Recognition memory abnormalities in asymptomatic biological parents of a patient with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Recognition memory dysfunction has been frequently reported in schizophrenic populations, and has been linked with the development of delusions and thought disorder. A range of neuropsychological abnormalities have also been documented in the biological asymptomatic relatives of patients with schizophrenia; however, recognition memory has not been one of them. AIM: This study was carried out in order to investigate: (i) verbal and facial recognition memory in terms of accuracy and false alarm rates; and (ii) contributions from the episodic and semantic memory systems to recognition memory, in the biological asymptomatic parents of a reported schizophrenic patient and a set of male and female psychotic controls. RESULTS: Gender differences failed to emerge between the psychotic controls on any of the recognition measures (discrimination accuracy, response bias, hit and false alarm rates, 'remember' and 'know' recognition memory decisions). However, there was evidence of recognition dysfunction in the female relative, and to a lesser extent, in the male. Both parent's recognition memory performance profiles were marked by a pathologically elevated false alarm rate, and an increased dependence 'remember' judgements, i.e. input from the episodic memory system, to drive recognition memory decisions. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are discussed in the context of models of episodic and semantic memory impairment in schizophrenia.

The glycaemic effect of simple sugars in mid-morning and afternoon snacks in childhood diabetes.

Eighteen diabetic children ate three different snacks (free sucrose, sucrose plus fibre, fructose plus fibre) or had no snack on each of 4 mornings. Subsequently 10 children from this group took a standard snack (free sucrose) or no snack on two afternoons. In other respects the day of testing was standardised, the children going to school as normal and collecting their blood spots on filter paper for glucose analysis. There was no difference in the blood glucose profiles between different snacks or when no snack was taken either in the mornings or afternoon. This suggests both that moderate amounts of simple sugar do not have a detrimental effect on glycaemic control and that snacks can generally be omitted without serious hypoglycaemic problems.

Effects of dietary fibre and exercise on mid-morning diabetic control--a controlled trial.

Twenty-one insulin-dependent diabetic children completed a trial of 4 different breakfasts, given in random order. Three diets differed in fibre content. The fourth diet contained soya beans as part (38%) of the dietary fibre source. Children collected capillary blood samples on to filter paper strips which were analysed for blood glucose content. Each morning the children were asked to exercise vigorously for an hour and to rest for an hour, resulting in comparable rest and exercise periods for each child. Mean initial blood glucose levels on the 4 diets were not significantly different. The low-fibre diet resulted in the highest blood glucose concentrations after breakfast. Blood glucose levels on the high-fibre diet did not differ from those on the medium-fibre diet. The bean diet produced the lowest mean blood glucose level and the smallest reduction in blood glucose level in the hour before lunch. All the children found the bean diet unacceptable but liked the high- and medium-fibre diets, which were as popular as the low-fibre diet. The level of prescribed exercise had no effect on the level of blood glucose. It appears that the potentially major benefits from beans are limited by their unpalatability. The more acceptable cereal fibre produces a smaller but important benefit on morning hyperglycaemia after breakfast.