Cognitive deficits associated with source monitoring impairments in patients with schizophrenia

The ability to remember the source of information (e.g., whether one learned a fact from television, a friend, or a daydream) is an important part of normal memory. Patients with schizophrenia have source memory impairments that may relate to positive symptoms. The main focus of this study was to investigate how deficits in working memory, attention, and verbal IQ relate to source memory impairments. A second goal was to analyze the relationship between source memory and positive symptoms. Results indicated that spatial working memory was moderately related to measures of source memory. Interestingly, patients with better working memory abilities had more effective strategies on the source memory test. Measures of working memory may closely relate to problem solving and general fluid intelligence. There was no relationship between source memory impairments and positive symptoms. The results of this study imply that working memory but not positive symptoms relate to source memory.