title: Neural correlates of executive function and working memory in the 'at-risk mental state'.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  People with prodromal symptoms have a very high risk of developing psychosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To use functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neurocognitive basis of this vulnerability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional comparison of regional activation in individuals with an'at-risk mental state' (at-risk group: n=17), patients with first-episode schizophreniform psychosis (psychosis group: n=10) and healthy volunteers (controls: n=15) during an overt verbal fluency task and an N-back working memory task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A similar pattern of between-group differences in activation was evident across both tasks. Activation in the at-risk group was intermediate relative to that in controls and the psychosis group in the inferior frontal and anterior cingulate cortex during the verbal fluency task and in the inferior frontal, dorsolateral prefrontal and parietal cortex during the N-back task.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The at-risk mental state is associated with abnormalities of regional brain function that are qualitatively similar to, but less severe than, those in patients who have recently presented with psychosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK. m.r.broome@warwick.ac.uk
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Broome
authors.forename: Pall
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Matthiasson
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fusar-Poli
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Woolley
authors.forename: Louise C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tabraham
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bramon
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valmaggia
authors.forename: Steven C R
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Brammer
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chitnis
authors.forename: Philip K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: McGuire
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D055815:Young Adult