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Youth at familial risk for schizophrenia often neurocognitively impaired

Children aged 7 years at familial high risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders had widespread neurocognitive deficits; however, these impairments were not observed in children at familial high risk for bipolar disorder, research findings revealed.

“Neurocognitive functions are considered endophenotypes or vulnerability markers for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder,” Nicoline Hemager, MSc, from the Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Mental Health Services, Capital Region of Denmark, and colleagues wrote in JAMA Psychiatry. “Ultimately, the identification of early neurocognitive deficits may enable the development of interventions to reduce the risk of transition.”

Hemager and colleagues examined the neurocognitive functions of children aged 7 years with familial high risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders or with familial high risk for bipolar disorder and a control population in a multisite population-based cohort study with data collected from Jan. 1, 2013, to Jan. 31, 2016.

Participants included 197 children at risk for schizophrenia and 118 at risk for bipolar disorder, as well as 199 controls matched with the at-risk schizophrenia group for age, sex and municipality. Researchers measured 23 neurocognitive test scores and four neurocognitive domains, derived by principal component analysis, which included processing speed and working memory, verbal functions, executive and visuospatial functions and declarative memory and attention.

Children at familial high risk for schizophrenia showed more neurocognitive impairment than controls on processing speed and working memory (P < .001), executive and visuospatial functions (P = .03) and declarative memory and attention (P = .02). Children at risk for schizophrenia also performed poorer in processing speed and working memory (P = .002), executive and visuospatial functions (P = .008) and declarative memory and attention (P = .03) compared with children at familial high risk for bipolar disorder. Children at risk for bipolar disorders did not differ from controls.

“Neurocognitive impairments are widespread in 7-year-old children with [familial high risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders], supporting the notion of neurocognition as an endophenotype for schizophrenia and a target for intervention,” Hemager and colleagues wrote. “Early detection of children with [familial high risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders] and cognitive impairments is warranted to (1) investigate associations of neurocognition with functional outcome and transition to psychosis, (2) add to the knowledge of their developmental pathophysiology, and (3) inform early intervention programs.” – by Savannah Demko

Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.