Two types of impairment of attentional control system in schizophrenia: The investigation of the over controlled vs. under controlled subtypes hypothesis
Thesis supervisor: Mihály Racsmány
Location of studies (in Hungarian): MTA TTK Abbreviation of location of studies: MTA
Description of the research topic:
The overall aim of this study is to verifying and interpreting the fundamental differences of cognitive and neurological malfunctions in the two subgroups of outpatients with schizophrenia. Specifically, we aim to find evidence supporting the ’under controlled vs. over controlled’ subgroups hypothesis in schizophrenia. We aim to find solid empirical evidence for the presence of two kinds of executive malfunctions in schizophrenia. We assume that patients classified to ‘over controlled’ subgroup will show the behavioural signs of overworking of the control system, these are: In complex, new tasks their response RTs will be in normal range at the first part of the task. Their performance will be different from normal at the cutting point of automatization of healthy control group. However, we assume that patients classified to ‘under controlled subgroup’ will show the behavioural sign of deficit of the control system. The aim of this research is to find evidence supporting this hypothesis in schizophrenia and to develop a set of experimental tools to detect the deficit and the overactivation of the executive control system in psychiatry populations.
Logan, G. D., Cowan, W. B. (1984). On the ability to inhibit thought and action: a theory of an act of control. Psychological Review, 91, 295-327.
Szendi, I., Racsmány, M., Cimmer, Cs., Csifcsák, G., Kovács, Z.A., Szekeres, Gy., Galsi, G., Tóth, A., Nagy, A., Garab, E.A., Boda, K., Cséfán, Gy., Kiss, J.G., Dombi, J., Pléh, Cs., Janka, Z. (2010). Two subgroups of schizophrenia identified by systematic cognitive neuropsychiatric mapping. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 260, 257-266.
Logan, G. D., Cowan, W. B. (1984). On the ability to inhibit thought and action: a theory of an act of control. Psychological Review, 91, 295-327.
Szendi, I., Racsmány, M., Cimmer, Cs., Csifcsák, G., Kovács, Z.A., Szekeres, Gy., Galsi, G., Tóth, A., Nagy, A., Garab, E.A., Boda, K., Cséfán, Gy., Kiss, J.G., Dombi, J., Pléh, Cs., Janka, Z. (2010). Two subgroups of schizophrenia identified by systematic cognitive neuropsychiatric mapping. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 260, 257-266.
Required language skills: english Number of students who can be accepted: 1