title: Changes in memory performance over a 12-month period in relation to achieving symptomatic remission after a first-episode psychosis.
abstract: With the introduction of a clear definition of symptomatic remission from the Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group (RSWG), studies have sought to characterize cognitive functioning in remitted and non-remitted schizophrenia patients. However, most investigations of cognition and remission are cross-sectional or have studied samples of chronically ill patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare cognitive performance between remitted and non-remitted first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients longitudinally. Seventy patients were categorized as remitted (n=17) or non-remitted (n=53) using the full RSWG criteria after being treated for approximately 15months, during which cognition was evaluated twice. Since our previous investigations in FEP have isolated verbal memory as a potential cognitive marker of symptomatic remission, analyses were limited to verbal, visual and working memory. We have found that non-remitted patients had a significantly worse verbal memory performance than remitted patients after 3months (F(1,68)=6.47, p=0.006) and 15months of treatment (F(1,68)=19.49, p<0.001). Visual memory was also significantly lower in non-remitted patients compared to those in remission but only at initial assessment (F(1,68)=8.21, p=0.003) while working memory performance was similar at both time points. Our findings suggest that verbal memory may be a specific and stable marker of clinical remission in FEP patients. This cognitive domain can easily be evaluated at treatment intake in the hope of identifying early on patients who are less likely to remit.
authors: Prevention Early Intervention Program for Psychoses (PEPP-Montreal), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Blvd., Montréal, Québec H4H 1R3, Canada; Université du Québec À Montréal, Psychology Department, 320 Sainte-Catherine Street East, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada. Electronic address: audrey.benoit@douglas.mcgill.ca.
authors: Audrey
authors: A
authors: Benoit
authors: Prevention Early Intervention Program for Psychoses (PEPP-Montreal), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Blvd., Montréal, Québec H4H 1R3, Canada; McGill University, Department of Psychology, 1205 Dr. Penfield Avenue, Montréal, Québec H3A 1B1, Canada. Electronic address: michael.bodnar@douglas.mcgill.ca.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Bodnar
authors: Prevention Early Intervention Program for Psychoses (PEPP-Montreal), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Blvd., Montréal, Québec H4H 1R3, Canada; McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, 1033 Pine Avenue West, Montréal, Québec H3A 1A1, Canada. Electronic address: ashok.malla@douglas.mcgill.ca.
authors: Ashok K
authors: AK
authors: Malla
authors: Prevention Early Intervention Program for Psychoses (PEPP-Montreal), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Blvd., Montréal, Québec H4H 1R3, Canada; McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, 1033 Pine Avenue West, Montréal, Québec H3A 1A1, Canada. Electronic address: ridha.joober@douglas.mcgill.ca.
authors: Ridha
authors: R
authors: Joober
authors: Concordia University, PERFORM Center, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada. Electronic address: louis.bherer@concordia.ca.
authors: Louis
authors: L
authors: Bherer
authors: Prevention Early Intervention Program for Psychoses (PEPP-Montreal), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Blvd., Montréal, Québec H4H 1R3, Canada; Université du Québec À Montréal, Psychology Department, 320 Sainte-Catherine Street East, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada; McGill University, Department of Psychology, 1205 Dr. Penfield Avenue, Montréal, Québec H3A 1B1, Canada; McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, 1033 Pine Avenue West, Montréal, Québec H3A 1A1, Canada. Electronic address: martin.lepage@mcgill.ca.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Lepage
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D014706:Verbal Learning; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cognitive marker; First-episode psychosis; Longitudinal; Remission; Verbal memory