The functional mechanisms of the memory impairments associated with these conditions are beginning to be identified, and there is preliminary evidence that a deficit in an elementary computation may have dramatic consequences on highest cognitive functions. There is also evidence that certain memory impairments are linked to specific dysfunctional outcomes in everyday life. By showing that specific rate-limiting factors of cognitive performance can be identified and are amenable to cognitive interventions, existing data open the door for theoretically and empirically based cognitive remediation of mental disorders. The components of the human memory system are described, and then a review of the various memory deficits identified among patients suffering from schizophrenia is presented. Finally, an overview of the latest developments in the comprehension of schizophrenia and a discussion on certain proposals advanced by various researchers in the field intended to shed light on the disorder is provided.
Schizophrenia appears to be an amalgamation of many different disorders.
No single model for identifying the disorder has been able to encompass every aspect of schizophrenia. Future studies will need to consider new ways of selecting and grouping schizophrenic patients. They were all assessed on clinical and procedural measures, the latter being the mirror drawing task. All groups showed progressive learning over the successive trials, and drug-naive patients performed better than the other groups. Patients in the haloperidol group showed many fluctuations over trials, suggesting difficulty in the progressive automation of the task.