Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 April 2020
To compare neuropsychological functions of individuals at risk (IR) for psychosis and patients with a first episode of psychosis (FE) with healthy control subjects (HC). And to determine cognitive factors which have the potential to discriminate IR with (IRtrans) and without (IRnon-trans) transition to psychosis.
N = 60 prodromal IR and N = 51 healthy control subjects were assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. Besides general intelligence the test battery covered two functional domains (executive and attentional functions) and working memory. Within a follow up period of at least 30 month N = 19 IR transited to psychosis and N = 30 IR still have been followed up.
For each patient group (FE and IR), cognitive profiles were constructed by means of z-values adjusted for demographic and medication influence. The HC mean performance level was used as baseline of each group profile. A further profile was constructed by differential values considering IRtrans versus IRnon-trans. Comparisons were carried out by MANOVA and post- hoc t-tests.
In all functional domains FE and IR performed below HC except for specific sustained attention measures. There were no significant differences between FE and IR.
Executive functions and working memory measures were more compromised in IRtrans as compared to IRnon-trans.
Neuropsychological deficiencies precede psychotic breakdown. This indicates that neuropsychological assessments of affected domains may support early detection of psychosis.
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