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Raucher-Chéné D, Lavigne KM, Lepage M. Episodic Memory and Schizophrenia: From Characterization of Relational Memory Impairments to Neuroimaging Biomarkers. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2022; 63:115-136. [PMID: 35902545 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Episodic memory research in schizophrenia has a long history already which has clearly established significant impairments and strong associations with brain measures and functional outcome. The purpose of this chapter is not to make an exhaustive review of the recent literature but to highlight some relatively recent developments in the cognitive neuroscience field of episodic memory and schizophrenia. Hence, we present a contemporary view focusing specifically of relational memory which represents a form of episodic memory that refers to associations or binding among items or elements presented together. We describe the major tasks used and illustrate how their combination with brain imaging has: (1) favored the use of experimental memory tasks to isolate specific processes with specific neural correlates, (2) led to a distributed view of the neural correlates of memory impairments in schizophrenia where multiple regions are contributing, and (3) made possible the identification of fMRI biomarkers specific to episodic memory. We then briefly propose what we see as the next steps for memory research in schizophrenia so that the impact of this work can be maximized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Raucher-Chéné
- Cognition, Health, and Society Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.,Academic Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Reims, EPSM Marne, Reims, France
| | - Katie M Lavigne
- Douglas Research Centre, Verdun, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,McGill Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Martin Lepage
- Douglas Research Centre, Verdun, QC, Canada. .,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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McKinney RA, Avery SN, Armstrong K, Blackford JU, Woodward ND, Heckers S. Relational memory in the early stage of psychotic bipolar disorder. Psychiatry Res 2020; 294:113508. [PMID: 33096436 PMCID: PMC7809627 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Relational memory is impaired in psychotic disorders. In non-affective psychotic disorders, relational memory deficits are present in the early stage of illness and become more pronounced in the chronic stage. Previous studies have demonstrated cognitive deficits in early-stage psychotic bipolar disorder, but it is unclear whether relational memory is impaired. We examined relational memory using a face-scene binding task in early-stage psychotic bipolar disorder patients (n = 33) and compared their performance with healthy control (n = 40) and early-stage non-affective psychosis participants (n = 40). During training, participants learned to associate faces with background scenes. During testing, participants viewed a scene overlaid by three faces and were asked to recall the matching face. Relational memory was assessed indirectly using eye movements and explicitly using forced-choice recognition. Preferential viewing of the matching face, as captured by overall proportion of viewing and viewing across time, was significantly lower in psychotic bipolar disorder than in the healthy control group. However, preferential viewing of the matching face in psychotic bipolar disorder was significantly better than in non-affective psychosis. These findings provide novel evidence that relational memory in patients with early-stage psychotic bipolar disorder is intermediate between healthy control and early-stage non-affective psychosis subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. McKinney
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212 USA
| | - Suzanne N. Avery
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212 USA,Corresponding Author: Suzanne N. Avery, Ph.D., Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, 1601 23rd Avenue South, Suite 3057, Nashville, TN 37212, Phone: (615) 936-1360, Fax: (615) 343-8400,
| | - Kristan Armstrong
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212 USA
| | - Jennifer Urbano Blackford
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212 USA,Research Health Scientist, Research and Development, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212 USA
| | - Neil D. Woodward
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212 USA
| | - Stephan Heckers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212 USA
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Avery SN, Armstrong K, McHugo M, Vandekar S, Blackford JU, Woodward ND, Heckers S. Relational Memory in the Early Stage of Psychosis: A 2-Year Follow-up Study. Schizophr Bull 2020; 47:75-86. [PMID: 32657351 PMCID: PMC7825006 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbaa081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relational memory, the ability to bind information into complex memories, is moderately impaired in early psychosis and severely impaired in chronic schizophrenia, suggesting relational memory may worsen throughout the course of illness. METHODS We examined relational memory in 66 early psychosis patients and 64 healthy control subjects, with 59 patients and 52 control subjects assessed longitudinally at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Relational memory was assessed with 2 complementary tasks, to test how individuals learn relationships between items (face-scene binding task) and make inferences about trained relationships (associative inference task). RESULTS The early psychosis group showed impaired relational memory in both tasks relative to the healthy control group. The ability to learn relationships between items remained impaired in early psychosis patients, while the ability to make inferences about trained relationships improved, although never reaching the level of healthy control performance. Early psychosis patients who did not progress to schizophrenia at follow-up had better relational memory than patients who did. CONCLUSIONS Relational memory impairments, some of which improve and are less severe in patients who do not progress to schizophrenia, are a target for intervention in early psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne N Avery
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Kristan Armstrong
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Maureen McHugo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Simon Vandekar
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Jennifer Urbano Blackford
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN,Department of Research and Development, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Neil D Woodward
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Stephan Heckers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, 1601 23rd Avenue South, Room 3060, Nashville, TN 37212; tel: (615)-322-2665, fax: (615)-343-8400, e-mail:
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Neurocognitive impairment and evidence-based treatment options in Bipolar disorder. Ann Gen Psychiatry 2020; 19:54. [PMID: 32983247 PMCID: PMC7513501 DOI: 10.1186/s12991-020-00304-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The current paper briefly summarizes the literature on the neurocognitive deficit and its treatment in BD patients. METHODS The material was chosen on the basis of previous systematic reviews the author has taken part in. RESULTS The data so far suggest that the deficit is qualitatively similar but quantitatively milder in comparison to schizophrenia, it is present already since the first episode, is weakly related to mood symptoms and somewhat stronger to psychotic symptoms, it probably determines much of the disability and treatment is problematic. This deficit is also present during periods of euthymia. The possible adverse effect of psychotropic medication is rather small if any at all and is confounded by the specific clinical symptoms, for which medication is used for their treatment. This is especially true concerning antipsychotics and psychotic symptoms. The origin and the etiopathogenesis of the core neurocognitive impairment remain elusive. The presence of a neurodegenerative and of a neurodevelopmental component has both data in favor and against and they are both the focus of debate. CONCLUSIONS Treatment of the neurocognitive deficit and restoration of functioning is problematic. The data are limited and treatment options are few and with a weak overall effect. Pharmacological treatments, ECT and rTMS present some hard data, while the literature is inconclusive concerning psychotherapeutic interventions.
