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1.
Psychiatry Res ; 328: 115420, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37657201

ABSTRACT

Recreational cannabis use has recently gained considerable interest as an environmental risk factor that triggers the onset of psychosis. To date, however, the evidence that cannabis is associated with negative outcomes in individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis is inconsistent. The present study tracked cannabis usage over a 2-year period and examined its associations with clinical and neurocognitive outcomes, along with medication rates. CHR youth who continuously used cannabis had higher neurocognition and social functioning over time, and decreased medication usage, relative to non-users. Surprisingly, clinical symptoms improved over time despite the medication decreases.

2.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36653210

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Treatments for cognitive dysfunction in neuropsychiatric conditions are urgently needed. Cognitive training and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) hold promise, and there is growing interest in combined or multimodal treatments, though studies to date have had small samples and inconsistent results. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was completed. Retained studies included cognitive training combined with active or sham tDCS in a neuropsychiatric population and reported a posttreatment cognitive outcome. Meta-analyses included effect sizes comparing cognitive training plus active tDCS and cognitive training plus sham tDCS in 5 cognitive domains. Risk of bias in included studies and across studies was explored. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were included: 10 in neurodegenerative disorders and 5 in psychiatric disorders (n = 629). There were several tDCS montages, though two-thirds of studies placed the anode over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. A wide variety of cognitive training types and outcome measures were reported. There was a small, statistically significant effect of combined treatment on measures of attention/working memory, as well as small and non-statistically significant effects favoring combined treatment on global cognition and language. There was no evidence of bias in individual studies but some evidence of nonreporting or small-study bias across studies. CONCLUSIONS: These results may provide preliminary support for the efficacy of combined cognitive training and tDCS on measures of attention/working memory. More data are needed, particularly via studies that explicitly align the cognitive ability of interest, stimulation target, training type, and outcome measures.


Subject(s)
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation , Humans , Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation/methods , Cognitive Training , Prefrontal Cortex , Cognition/physiology , Memory, Short-Term/physiology
3.
Schizophr Bull ; 48(3): 664-672, 2022 05 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35190837

ABSTRACT

Affective dysregulation (AD) among persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, involving the tendency to exhibit sensitivity to minor stress and negative affective states, is an important diagnostic feature and relates to poorer functional and clinical outcomes. Studies of persons with elevated risk for psychosis demonstrate similar AD to those with schizophrenia, and literature suggest a potential influence of AD in the transition from psychosis-like symptoms (PLEs) to disorder. Cross-sectional investigations to date have supported the link between AD and psychosis, and longitudinal studies have mostly yielded mixed findings without demonstration of potential causal relationships between AD and psychosis. This study examined the concurrent and predictive relationships between AD and PLE in a community sample of youth (n = 630) with attention to distinct facets of AD as a latent construct, including low resiliency, low reactive control, and negative emotionality, using structural equation to estimate a longitudinal cross-lagged and autoregressive model across 3 study waves from 15 to 24 years of age. As hypothesized, AD in the mid-teen years predicted subsequent PLE 3 years later. In addition, we found that increasing PLE in the end of the teen years related to a subsequent increase in AD in the early 20s. A cross-sectional relationship between AD and PLE in the mid-teen years was also supported. Findings overall describe important relationships between AD and PLE that appear to vary with developmental stage, implicating various factors to inform approaches for identifying youth who may be at risk for subsequent PLE or other mental health conditions.


Subject(s)
Psychotic Disorders , Adolescent , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Psychotic Disorders/diagnosis , Young Adult
4.
Comput Psychiatr ; 6(1): 96-116, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36743406

