title: Cognitive remediation in schizophrenia: background, techniques, evidence of efficacy and perspectives.
abstract: Impairment of cognitive functions is a core feature of schizophrenia with relevant consequences on patients' psychosocial functioning. Cognitive remediation techniques have been recently developed with the aim to restore or compensate for such impairments and improve the functional outcome of the disease. There is now convincing evidence of the efficacy of many of these techniques, especially when delivered in the context of a comprehensive treatment programme. Whether the application of these techniques in the early phases of the disease could modify the disease course and outcome and how they could affect brain plasticity and the trajectory of brain disease of schizophrenia is still under scrutiny.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, and Psychiatric Unit, Spedali Civili Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vita
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Spedali Civili Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barlati
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section of Psychiatry and Section of Clinical Psychology, Inter-University Center for Behavioural Neurosciences (ICBN), University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bellani
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Inter-University Center for Behavioural Neurosciences (ICBN), University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brambilla