title: Early cognitive basic symptoms are accompanied by neurocognitive impairment in patients with an 'at-risk mental state' for psychosis.
abstract: Patients with an increased risk for psychosis ('at-risk mental state' (ARMS)) present various neurocognitive deficits. Not least because of differences in identifying the ARMS, results of previous studies are inconsistent. In most studies ARMS-patients are classified by the experience of attenuated psychotic symptoms (APS) and/or brief limited intermittent psychotic symptoms (BLIPS). Few studies additionally assessed cognitive basic symptoms (BS). A comprehensive assessment in the very early stage of the ARMS is missing.
  
  
  
  In the present study we characterized ARMS-patients for cognitive BS (ARMS-BS), APS and BLIPS (ARMS-A/B) according to the Early Recognition Inventory based on IRAOS (ERIraos). Furthermore, we assessed neurocognitive deficits using the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery for schizophrenia with a primary hypothesis regarding working memory performance. Groups of 38 ARMS-patients and 38 healthy controls were matched for age, gender, education and premorbid verbal intelligence.
  
  
  
  Between-group comparisons revealed significant poorer working memory performance in addition to lower verbal learning and problem solving, slower processing speed and lower global neurocognitive functioning in ARMS-patients as compared to controls. ARMS-BS did not differ from ARMS-A/B.
  
  
  
  These results underscore the presence of cognitive limitations in patients only presenting with cognitive BS. Knowledge of these early cognitive deviations supports the inclusion of early ARMS-stages into a comprehensive concept of the psychosis risk state. Therapeutic interventions already applied at this stage might prevent deterioration of constraints. Longitudinal and interventional studies investigating the interaction of cognitive BS and neurocognitive as well as metacognitive deficits are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eisenacher
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rausch
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ainser
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Englisch
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mier
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fenske
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meyer-Lindenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zink
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D062706:Prodromal Symptoms; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D014706:Verbal Learning; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ERIraos; at-risk mental state; cognition; prodrome; working memory