Effects of event-specific memory training on autobiographical memory retrieval and depressive symptoms in schizophrenic patients

Background and objectivesThis report describes the effects of a specific event group-based training programme on autobiographical memory, self-consciousness of memory retrieval, and depression symptoms in a sample of 24 schizophrenic patients (experimental group).MethodsTwenty-six matched schizophrenic patients who participated in social skills and occupational therapy group sessions constituted the active control group. Participants in the experimental group were trained to complete a diary with specific daily memories, followed by patients’ ratings of the associated emotional arousal of those entries. During training, significant specific events from childhood, adolescence, adulthood and the previous year were also reviewed.ResultsAfter 10 weeks of group-based sessions, the experimental group demonstrated an increase in their degree of specificity for autobiographical retrievals, had a higher level of consciousness of their memories and showed a decrease in their depression scores. Significant changes in measurements of retrieval specificity and autonoetic awareness were maintained when changes in emotional symptomatology were statistically controlled.LimitationsThe present study did not assess the impact of autobiographical memory training on the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.ConclusionsThese results suggest that cognitive training strategies based on event-specific autobiographical memory training should be considered for inclusion in intervention programs for schizophrenic patients.     

Pretreatment of Urine Samples with SDS Improves Direct Identification of Urinary Tract Pathogens with Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

We pretreated with SDS 71 urine samples with bacterial counts of >10⁵ CFU/ml and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) identification scores of <2, in order to minimize failure rates. Identification improved in 46.5% of samples, remained unchanged in 49.3%, and worsened in 4.2%. The improvement was more evident for Gram-negative (54.3%) than for Gram-positive (32%) bacteria.