Psychology ETDs

Susan E. Cave

Publication Date

4-5-1977

Abstract

State dependent learning as produced by a class of antipsychotic medication, the phenothiazines, was assessed for verbal recognition and recall memory functions in 24 schizophrenic inpatients. Subjects were initially trained on a paired-associate learning task (Phase I) and tested for stimulus recognition and response recall two weeks later (Phase II). Following double blind procedures for the administration of placebo, subjects were randomly and sequentially assigned to four drug treatment groups which specified their drug state during Phase I and II: no drug-no drug (ND-ND), drug-drug (D-D), no drug-drug (ND-D), and drug-no drug (D-ND). Subjects were also evaluated for cognitive skills relevant to the task and subjective distress levels at both phases of study. Results indicated that for recognition memory, initial learning in a drug-free condition produced significantly better retention than learning and testing under the influence of the medication. Poor recall memory, learning verbal material under the influence of phenothiazines produced significantly poorer recall than verbal learning in a phenothiazine free state and the learning that occurred appears conditional on that drug state. Implications for verbal psychotherapy with patients taking such medications are discussed.

Degree Name

Psychology

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Psychology

First Committee Member (Chair)

Karl Peter Koenig

Second Committee Member

Joseph Schenkel

Third Committee Member

John Paul Gluck Jr.

Fourth Committee Member

Richard T. Rada

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS