Reduced attentional engagement contributes to deficits in prefrontal inhibitory control in schizophrenia.

Background: Problems with the voluntary control of behavior, such as those leading to increased antisaccade errors, are accepted as evidence of prefrontal dysfunction in schizophrenia. We previously reported that speeded prosaccade responses, i.e.

What aspects of emotional functioning are impaired in schizophrenia?

Disturbances in emotional functioning are a major cause of persistent functional disability in schizophrenia. However, it is not clear what specific aspects of emotional functioning are impaired. Some studies have indicated diminished experience of positive affect in individuals with schizophrenia, while others have not.

Antipsychotic drugs exacerbate impairment on a working memory task in first-episode schizophrenia.

Background: This study sought to replicate previous findings of worsened performance on a translational spatial working memory task among antipsychotic-naïve first-episode schizophrenia patients after antipsychotic treatment and to extend these findings by examining whether changes in the allocation of covert attention contribute to this effect.

Methods: Fourteen antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia patients performed an oculomotor delayed response task before and 6 weeks after antipsychotic treatment (risperidone n = 11; olanzapine n = 3). Fifteen matched healthy individuals were studied in parallel.