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Avery SN, McHugo M, Armstrong K, Blackford JU, Woodward ND, Heckers S. Disrupted Habituation in the Early Stage of Psychosis. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 4:1004-1012. [PMID: 31445881 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Learning and memory are impaired in schizophrenia. Some theories have proposed that one form of memory, habituation, is particularly impaired. Preliminary evidence suggests that memory impairment is associated with failed hippocampal habituation in patients with chronic schizophrenia. We studied how abnormal habituation of the hippocampus is related to relational memory deficits in the early stage of psychosis. METHODS We measured hippocampal activity in 62 patients with early psychosis and 70 healthy individuals using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Habituation was defined as the slope of functional magnetic resonance imaging signal change to repeated presentations of faces and objects. Relational memory ability was measured as the slope of preferential viewing during a face-scene pair eye movement task outside the scanner. RESULTS Patients with early psychosis showed impaired relational memory (p < .001) and less hippocampal habituation to objects (p = .01) than healthy control subjects. In the healthy control group, better relational memory was associated with faster anterior hippocampal habituation (faces, r = -.28, p = .03). In contrast, patients with early psychosis showed no brain-behavior relationship (r = .12, p = .40). CONCLUSIONS We found evidence for disrupted hippocampal habituation in the early stage of psychosis along with an altered association between hippocampal habituation and relational memory ability. These results suggest that neural habituation may provide a novel target for early cognitive interventions in psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne N Avery
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
| | - Maureen McHugo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Kristan Armstrong
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Jennifer U Blackford
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Neil D Woodward
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Stephan Heckers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
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Sheffield JM, Karcher NR, Barch DM. Cognitive Deficits in Psychotic Disorders: A Lifespan Perspective. Neuropsychol Rev 2018; 28:509-533. [PMID: 30343458 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-018-9388-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 237] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with disorders that include psychotic symptoms (i.e. psychotic disorders) experience broad cognitive impairments in the chronic state, indicating a dimension of abnormality associated with the experience of psychosis. These impairments negatively impact functional outcome, contributing to the disabling nature of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and psychotic depression. The robust and reliable nature of cognitive deficits has led researchers to explore the timing and profile of impairments, as this may elucidate different neurodevelopmental patterns in individuals who experience psychosis. Here, we review the literature on cognitive deficits across the life span of individuals with psychotic disorder and psychotic-like experiences, highlighting the dimensional nature of both psychosis and cognitive ability. We identify premorbid generalized cognitive impairment in schizophrenia that worsens throughout development, and stabilizes by the first-episode of psychosis, suggesting a neurodevelopmental course. Research in affective psychosis is less clear, with mixed evidence regarding premorbid deficits, but a fairly reliable generalized deficit at first-episode, which appears to worsen into the chronic state. In general, cognitive impairments are most severe in schizophrenia, intermediate in bipolar disorder, and the least severe in psychotic depression. In all groups, cognitive deficits are associated with poorer functional outcome. Finally, while the generalized deficit is the clearest and most reliable signal, data suggests specific deficits in verbal memory across all groups, specific processing speed impairments in schizophrenia and executive functioning impairments in bipolar disorder. Cognitive deficits are a core feature of psychotic disorders that provide a window into understanding developmental course and risk for psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Sheffield
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1601 23rd Ave S, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA.