ABSTRACT

Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with excessive pleasure-seeking risk-taking behaviors that often characterize its clinical presentation. However, the mechanisms of risk-taking behavior are not well-understood in BD. Recent data suggest prior substance use disorder (SUD) in BD may represent certain trait-level vulnerabilities for risky behavior. This study examined the mechanisms of risk-taking and the role of SUD in BD via mathematical modeling of behavior on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). Three groups-18 euthymic BD with prior SUD (BD+), 15 euthymic BD without prior SUD (BD-), and 33 healthy comparisons (HC)-completed the BART. We modeled behavior using 4 competing hierarchical Bayesian models, and model comparison results favored the Exponential-Weight Mean-Variance (EWMV) model, which encompasses and delineates five cognitive components of risk-taking: prior belief, learning rate, risk preference, loss aversion, and behavioral consistency. Both BD groups, regardless of SUD history, showed lower behavioral consistency than HC. BD+ exhibited more pessimistic prior beliefs (relative to BD- and HC) and reduced loss aversion (relative to HC) during risk-taking on the BART. Traditional measures of risk-taking on the BART (adjusted pumps, total points, total pops) detected no group differences. These findings suggest that reduced behavioral consistency is a crucial feature of risky decision-making in BD and that SUD history in BD may signal additional trait vulnerabilities for risky behavior even when mood symptoms and substance use are in remission. This study also underscores the value of using mathematical modeling to understand behavior in research on complex disorders like BD.

5.
Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging ; 315: 111340, 2021 09 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34358977

ABSTRACT

Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with a range of social cognitive deficits. This study investigated the functioning of the mentalizing brain system in BD probed by an eye gaze perception task during fMRI. Compared with healthy controls (n = 21), BD participants (n = 14) showed reduced preferential activation for self-directed gaze discrimination in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), which was associated with poorer cognition/social cognition. Aberrant functions of the mentalizing system should be further investigated as marker of social dysfunction and treatment targets.


Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder , Mentalization , Bipolar Disorder/diagnostic imaging , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain Mapping , Fixation, Ocular , Humans
6.
Schizophr Res ; 212: 157-162, 2019 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31395490

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: As efforts intensify to intervene early among those at risk for psychosis, examination of the relationship between presenting psychopathology and long-term functional outcome may guide treatment decision-making and offer a means to prevent or reduce chronic disability. METHODS: Data were collected through the Early Detection and Intervention for the Prevention of Psychosis Program (EDIPPP), a multisite national trial testing the efficacy of an early intervention for youth at risk of developing psychosis. Participants were followed prospectively and completed comprehensive evaluations at 6, 12, and 24 months, including the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) and the Global Social and Role Functioning Scales. The present analyses included 327 participants and examined the relationships between baseline symptoms and longitudinal global social and role functioning using a linear mixed modeling approach. RESULTS: Higher baseline negative symptoms and deteriorated thought process predicted worse social and role functioning in the follow-up period. The effect of negative symptoms on social functioning, however, was moderated by positive symptoms, and the relationship between positive symptoms and social functioning changed over time. Baseline positive symptoms, distress, and level of symptom severity were not predictors of either social or role functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline negative symptoms and thought disorder appear to predict functional outcome for up to two years among adolescents and young adults at risk for psychosis. Developing effective interventions to target these symptoms may be critical to promote functional recovery among those experiencing attenuated symptoms or a first episode of psychosis.


Subject(s)
Early Medical Intervention , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Psychotic Disorders/physiopathology , Psychotic Disorders/therapy , Adolescent , Adult , Disease Susceptibility , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Risk , Young Adult
7.
Psychiatr Serv ; 70(9): 782-792, 2019 09 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31185856

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Among people with severe mental illnesses, neuropsychological abilities may contribute to vocational outcomes, such as job attainment, job tenure, and wages earned. The current study aimed to determine the strongest neuropsychological and other modifiable predictors of work outcomes in 153 people with severe mental illness (schizophrenia, 38%; bipolar disorder, 24%; and major depression, 38%) who participated in a 2-year supported employment study. METHODS: Assessments of neuropsychological performance, functional capacity, social skills, and psychiatric symptom severity were administered at baseline; work outcomes (job attainment, weeks worked, and wages earned) were collected weekly for 2 years. RESULTS: Independent of education, diagnosis, and estimated intellectual functioning, more recent work history and less severe negative symptoms significantly predicted job attainment during the 2-year study. Among the 47% who obtained jobs, better global neuropsychological performance (i.e., lower global deficit score) was a significant predictor of greater weeks worked. Both global neuropsychological performance and more recent work history predicted higher wages earned. CONCLUSIONS: Modifiable predictors of supported employment outcomes included cognitive functioning and negative symptom severity; thus, interventions to improve these factors may improve work outcomes and decrease the loss of productivity associated with severe mental illness.


Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/rehabilitation , Cognitive Dysfunction/rehabilitation , Depressive Disorder, Major/rehabilitation , Employment, Supported/statistics & numerical data , Outcome Assessment, Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Schizophrenia/rehabilitation , Adult , Bipolar Disorder/complications , Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology , Depressive Disorder, Major/complications , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neuropsychological Tests , Schizophrenia/complications
8.
Schizophr Res ; 203: 41-48, 2019 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28823720

ABSTRACT

Treatments for cognitive and functional impairments associated with severe mental illnesses are urgently needed. We tested a 12-week, manualized, Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) intervention targeting prospective memory, attention, learning/memory, and executive functioning in the context of supported employment for people with severe mental illnesses who were seeking work. 153 unemployed, work-seeking outpatients with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder (n=58), bipolar disorder (n=37), or major depression (n=58) were randomized to receive supported employment plus CCT or enhanced supported employment, a robust control group. Assessments of neuropsychological performance, functional capacity, psychiatric symptom severity, and self-reported functioning and quality of life were administered at baseline and multiple follow-up assessments over two years; work outcomes were collected for two years. Forty-seven percent of the participants obtained competitive work, but there were no differences in work attainment, weeks worked, or wages earned between the CCT and the enhanced supported employment group. ANCOVAs assessing immediate post-treatment effects demonstrated significant, medium to large, CCT-associated improvements on measures of working memory (p=0.038), depressive symptom severity (p=0.023), and quality of life (p=0.003). Longer-term results revealed no statistically significant CCT-associated improvements, but a trend (p=0.058) toward a small to medium CCT-associated improvement in learning. Diagnostic group (schizophrenia-spectrum vs. mood disorder) did not affect outcomes. We conclude that CCT has the potential to improve cognitive performance, psychiatric symptom severity, and quality of life in people with severe mental illnesses. Receiving CCT did not result in better work outcomes, suggesting that supported employment can result in competitive work regardless of cognitive status.


Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/rehabilitation , Cognitive Dysfunction/rehabilitation , Cognitive Remediation/methods , Depressive Disorder, Major/rehabilitation , Employment, Supported , Psychiatric Rehabilitation/methods , Psychotic Disorders/rehabilitation , Schizophrenia/rehabilitation , Adult , Bipolar Disorder/complications , Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology , Depressive Disorder, Major/complications , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Psychotic Disorders/complications , Schizophrenia/complications
9.
Clin Neuropsychol ; 33(3): 594-605, 2019 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29480043

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Prospective memory (the ability to remember to do things) has clear implications for everyday functioning, including employment, in people with severe mental illnesses (SMI). This study aimed to evaluate prospective memory performance and its relationship to real-world functional variables in an employment-seeking sample of people with SMI (Clinical Trial registration number NCT00895258). METHOD: 153 individuals with DSM-IV diagnosis of depression (n = 58), bipolar disorder (n = 37), or schizophrenia (n = 58) who were receiving outpatient psychiatric care at a university clinic enrolled in a trial of supported employment and completed a baseline assessment. Prospective memory was measured with the Memory for Intentions Test (MIST); real-world functional status included work history variables, clinical history variables, baseline functional capacity (UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment-Brief), and work outcomes (weeks worked and wages earned during two years of supported employment). RESULTS: Participants with schizophrenia performed worse on the MIST than did those with affective disorders. Independent of diagnosis, education, and estimated intellectual functioning, prospective memory significantly predicted variance in measures of disability and illness burden (disability benefits, hospitalization history, current functional capacity), and work outcomes over two years of supported employment (weeks worked). CONCLUSIONS: Worse prospective memory appears to be associated with greater illness burden and functional disability in SMI. Mental health clinicians and employment specialists may counsel clients to use compensatory prospective memory strategies to improve work performance and decrease functional disability associated with SMI.


