Abstract
Background: Spatial working memory dysfunction has been suggested to be a cardinal
feature of schizophrenia. But schizophrenia is heterogeneous in its clinical profile,
course, and outcome. One fundamental contributor to this heterogeneity may be gender.
No report has yet addressed gender differences in spatial working memory, as measured
by the delayed-response task (DRT).
Methods: We aggregated data from three previously published studies of spatial working
memory in schizophrenia and also collected DRT data from a new sample of subjects
in order to examine potential gender differences in DRT performance.
Results: As previously reported, schizophrenia patients (n = 71) showed deficits in spatial working memory relative to normal control subjects
(n = 213), however, no within-group or between-group gender differences were present.
Conclusions: These findings provide evidence for the absence of gender differences
in spatial working memory function.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
June 1,
1999
Received in revised form:
April 19,
1999
Received:
July 28,
1998
Identification
Copyright
© 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
