222. Facilitation of prefrontal function in schizophrenia by increasing socioaffective input

Abstract

The role of prefrontal cortex in working memory and executive function is well described but the frontal lobe is also crucial for integrating and modulating affective and social behavior. Three studies were conducted to examine the effects of affective salience, arousal and reward on prefrontal function, as assessed by working memory tasks in schizophrenia patients. Working memory deficits are present in about 80% of schizophrenia patients, resistant to anti-psychotic drug treatments and associated with social functioning. In the first study, we examined the effects of affective salience of the target on spatial working memory. Increasing the salience of the target facilitates working memory in schizophrenia patients and the affective valence of the target contributes to the improvement. In Study 2, we examined the role of social (human) vs. non-social (computer) reinforcement on working memory and found that only the human, social reinforcement facilitates working memory in schizophrenia patients. In Study 3, the role of positive mood arousal on working memory was examined. We manipulated the mood arousal by showing film clips. Salivary cortisol levels, heart rate, and blood pressure were measured. Facilitation of working memory in schizophrenia occured after they viewed a film clip which invites participation by the patient but not after viewing a comic clip which does not invite participation. These results suggest that affective and social modulation of working memory function is significant in schizophrenia and point to the importance of integrating “affect” and “cognition” in studies of frontal lobe function.