Subject(s)
Disabled Persons/statistics & numerical data , Memory, Episodic , Mental Health/trends , Neuropsychological Tests/standards , Return to Work/trends , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged
10.
J Psychiatr Res ; 102: 201-206, 2018 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29689517

ABSTRACT

Neuropsychological abilities may underlie successful performance of everyday functioning and social skills. We aimed to determine the strongest neuropsychological predictors of performance-based functional capacity and social skills performance across the spectrum of severe mental illness (SMI). Unemployed outpatients with SMI (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression; n = 151) were administered neuropsychological (expanded MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery), functional capacity (UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment-Brief; UPSA-B), and social skills (Social Skills Performance Assessment; SSPA) assessments. Bivariate correlations between neuropsychological performance and UPSA-B and SSPA total scores showed that most neuropsychological tests were significantly associated with each performance-based measure. Forward entry stepwise regression analyses were conducted entering education, diagnosis, symptom severity, and neuropsychological performance as predictors of functional capacity and social skills. Diagnosis, working memory, sustained attention, and category and letter fluency emerged as significant predictors of functional capacity, in a model that explained 43% of the variance. Negative symptoms, sustained attention, and letter fluency were significant predictors of social skill performance, in a model explaining 35% of the variance. Functional capacity is positively associated with neuropsychological functioning, but diagnosis remains strongly influential, with mood disorder participants outperforming those with psychosis. Social skill performance appears to be positively associated with sustained attention and verbal fluency regardless of diagnosis; however, negative symptom severity strongly predicts social skills performance. Improving neuropsychological functioning may improve psychosocial functioning in people with SMI.


Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders/etiology , Mental Disorders/complications , Mental Disorders/psychology , Neuropsychological Tests , Social Skills , Adult , Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Male , Memory, Short-Term/physiology , Middle Aged , Regression Analysis
11.
Bipolar Disord ; 20(1): 18-26, 2018 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28833984

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Although there is a common clinical assumption that bipolar disorder with psychotic features reflects greater severity than bipolar disorder without psychosis, the existing empirical literature is mixed. This study investigated the phenomenology of psychosis as well as demographic, clinical, functional, and neuropsychological features in a large, cross-sectional sample of participants with bipolar disorder divided by history of psychosis. METHODS: In a large single study, 168 affective-only bipolar disorder (BP-A) participants and 213 bipolar disorder with a history of psychosis (BP-P) participants completed a comprehensive clinical diagnostic interview and neuropsychological testing. t tests, chi-square tests, and Bayes factors were used to investigate group differences or lack thereof. RESULTS: The prevalence of psychosis in this sample (53%) was similar to published reports. Nearly half of BP-P participants experienced grandiose delusions, and relatively few endorsed "first-rank" hallucinations of running commentary or two or more voices conversing. There were no demographic or neuropsychological differences between groups. BP-A participants experienced greater chronicity of affective symptoms and a greater degree of rapid cycling than BP-P participants; there were no other clinical differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these results contradict the conventional notion that bipolar disorder with psychotic features represents a more severe illness than bipolar disorder without a history of psychosis. The presence of psychosis does not appear to be associated with poorer clinical/functional outcome or suggest a greater degree of neuropsychological impairment; conversely, the absence of psychosis was associated with affective chronicity and rapid cycling. Nosological and treatment implications are discussed.


Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder , Psychotic Disorders , Adult , Affective Symptoms/diagnosis , Bayes Theorem , Bipolar Disorder/diagnosis , Bipolar Disorder/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Disease Management , Female , Humans , Interview, Psychological/methods , Male , Middle Aged , Neuropsychological Tests , Prevalence , Prognosis , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Psychotic Disorders/diagnosis , Psychotic Disorders/psychology
12.
Psychol Serv ; 15(1): 40-44, 2018 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28287771

