Learning in Schizophrenia

Abstract

As part of a study of schizophrenia (9) involving physiological, psychiatric, and psychological aspects, several expenments on learning were included The purpose of the study as a whole was to obtain a comprehensive structural picture of schizophrenia The psychological approach was organized to cover a number of functions from simple to complex levels Some of these already have been reported in detail or summary form (22) This paper is concerned with one of the learning experiments It compares pursuit learnmg m a group of schizophrenic patients with a normal control group and with a manic-depressive group Interest in learning in schizophrenia arises from several considerations After the initial stages of a schizophrenic illness have passed, during which the secondary symptoms ordinarily have m varying degrees subsided, the patient is often left in a condition referred to as a "defect" or "deteriorated" state In this state he usually adjusts at a simpler level than existed before the onset of the illness This may be reflected m a lowered work efficiency or employment in less exacting work It may also be revealed in fewer and less adequate social contacts, or in poorer marital adjustment Frequently it is necessary for him to continue residing in a mental hospital which provides a simpler environment than he can find elsewhere The poorer adjustment suggests the possibility that the patient has suffered a loss m learning ability Again, m explaining the thinking disorder of schizophrenia, a weakening of associative bonds between old ideas has been postulated Bleuler, for instance, suggested such a hypothesis (3) If such a weakening exists the formation of new associations might be hindered and adjustment * From the Worcester State Hospitai These studies were earned out at the Worcester State Hospitai dunng the years [1931][1932]

Cerebellar Morphology and Procedural Learning Impairment in Neuroleptic-Naive Youth at Ultrahigh Risk of Psychosis

“…Consistent with results from both the schizophrenia and the nonclinical psychosis literature, our results showed that compared with control individuals, UHR individuals performed more poorly on the pursuit rotor task (Gomar et al, 2011; Granholm, Bartzokis, Asarnow, & Marder, 1993; Huston & Shakow, 1948; Kern et al, 2010; Mittal, Dean, et al, 2012; Picard et al, 2008; Schwartz et al, 1996). In addition to poorer performance on the pursuit rotor task, UHR individuals in our study showed a slower rate of learning than did control individuals.…”

“…1 for an anatomical map of these regions), may be important for the storage of internal models related to motor function and, thus, responsible for learning (Manni & Petrosini, 2004; Marr, 1969; Schlerf, Verstynen, Ivry, & Spencer, 2010; Stoodley & Schmahmann, 2009, 2010). There is evidence to suggest procedural learning impairment in UHR individuals: Recent work has demonstrated deficits in pursuit rotor performance in individuals exhibiting nonclinical psychosis (otherwise healthy individuals who report at least one fleeting subclinical psychotic-like experience per year), and several studies have indicated similar deficits in patients with formal psychosis (Gomar et al, 2011; Huston & Shakow, 1948; Kern, Hartzell, Izaguirre, & Hamilton, 2010; Mittal, Dean, & Pelletier, 2012; Scherer, Stip, Paquet, & Bedard, 2003; Schwartz, Rosse, Veazey, & Deutsch, 1996). …”

Cosmological perturbations: Vorticity, isocurvature and magnetic fields

“…The study of reheating is beyond the scope of this work -preliminary results suggest that isocurvature perturbations do, in fact, decay during the reheating phase. 74 However, this is very much an open question, and will be the subject of future work.…”

Effects of Risperidone on Procedural Learning in Antipsychotic-Naive First-Episode Schizophrenia

“…On all of these tasks, schizophrenia patients were impaired even before antipsychotic drugs were available (Huston and Shakow, 1948). The basis of impaired procedural learning on manual but not oculomotor skills remains to be clarified.…”