PsychDigest

Facial detection and recall impaired in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia patients have an impaired ability to recognize others' faces, specifically with respect to initial detection, memory retrieval, and to a lesser extent discrimination.

Sources:

Chen, Y., Norton, D., McBain, R., Ongur, D., & Heckers, S. (2009, January). Visual and cognitive processing of face information in schizophrenia: Detection, discrimination and working memory. Schizophrenia Research, 107(1). 92-98. Retrieved January 18, 2009, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2008.09.010. The full article can be accessed at ScienceDirect for $31.50.

Medwire News (2008, October). Facial detection and recall impaired in schizophrenia. InPsychiatry.com. Retrieved January 18, 2009, from http://www.inpsychiatry.com/news/article.aspx?id=78576

Autism and schizophrenia might share common origin

Schizophrenia and autism probably share a common origin. An extensive literature study by a developmental psychologist demonstrated that both mental disorders have similar physical abnormalities which are formed during the first month of pregnancy.

Sources:

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) (2008, November 24). Autism and schizophrenia share common origin. Retrieved January 12, 2009, from http://www.nwo.nl/nwohome.nsf/pages/NWOA_7LPL4Q_Eng

Schizotypal traits associated with reduced verbal IQ

In Psychiatry - Psychiatry News.

The presence of schizotypal traits in healthy adults is associated with reduced verbal IQ, supporting the notion of schizotypy being on a continuum from normality to schizophrenia.

Estrogen improves metaphoric understanding in women with schizophrenia

In Psychiatry - Psychiatry News.

MedWire News: For women with schizophrenia, estrogen treatment leads to improvements in their comprehension of metaphoric speech but has no impact on their understanding of concrete meanings

Schizophrenia outcome better than clinicians might think

The outcome of schizophrenia can be relatively favourable, and most patients do not experience a deteriorating course of illness.

Full article in October's edition of PsychDigest (vol. 2, no. 6).

Researchers have discovered new genes linked to schizophrenia

Link: Media Releases - University of Aberdeen.