ABSTRACT

This evaluation identified factors associated with outreach contact to veterans with serious mental illness (SMI) who were lost to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care. From March 2012 through September 2013, the VHA SMI Re-Engage initiative identified 4,241 veterans for reengagement outreach; 31% of whom were successfully contacted. Higher odds of contact was associated with older age, married status, no history of homelessness, bipolar disorder diagnosis, having no recent inpatient stay, living closer to a VHA medical center, fewer years since last visit, and having a service-connected disability. Several factors are associated with recontact with veterans with SMI who are lost to VHA care. These may promote treatment engagement and retention. Study findings may inform outreach interventions to enhance access for these veterans. (PsycINFO Database Record


Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder , Continuity of Patient Care/statistics & numerical data , Delivery of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Schizophrenia , United States Department of Veterans Affairs/statistics & numerical data , Veterans/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Aged , Bipolar Disorder/therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Program Evaluation , Schizophrenia/therapy , United States
13.
Am J Psychiatry ; 173(10): 989-996, 2016 Oct 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27363511

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: As part of the second phase of the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS-2), Cannon and colleagues report, concurrently with the present article, on a risk calculator for the individualized prediction of a psychotic disorder in a 2-year period. The present study represents an external validation of the NAPLS-2 psychosis risk calculator using an independent sample of patients at clinical high risk for psychosis collected as part of the Early Detection, Intervention, and Prevention of Psychosis Program (EDIPPP). METHOD: Of the total EDIPPP sample of 210 subjects rated as being at clinical high risk based on the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes, 176 had at least one follow-up assessment and were included in the construction of a new prediction model with six predictor variables in the NAPLS-2 psychosis risk calculator (unusual thoughts and suspiciousness, symbol coding test performance, verbal learning test performance, decline in social functioning, baseline age, and family history). Discrimination performance was assessed with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The NAPLS-2 risk calculator was then used to generate a psychosis risk estimate for each case in the external validation sample. RESULTS: The external validation model showed good discrimination, with an AUC of 0.790 (95% CI=0.644-0.937). In addition, the personalized risk generated by the risk calculator provided a solid estimation of the actual conversion outcome in the validation sample. CONCLUSIONS: Two independent samples of clinical high-risk patients converge to validate the NAPLS-2 psychosis risk calculator. This prediction calculator represents a meaningful step toward early intervention and the personalized treatment of psychotic disorders.


Subject(s)
Models, Psychological , Predictive Value of Tests , Prodromal Symptoms , Psychotic Disorders/diagnosis , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Early Diagnosis , Female , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Risk Factors , Young Adult
14.
Schizophr Res ; 171(1-3): 131-6, 2016 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26811232

ABSTRACT

Neurocognitive impairment is a core component of schizophrenia affecting everyday functioning; the extent to which individuals with schizophrenia show awareness of neurocognitive impairment (neurocognitive insight) is unclear. This study investigated neurocognitive insight and examined the cross-sectional relationships between neurocognitive insight and objective neurocognition and functional capacity performance in a large outpatient sample. 214 participants with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders completed measures of neurocognition, functional capacity, and self-reported neurocognitive problems. Latent profile analysis classified participants with regard to neuropsychological performance and self-report of neurocognitive problems. The resulting classes were then compared on executive functioning performance, functional capacity performance, and psychiatric symptom severity. More than three quarters of the sample demonstrated objective neurocognitive impairment (global deficit score≥0.50). Among the participants with neurocognitive impairment, 54% were classified as having "impaired" neurocognitive insight (i.e., reporting few neurocognitive problems despite having objective neurocognitive impairment). Participants with impaired vs. intact neurocognitive insight did not differ on executive functioning measures or measures of functional capacity or negative symptom severity, but those with intact neurocognitive insight reported higher levels of positive and depressive symptoms. A substantial portion of individuals with schizophrenia and objectively measured neurocognitive dysfunction appear unaware of their deficits. Patient self-report of neurocognitive problems, therefore, is not likely to reliably assess neurocognition. Difficulty self-identifying neurocognitive impairment appears to be unrelated to executive functioning, negative symptoms, and functional capacity. For those with intact neurocognitive insight, improving depressive and psychotic symptoms may be a valuable target to reduce illness burden.


Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders/etiology , Memory Disorders/etiology , Recognition, Psychology/physiology , Schizophrenia/complications , Schizophrenic Psychology , Adult , Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Male , Memory Disorders/diagnosis , Middle Aged , Neuropsychological Tests
15.
Psychiatr Genet ; 25(3): 131-4, 2015 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25748092

ABSTRACT

The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) ValMet polymorphism is associated with cognitive functioning in schizophrenia and may predict cognitive training outcomes. This study aimed to explore the contribution of COMT genotype in predicting improvement following Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT). We conducted mixed factorial analysis of variance to examine COMT genotype as a predictor of response to CCT (i.e. improved cognitive performance) in 41 participants with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. We also explored the effect of CCT treatment and COMT genotype on psychiatric symptom severity, functional capacity, and subjective quality of life. Met carrier status did not predict CCT treatment outcomes. COMT genotype may exert only modest effects on cognitive training response. Further research with larger samples is needed to establish genetic predictors of response to cognitive training.


Subject(s)
Catechol O-Methyltransferase/genetics , Cognition Disorders/therapy , Cognition/physiology , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods , Outpatients/psychology , Schizophrenia/genetics , Schizophrenia/therapy , Adult , Catechol O-Methyltransferase/metabolism , Female , Genotype , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Quality of Life , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Schizophrenia/blood , Schizophrenia/enzymology
16.
Schizophr Res ; 162(1-3): 108-11, 2015 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25631454

ABSTRACT

Cognitive training or remediation now has multiple studies and meta-analyses supporting its efficacy in improving cognition and functioning in people with schizophrenia. However, relatively little is known about cognitive training outcomes in early psychosis. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial of Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) compared to Treatment as Usual (TAU) in 27 participants with first-episode psychosis who had received treatment for psychosis for less than six months. Assessments of cognition (MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery; MCCB) and functional capacity (UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment-Brief; UPSA-B) were administered at baseline and following the 12-week treatment. The CCT condition, compared to TAU, was associated with significant improvements on the MCCB composite score, as well as MCCB subtests measuring processing speed (Trail Making) and social cognition (Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test), with large effects on these three outcome measures. There were no significant CCT-associated effects on the UPSA-B or on positive, negative, or depressive symptoms. CCT treatment of cognitive impairments in first-episode schizophrenia is feasible and can result in large effect size improvements in global cognition, processing speed, and social cognition.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods , Schizophrenia/therapy , Acute Disease , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Neuropsychological Tests , Pilot Projects , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Schizophrenic Psychology , Treatment Outcome , Young Adult
17.
Schizophr Res ; 161(2-3): 399-402, 2015 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25534069

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The degree to which people with schizophrenia show awareness of cognitive dysfunction and whether this neurocognitive insight affects treatment use or outcome is understudied. We aimed to examine neurocognitive insight among a treatment-seeking sample of patients with psychotic disorders, and whether neurocognitive insight affected treatment utilization or outcome. METHOD: 69 individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders enrolled in a trial comparing Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) to standard pharmacotherapy. Participants with objective cognitive impairment were identified and grouped into "intact" vs. "impaired" neurocognitive insight groups. These groups were then compared via ANCOVA on three treatment utilization variables and six post-treatment cognitive/functional variables. RESULTS: 43 participants demonstrated objective cognitive impairment. Among those individuals, 31 were considered to have intact neurocognitive insight and 12 showed impaired neurocognitive insight. These two groups did not differ on CCT attendance, satisfaction with the intervention, or self-reported cognitive strategy use at post-treatment. There were significant treatment group by neurocognitive insight group interactions for verbal memory and functional capacity outcomes, such that individuals with impaired neurocognitive insight who received treatment performed better than those who did not receive treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Even among individuals who self-select into a cognitive treatment study, many show minimal awareness of cognitive dysfunction. Impaired neurocognitive insight, however, was not associated with decreased treatment utilization, and was associated with positive treatment outcomes in some cognitive domains as well as functional capacity. As cognitive training treatments become increasingly available, impaired neurocognitive insight need not be a barrier to participation.


