Neurocognitive performance in children aged 9-12 years who present putative antecedents of schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
We previously developed a novel method of identifying children aged 9-12 years who may be at elevated risk of developing schizophrenia and the spectrum disorders because they present a triad of putative antecedents of schizophrenia (ASz). The present study aimed to determine whether ASz children also present neurocognitive deficits that are commonly observed in patients with schizophrenia.


METHODS
Twenty-eight ASz children and 28 typically-developing (TD) children without the antecedents of schizophrenia completed a battery of neurocognitive tests assessing seven domains of function: General intelligence, scholastic achievement, verbal memory, visual memory, working memory, executive function (EF)-verbal fluency, and EF-inhibition.


RESULTS
Relative to TD children, the ASz group showed poorer performance on all neurocognitive tests (mean Cohen's d effect size=0.52). In linear regression analyses, group status (ASz vs. TD) significantly predicted scores on the general intelligence, verbal memory, working memory, and EF-inhibition domains (p<0.05). The severity of problems on each of the individual antecedents comprising the antecedent triad did not relate strongly to performance on the neurocognitive domains.


CONCLUSIONS
Children aged 9-12 years who present multiple antecedents of schizophrenia display poorer neurocognition than healthy peers on several domains showing pronounced deficits in schizophrenia, first-episode psychosis, and youth with prodromal symptoms. Longitudinal follow-up is necessary to determine the extent to which poorer neurocognitive performance is specific to those who develop schizophrenia.
Cullen
Alexis E
AE
King's College London, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences (Box P023), Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom. alexis.cullen@kcl.ac.uk
Dickson
Hannah
H
West
Sophie A
SA
Morris
Robin G
RG
Mould
Glenn L
GL
Hodgins
Sheilagh
S
Murray
Robin M
RM
Laurens
Kristin R
KR
D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007360:Intelligence / Q000502:physiology; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology