title: Cognitive dysfunctions in parents of schizophrenic patients parallel the deficits found in patients.
abstract: Schizophrenia is characterized by a global cognitive impairment, with varying degrees of deficit in all ability domains. Since genetic factors are important in the etiology of schizophrenia we investigated whether parents of schizophrenic patients also show cognitive deficits, particularly on those cognitive ability domains that are most severely affected in patients. Both biological parents of 37 patients with schizophrenia (N=74 subjects) and 28 comparable healthy married control couples (N=56 subjects) were included. A comprehensive and standardized cognitive battery was used including tests measuring verbal memory, executive functioning, language, attention, and psychomotor functioning. Parents of patients differed from control couples on those cognitive constructs that are generally considered to be most impaired in schizophrenic patients, i.e. global verbal memory, bilateral motor skill, continuous performance, and word fluency. In addition, parents differed significantly from control couples on some other cognitive constructs on which patients show a smaller but also significant difference compared to healthy controls, i.e. unilateral motor skill and digit span. Results suggest that the cognitive constructs on which patients show relatively most severe impairment may prove suitable as endophenotypic markers in schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands. m.appels@azu.nl
authors.forename: Melanie C M
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Appels
authors.forename: Margriet M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sitskoorn
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Westers
authors.forename: Elleke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lems
authors.forename: René S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kahn
mesh_terms: D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers