A (sustained attention) and Part B (executive control). The patients groups and the control group showed an improvement in memory performance across each of the TSM conditions. However, this facilitating effect of the strategies differed among the groups (the patients with higher EF deficits showed less improvement). Regarding these results, we conclude that this cognitive process cannot be independent of EF. However, due to the pilot nature of this study, it would be recommended to replicate these findings in new studies.
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Why is it important?
This article is important because it shows that many memory problems in patients with paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are largely due to deficits in executive functions, that is, difficulties in generating and using strategies to organize information, rather than a “pure” memory failure. By observing that, when materials are structured and organized, all groups improve but patients with poorer executive functioning improve less, the study indicates that memory assessment and intervention in these disorders must also focus on training strategies and executive supports, not only on memory itself.
Perspectives
As an author, my aim with this work was to clarify that many “memory failures” in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are actually problems of planning and use of strategies rather than pure mnemonic damage. I wanted to show that when an external organization of the material is provided, patients can improve their performance, and that this improvement depends on their level of executive dysfunction, in order to guide assessment and rehabilitation toward training strategies and executive functions, not only toward memory itself.
Eduardo García Laredo
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Executive Functions Influence on Memory Process in Patients with Paranoid Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorders with and without Psychotic Symptoms. A Pilot Study, The Spanish Journal of Psychology, January 2021, Cambridge University Press,
DOI: 10.1017/sjp.2021.38.
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