TY - JOUR
T1 - Lifespan evolution of neurocognitive impairment in schizophrenia - A narrative review
AU - Fett, Anne Kathrin J.
AU - Reichenberg, Abraham
AU - Velthorst, Eva
N1 - Funding Information:
Dr. Velthorst received support by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) VENI Grant No. 916-15-005 , a [2018] NARSAD Young Investigator Award from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, and the Seaver Foundation; Dr. Velthorst, PhD, is a Seaver Faculty Scholar. Dr. Fett was supported by a [2015] NARSAD Young Investigator Award from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
PY - 2022/6
Y1 - 2022/6
N2 - Cognitive impairment is a well-recognized key feature of schizophrenia. Here we review the evidence on (1) the onset and sensitive periods of change in cognitive impairment before and after the first psychotic episode, and (2) heterogeneity in neurocognitive presentations across cognitive domains between and within individuals. Overall, studies suggest that mild cognitive impairment in individuals who develop schizophrenia or related disorders is already present during early childhood. Cross-sectional studies further suggest increasing cognitive impairments from pre- to post-psychosis onset, with the greatest declines between adolescence, the prodrome, and the first psychotic episode and with some variability between domains. Longitudinal studies with more than 10 years of observation time are scarce but support mild cognitive declines after psychosis onset until late adulthood. Whether and how much this cognitive decline exceeds normal aging, proceeds further in older patients, and is specific to certain cognitive domains and subpopulations of patients remains to be investigated. Finally, studies show substantial heterogeneity in cognitive performance in schizophrenia and suggest a variety of impairment profiles. This review highlights a clear need for long-term studies that include a control group and individuals from adolescence to old age to better understand critical windows of cognitive change and their predictors. The available evidence stresses the importance of interventions that aim to counter cognitive decline during the prodromal years, as well as careful assessment of cognition in order to determine who will profit most from which cognitive training.
AB - Cognitive impairment is a well-recognized key feature of schizophrenia. Here we review the evidence on (1) the onset and sensitive periods of change in cognitive impairment before and after the first psychotic episode, and (2) heterogeneity in neurocognitive presentations across cognitive domains between and within individuals. Overall, studies suggest that mild cognitive impairment in individuals who develop schizophrenia or related disorders is already present during early childhood. Cross-sectional studies further suggest increasing cognitive impairments from pre- to post-psychosis onset, with the greatest declines between adolescence, the prodrome, and the first psychotic episode and with some variability between domains. Longitudinal studies with more than 10 years of observation time are scarce but support mild cognitive declines after psychosis onset until late adulthood. Whether and how much this cognitive decline exceeds normal aging, proceeds further in older patients, and is specific to certain cognitive domains and subpopulations of patients remains to be investigated. Finally, studies show substantial heterogeneity in cognitive performance in schizophrenia and suggest a variety of impairment profiles. This review highlights a clear need for long-term studies that include a control group and individuals from adolescence to old age to better understand critical windows of cognitive change and their predictors. The available evidence stresses the importance of interventions that aim to counter cognitive decline during the prodromal years, as well as careful assessment of cognition in order to determine who will profit most from which cognitive training.
KW - Cognition
KW - Heterogeneity
KW - Lifespan
KW - Schizophrenia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85123160788&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.scog.2022.100237
DO - 10.1016/j.scog.2022.100237
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85123160788
SN - 2215-0013
VL - 28
JO - Schizophrenia Research: Cognition
JF - Schizophrenia Research: Cognition
M1 - 100237
ER -
