Research article summary (published 17 Sep 2007):

Apathy and the processing of novelty in schizophrenia.

Full Abstract

Apathy is a common negative symptom in schizophrenia that has been associated with poor medication compliance and treatment outcome. Recent studies in neurological patients have observed an association between apathy and reduced attention to novel stimuli. We evaluated whether patients with schizophrenia demonstrate a similar relationship. Participants included 20 patients with schizophrenia and 20 healthy comparison subjects matched for age, sex, handedness, and parental education. A self-paced visual novelty task was presented which assessed the duration that participants looked at frequent standard stimuli, infrequent target stimuli, and novel stimuli. Attention to novelty was defined as the duration of viewing novel relative to standard stimuli. Apathy was assessed with the Marin Apathy Evaluation Scale. Results revealed significantly greater self- and informant-reported apathy, slower reaction time to target stimuli, and longer viewing times to the stimuli, but not reduced attention to the novel stimuli, in the patient group. Although greater self-report of apathy was associated with longer viewing times for all stimuli in the patient group, this was accounted for by depressed mood. The present findings indicate that schizophrenia is associated with slowed information processing, but do not support the hypothesis that apathy in schizophrenia is associated with abnormal processing of novelty.

Author information

Author/s: Roth, Robert M (RM); Koven, Nancy S (NS); Pendergrass, Jo Cara (JC); Flashman, Laura A (LA); McAllister, Thomas W (TW); Saykin, Andrew J (AJ);

Affiliation: Neuropsychology Program, Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School/DHMC, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, New Hampshire, 03756-0001, USA. Robert.M.Roth(-atsign-)Darthmouth.Edu

Grants: U54 EB005149 (Agency:NIBIB NIH HHS) ; U54 EB005149-030013 (Agency:NIBIB NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Schizophrenia research (Schizophr Res), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jan; vol 98 (issue 1-3) : pp 232-8

Dates: Created 2007/12/17; Completed 2008/03/31; Revised 2009/06/29;

PMID: 17884352, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 6/30/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Antipsychotic Agents - pharmacology; therapeutic use Attention - drug effects; physiology Behavioral Symptoms - drug therapy; psychology Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale - statistics & numerical data Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Exploratory Behavior - drug effects; physiology Female Functional Laterality - physiology Humans

Male Personality Inventory Problem Solving - drug effects; physiology Psychiatric Status Rating Scales Psychomotor Performance - drug effects; physiology Reaction Time Schizophrenia - diagnosis; drug therapy Schizophrenic Psychology Severity of Illness Index Task Performance and Analysis

Associated Chemicals: Antipsychotic Agents (0)

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