title: Computerized cognitive remediation training for schizophrenia: an open label, multi-site, multinational methodology study.
abstract: A recent single-site study (Fisher et al., 2009. Am J Psychiatry. 166 (7) 805-11) showed that repeated training with the Brain Fitness Program (BFP) improved performance on a battery of neuropsychological tasks. If replicated these data suggest an important non-pharmacological method for ameliorating cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. Our study evaluated the BFP training effects in an open-label, multi-site, multinational clinical trial. Fifty-five stable adult patients with schizophrenia on regular antipsychotic medication completed ≥ 32 BFP training sessions over 8-10 weeks. Training effects on cognitive performance and functional capacity outcome measures were measured using CogState® schizophrenia battery, UCSD Performance based Skills Assessment (UPSA-2) and Cognitive Assessment Interview (CAI). BFP training showed a large and significant treatment effect on a training exercise task (auditory processing speed), however this effect did not generalize to improved performance on independent CogState® assessment. There were no significant effects on UPSA-2 or CAI scores. Our study demonstrated the feasibility of implementing BFP training in a multi-site study. However, BFP training did not show significant treatment effects on cognitive performance or functional capacity outcome measures despite showing large and significant effects on a training exercise.
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences CEDD, GlaxoSmithKline R&D, New Frontier Science Park, Harlow, UK. venkatesha.murthy@takeda.com
authors.forename: N V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mahncke
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Wexler
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maruff
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inamdar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zucchetto
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shabbir
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shergill
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keshavan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapur
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laruelle
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alexander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D017008:Negotiating / Q000379:methods*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome