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Carpendale EJ, Cullen AE, Dickson H, Laurens KR. Dissociable impairments of verbal learning differentiate childhood risk profiles for schizophrenia. Schizophr Res Cogn 2022; 28:100239. [PMID: 35242608 PMCID: PMC8861403 DOI: 10.1016/j.scog.2022.100239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Poor verbal learning and memory function is well-documented among individuals with schizophrenia and those at clinical high-risk for psychosis. This study aimed to identify these impairments among children aged 9–12 years with different schizophrenia risk profiles (family history or antecedents of schizophrenia, each of higher[H] or lower[L] risk load) relative to typically developing peers. These three groups were recruited via community-screening, and differentiated for analysis into: typically developing children (TD = 45); children who had 1 first- or ≥2 second-degree affected relatives (FHxH = 16) or one second-degree relative (FHxL = 15); and children presenting multiple replicated antecedents of schizophrenia whose clinical symptoms persisted at 2- and/or 4-year follow-up (ASzH = 16) or remitted during follow-up (ASzL = 16). Verbal learning/memory measures assessed at baseline (age 9–12 years) included: (i) total recall; (ii) trial 1 recall; (iii) learning score; (iv) intrusions; (v) total words lost; and (vi) serial position patterns. Analyses of variance indicated that FHxH and ASzH youth demonstrated impaired total recall compared to TD and ASzL children and lost significantly more words between trials than TD and FHxL children. Learning score was impaired among both FHxH and FHxL relative to TD and ASzL children. Thus, among putatively at-risk children, total words recalled and lost distinguished those with higher risk load (by family history or persistent antecedent symptomology), whereas learning score indexed familial vulnerability. Follow-up of the sample is needed to determine the capacity of verbal learning deficits to predict later illness and provide a potential avenue for early remediation to improve clinical or functional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma J. Carpendale
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), School of Psychology and Counselling, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alexis E. Cullen
- King's College London, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah Dickson
- King's College London, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kristin R. Laurens
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), School of Psychology and Counselling, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- King's College London, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
- University of New South Wales, School of Psychiatry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Corresponding author at: School of Psychology and Counselling, O Block, B Wing, Level 5, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia.
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Mohn-Haugen CR, Mohn C, Larøi F, Teigset CM, Øie MG, Rund BR. Cognitive functioning in a group of adolescents at risk for psychosis. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1075222. [PMID: 36532169 PMCID: PMC9753978 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1075222] [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: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive deficits are a core feature of schizophrenia, and impairments are present in groups at-risk for psychosis. Most at-risk studies include young adults and not younger age-groups, such as adolescents. Participants are usually help-seeking individuals, even though risk factors may also be present in non-help seeking adolescents. We aim to explore cognitive functions in a group of non-help-seeking 15-year-old adolescents at risk for psychosis compared to age- and gender matched controls, including particular focus on specific cognitive domains. Hundred participants (mean age = 15.3) were invited after completing the 14-year-old survey distributed by the Norwegian Mother-, Father- and Child Study. At-risk adolescents were selected based on high scores on 19 items assessing both psychotic experiences and anomalous self-experiences. Matched controls were selected from the same sample. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery and IQ using Wechsler's Abbreviated Test of Intelligence. We found that the adolescents at-risk for psychosis had significantly poorer scores than controls on the composite score of the MCCB. IQ scores were also significantly lower in the at-risk group. The results highlight general cognitive deficits as central in a group of non-help-seeking adolescents at-risk for psychosis. Results indicate that the development of cognitive impairments starts early in life in at-risk groups. It is still unclear whether specific cognitive domains, such as verbal learning, are related to psychotic symptoms or may be specifically vulnerable to symptoms of depression and anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Ranem Mohn-Haugen
- Research Department, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, Norway.,Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christine Mohn
- NORMENT Centre, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Frank Larøi
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | | | | | - Bjørn Rishovd Rund
- Research Department, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, Norway.,Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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