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Facial expression perception correlates with verbal working memory function in schizophrenia
Author(s) -
Hagiya Kumiko,
Sumiyoshi Tomiki,
Kanie Ayako,
Pu Shenghong,
Kaneko Koichi,
Mogami Tamiko,
Oshima Sachie,
Niwa Shinichi,
Inagaki Akiko,
Ikebuchi Emi,
Kikuchi Akiko,
Yamasaki Syudo,
Iwata Kazuhiko,
Nakagome Kazuyuki
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1819
pISSN - 1323-1316
DOI - 10.1111/pcn.12329
Subject(s) - psychology , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , emotion perception , cognition , neurocognitive , social cognition , facial expression , working memory , perception , cognitive psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , neuroscience , communication
Aims Facial emotion perception is considered to provide a measure of social cognition. Numerous studies have examined the perception of emotion in patients with schizophrenia, and the majority has reported impaired ability to recognize facial emotion perception. We aimed to investigate the correlation between facial expression recognition and other domains of social cognition and neurocognition in Japanese patients with schizophrenia. Methods Participants were 52 patients with schizophrenia and 53 normal controls with no history of psychiatric diseases. All participants completed the Hinting Task and the Social Cognition Screening Questionnaire. The Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia was administered only to the patients. Facial emotion perception measured by the Facial Emotion Selection Test ( FEST ) was compared between the patients and normal controls. Results Patients performed significantly worse on the FEST compared to normal control subjects. The FEST total score was significantly positively correlated with scores of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia attention subscale, Hinting Task, Social Cognition Screening Questionnaire Verbal Working Memory and Metacognition subscales. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that verbal working memory function was positively related to the facial emotion perception ability in patients with schizophrenia. Conclusions These results point to the concept that facial emotion perception and some types of working memory use common cognitive resources. Our findings may provide implications for cognitive rehabilitation and related interventions in schizophrenia.