Verbal memory impairment in schizophrenia: No sparing of short-term recall

Verbal memory function was assessed in 27 schizophrenic patients and 19 healthy control subjects matched for premorbid IQ and age using a test battery comprising measures of short-term, long-term and source memory. Patients were also rated for positive and negative symptoms. Results indicated that the patient group evinced poorer performance on all tests of short-term memory, and most tests of long-term memory, and that these differences remained when current IQ was introduced as a covariate. Within the patient group, overall verbal memory performance was associated only with a negative symptoms. Results are discussed in the context of a generalised neuropsychological deficit in schizophrenia.