Early information processing deficit in schizophrenia. New findings using schizophrenic subgroups and manic control subjects
D. P. Saccuzzo and D. L. Braff
In recent years, the idea that schizophrenia involves a primary disturbance
of the higher cognitive (ie, cortical) thinking processes has been
challenged by investigators who have shown that there may be a primary
disturbance in schizophrenia in the early stages of information processing
that occurs during the first few hundred milliseconds after the stimulus
reaches the sense organs. Among the hypothesized early information
processing deficits are deficiencies in iconic storage (a brief peripheral
memory store) and slowness of processing from iconic storage to a more
permanent memory system. Three experiments were conducted using
tachistoscopically presented stimuli in order to evaluate these two stages
of information processing (iconic storage and speed of processing) in
schizophrenic and control subjects. Results converged in supporting the
hypothesis, that independent of iconic storage and sensory registration,
slow information processing is a relatively stable deficit of schizophrenic
patients with a poor prognosis. The schizophrenic patients with a good
prognosis had a similar deficit, which was reversible. Results are
discussed as they relate to the early information processing deficit
theories of schizophrenia.