| | - Nicole R Karcher
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University St. Louis, 1 Brookings Dr., St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University St. Louis, 1 Brookings Dr., St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
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Avery SN, Rogers BP, Heckers S. Hippocampal Network Modularity Is Associated With Relational Memory Dysfunction in Schizophrenia. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2018; 3:423-432. [PMID: 29653904 PMCID: PMC5940573 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional dysconnectivity has been proposed as a major pathophysiological mechanism for cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. The hippocampus is a focal point of dysconnectivity in schizophrenia, with decreased hippocampal functional connectivity contributing to the marked memory deficits observed in patients. Normal memory function relies on the interaction of complex corticohippocampal networks. However, only recent technological advances have enabled the large-scale exploration of functional networks with accuracy and precision. METHODS We investigated the modularity of hippocampal resting-state functional networks in a sample of 45 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 38 healthy control subjects. Modularity was calculated for two distinct functional networks: a core hippocampal-medial temporal lobe cortex network and an extended hippocampal-cortical network. As hippocampal function differs along its longitudinal axis, follow-up analyses examined anterior and posterior networks separately. To explore effects of resting network function on behavior, we tested associations between modularity and relational memory ability. Age, sex, handedness, and parental education were similar between groups. RESULTS Network modularity was lower in schizophrenia patients, especially in the posterior hippocampal network. Schizophrenia patients also showed markedly lower relational memory ability compared with control subjects. We found a distinct brain-behavior relationship in schizophrenia that differed from control subjects by network and anterior/posterior division-while relational memory in control subjects was associated with anterior hippocampal-cortical modularity, schizophrenia patients showed an association with posterior hippocampal-medial temporal lobe cortex network modularity. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support a model of abnormal resting-state corticohippocampal network coherence in schizophrenia, which may contribute to relational memory deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne N Avery
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
| | - Baxter P Rogers
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Stephan Heckers
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
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Tsitsipa E, Fountoulakis KN. The neurocognitive functioning in bipolar disorder: a systematic review of data. Ann Gen Psychiatry 2015; 14:42. [PMID: 26628905 PMCID: PMC4666163 DOI: 10.1186/s12991-015-0081-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the last decades, there have been many different opinions concerning the neurocognitive function in Bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of the current study was to perform a systematic review of the literature and to synthesize the data in a comprehensive picture of the neurocognitive dysfunction in BD. METHODS Papers were located with searches in PubMed/MEDLINE, through June 1st 2015. The review followed a modified version of the recommendations of the Preferred Items for Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. RESULTS The initial search returned 110,403 papers. After the deletion of duplicates, 11,771 papers remained for further evaluation. Eventually, 250 were included in the analysis. CONCLUSION The current review supports the presence of a neurocognitive deficit in BD, in almost all neurocognitive domains. This deficit is qualitative similar to that observed in schizophrenia but it is less severe. There are no differences between BD subtypes. Its origin is unclear. It seems it is an enduring component and represents a core primary characteristic of the illness, rather than being secondary to the mood state or medication. This core deficit is confounded (either increased or attenuated) by the disease phase, specific personal characteristics of the patients (age, gender, education, etc.), current symptomatology and its treatment (especially psychotic features) and long-term course and long-term exposure to medication, psychiatric and somatic comorbidity and alcohol and/or substance abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Konstantinos N Fountoulakis
- Division of Neurosciences, 3rd Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 6, Odysseos street (1st Parodos, Ampelonon str.) 55536 Pournari Pylaia, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Avery SN, Williams LE, Woolard AA, Heckers S. Relational memory and hippocampal function in psychotic bipolar disorder. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2013; 264:10.1007/s00406-013-0442-z. [PMID: 24022592 PMCID: PMC3952027 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-013-0442-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2013] [Accepted: 08/24/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent cognitive, genetic, and histological studies have highlighted significant overlap between psychotic bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Specifically, both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are characterized by interneuron dysfunction within the hippocampus, an essential structure for relational memory. Relational memory impairments are a common feature of schizophrenia, but have yet to be investigated in psychotic bipolar disorder. Here, we tested the hypothesis that psychotic bipolar disorder is characterized by relational memory deficits. We used a transitive inference (TI) paradigm, previously employed to quantify relational memory deficits in schizophrenia, to assess relational memory performance in 17 patients with psychotic bipolar disorder and 22 demographically matched control participants. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine hippocampal activity during recognition memory in patients and controls. Hippocampal volumes were assessed by manual segmentation. In contrast to our hypothesis, we found similar TI performance, hippocampal volume, and hippocampal recruitment during recognition memory in both groups. Both psychotic bipolar disorder patients and controls exhibited a positive correlation between hippocampal volume and relational memory performance. These data indicate that relational memory impairments are not a shared feature of non-affective and affective psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne N. Avery
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lisa E. Williams
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Austin A. Woolard
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Vanderbilt University, 1601 23rd Avenue South, Room 3060, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Stephan Heckers
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Vanderbilt University, 1601 23rd Avenue South, Room 3060, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
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