title: Discriminating between first- and second-order cognition in first-episode paranoid schizophrenia.
abstract: An impairment of visually perceiving backward masked stimuli is commonly observed in patients with schizophrenia, yet it is unclear whether this impairment is the result of a deficiency in first or higher order processing and for which subtypes of schizophrenia it is present.
  
  
  
  Here, we compare identification (first order) and metacognitive (higher order) performance in a visual masking paradigm between a highly homogenous group of young first-episode patients diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia (N = 11) to that of carefully matched healthy controls (N = 13).
  
  
  
  We find no difference across groups in first-order performance, but find a difference in metacognitive performance, particularly for stimuli with relatively high visibility.
  
  
  
  These results indicate that the masking deficit is present in first-episode patients with paranoid schizophrenia, but that it is primarily an impairment of metacognition.
authors.affiliation: a Psychosis Research Unit , Aarhus University Hospital Risskov , Risskov , Denmark.|b Interactive Minds Centre , Aarhus University , Aarhus C , Denmark.
authors.forename: Vibeke
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bliksted
authors.affiliation: c Early Intervention Team, Region of Southern Denmark , Aabenraa , Denmark.
authors.forename: Erla
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Samuelsen
authors.affiliation: d CNRU, CFIN , Aarhus University , Aarhus C , Denmark.|e Hammel Neurorehabilitation Centre and University Research Clinic , Aarhus University , Hammel , Denmark.
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.affiliation: f Department of Biostatistics , Aarhus University , Aarhus C , Denmark.
authors.forename: Bo Martin
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Bibby
authors.affiliation: d CNRU, CFIN , Aarhus University , Aarhus C , Denmark.
authors.forename: Morten Storm
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Overgaard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D011594:Psychometrics; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Visual perception; cognition; first-episode; metacognition; paranoia; schizophrenia