title: Figural fluency and immediate visual memory in patients with at-risk mental state for psychosis: empirical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although a number of cognitive functions have been assessed in the ultra-high risk (UHR) population, only one study has reported on figural fluency. Visual memory was measured by different tests providing inconsistent results. The aim of the present study was to compare figural fluency and visual immediate memory performance in UHR patients and normal subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The UHR sample consisted of 55 help-seeking individuals meeting CAARMS criteria. The control group consisted of 65 subjects. They were matched as a group by age, gender and education level. Figural fluency (RFFT) and immediate visual memory (BVRT) were assessed within 2 weeks after inclusion in the study in the UHR patient group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were obtained in RFFT and BVRT results. In BVRT, UHR patients scored lower in number of correct designs (P < 0.001) and higher in number of errors (P < 0.0001), especially omissions (P < 0.001) and distortions (P < 0.0001). UHR subjects accurately recalled fewer designs, omitted and distorted more test figures. In RFFT, they scored lower in production of novel designs (P < 0.0001) and higher in the error ratio index (P < 0.008). They produced fewer novel designs and made more preservative errors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study concerns non-verbal cognitive functions in UHR samples. Our results suggest that figural fluency and visual immediate memory are impaired in help-seeking UHR individuals as compared with matched controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pawełczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotlicka-Antczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rabe-Jabłońska
authors.affiliation: Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pawełczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruszpel
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Emila
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Łojek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cognitive function; figural fluency; immediate memory; schizophrenia; ultra-high risk of psychosis