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Sex Differences in Cognitive Functioning in At-Risk Mental State for Psychosis, First Episode Psychosis and Healthy Control Subjects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

S. Ittig ,
E. Studerus ,
M. Papmeyer ,
M. Uttinger ,
S. Koranyi ,
A. Ramyead  and
A. Riecher-Rössler
S. Ittig
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Outpatient Department, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
E. Studerus
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Outpatient Department, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
M. Papmeyer
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Outpatient Department, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
M. Uttinger
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Outpatient Department, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
S. Koranyi
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Outpatient Department, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Psychosocial Medicine and Psychotherapy, Jena, Germany
A. Ramyead
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Outpatient Department, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
A. Riecher-Rössler*
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Outpatient Department, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
*
*Corresponding author. Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Kornhausgasse 7, 4051 Basel, Switzerland. Tel.: +41 61 325 81 61; fax: +41 61 325 81 60. E-mail address:anita.riecher-roessler@upkbs.ch (A. Riecher-Rö ssler).
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Abstract

Background:

Several sex differences in schizophrenia have been reported including differences in cognitive functioning. Studies with schizophrenia patients and healthy controls (HC) indicate that the sex advantage for women in verbal domains is also present in schizophrenia patients. However, findings have been inconsistent. No study focused on sex-related cognitive performance differences in at-risk mental state for psychosis (ARMS) individuals yet. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate sex differences in cognitive functioning in ARMS, first episode psychosis (FEP) and HC subjects. We expected a better verbal learning and memory performance of women in all groups.

Methods:

The neuropsychological data analysed in this study were collected within the prospective Früherkennung von Psychosen (FePsy) study. In total, 118 ARMS, 88 FEP individuals and 86 HC completed a cognitive test battery covering the domains of executive functions, attention, working memory, verbal learning and memory, IQ and speed of processing.

Results:

Women performed better in verbal learning and memory regardless of diagnostic group. By contrast, men as compared to women showed a shorter reaction time during the working memory task across all groups.

Conclusion:

The results provide evidence that women generally perform better in verbal learning and memory, independent of diagnostic group (ARMS, FEP, HC). The finding of a shorter reaction time for men in the working memory task could indicate that men have a superior working memory performance since they responded faster during the target trials, while maintaining a comparable overall working memory performance level.

Keywords

SchizophreniaCognitionGender differencesClinical high-risk
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , February 2015 , pp. 242 - 250
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2014

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