Subject(s)
Awareness , Cognition Disorders/psychology , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology , Schizophrenia/therapy , Schizophrenic Psychology , Cognition Disorders/etiology , Cognition Disorders/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Schizophrenia/complications , Schizophrenia/physiopathology , Self Concept , Treatment Outcome
18.
Schizophr Res ; 159(1): 114-7, 2014 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25139113

ABSTRACT

Cognitive and functional impairments are core features of schizophrenia. This study examined the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype and its relationship to cognition and functional capacity in 188 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. We found that in a dose-response fashion, individuals with more Met alleles performed significantly better on tests of learning/memory and abstraction. The effects of COMT genotype on cognition were modest, explaining about 3% of the variance in learning/memory and abstraction. Larger studies will be needed to examine the relationships between COMT and other genes and cognitive performance and everyday functioning.


Subject(s)
Catechol O-Methyltransferase/genetics , Cognition , Psychotic Disorders/genetics , Psychotic Disorders/psychology , Schizophrenia/genetics , Schizophrenic Psychology , Female , Genotype , Humans , Learning , Male , Memory , Middle Aged , Neuropsychological Tests , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Sex Factors , Thinking
19.
Psychiatry Res ; 218(1-2): 31-4, 2014 Aug 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24751379

ABSTRACT

The U.S. Latino population is steadily increasing, prompting a need for cross-cultural outcome measures in schizophrenia research. This study examined the contribution of language to functional assessment in middle-aged Latino patients with schizophrenia by comparing 29 monolingual Spanish-speakers, 29 Latino English-speakers, and 29 non-Latino English-speakers who were matched on relevant demographic variables and who completed cognitive and functional assessments in their native language. There were no statistically significant differences between groups on the four everyday functioning variables (UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment [UPSA], Social Skills Performance Assessment [SSPA], Medication Management Ability Assessment [MMAA], and the Global Assessment of Functioning [GAF]). The results support the cross-linguistic and cross-cultural acceptability of these functional assessment instruments. It appears that demographic variables other than language (e.g., age, education) better explain differences in functional assessment among ethnically diverse subpopulations. Considering the influence of these other factors in addition to language on functional assessments will help ensure that measures can be appropriately interpreted among the diverse residents of the United States.


Subject(s)
Culture , Hispanic or Latino , Language , Schizophrenia , Social Behavior , Activities of Daily Living , Adult , Disability Evaluation , Ethnicity , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , United States , White People
20.
Schizophr Res ; 146(1-3): 244-8, 2013 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23507359

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) and proposed co-primary measures are gaining momentum as outcome measures in clinical trials, highlighting the need to evaluate their psychometric properties. The MCCB composite score has been proposed to be the optimal primary outcome measure, though its validity is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the factor structure of the MCCB in a schizophrenia sample and determine whether its cognitive domains are separable. METHODS: 183 outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder completed a comprehensive test battery. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the factor structure of the MCCB; hierarchical regression then examined the relative contribution of individual cognitive variables to predict the MCCB factor scores. Finally, the relationships between the resulting factors and two performance-based measures of functional capacity were explored. RESULTS: A three-factor MCCB model representing processing speed, attention/working memory, and learning fits the data well and was an improvement over a unifactorial model. Symbol coding, spatial span, and visual learning were the most robust predictors for each of the three factors; symbol coding proved to be the best single predictor of overall cognitive performance. The three factors were also significantly related to a performance-based measure of everyday functioning but not a performance-based measure of social skills. CONCLUSIONS: These analyses suggest that the six MCCB "domains" as constructed can be collapsed into fewer domains composed of multiple item scores; they also support the notion that impaired processing speed is a fundamental cognitive deficit in schizophrenia and that MCCB performance is related to functional capacity. Cognition and functional capacity measures require more research to determine if they differ.


Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Cognition Disorders/etiology , Neuropsychological Tests , Schizophrenia/complications , Schizophrenic Psychology , Activities of Daily Living , Adult , Attention , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Female , Humans , Male , Memory, Short-Term , Middle Aged , Outpatients , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results
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