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The Relationship Between Negative Symptoms and Cognitive Functioning in Patients with an at Risk Mental State for Psychosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

L. Egloff
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland
E. Studerus
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland
C. Andreou
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland
U. Heitz
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland
K. Beck
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland
S. Menghini-Müller
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland
S. Ittig
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland
A. Riecher-Rössler
Affiliation:
University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland

Abstract

Introduction

Negative symptoms and cognitive impairments are both present in patients with an at risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis and negatively affect functioning and outcome. According to previous studies in patients with first-episode psychosis, negative symptoms are negatively associated with cognitive functioning while positive symptoms do not seem to be associated. Yet, little is known about the specific relationship of negative symptoms and cognitive functioning in ARMS patients.

Objective

To evaluate, the relationship between negative symptoms and cognitive functioning in ARMS patients.

Methods

Data of 154 ARMS patients were collected within the prospective Basel early detection of psychosis (FePsy) study. Negative symptoms were assessed with the SANS, positive psychotic symptoms with the BPRS, cognitive functioning with an extensive neuropsychological test battery. Multiple regressions were applied and results were controlled for age and gender.

Results

Regression analyses showed a significant, negative association between negative but not positive psychotic symptoms and cognitive functioning, showing the strongest association with verbal fluency (see Fig. 1). However, results mainly did not withstand correction for multiple testing.

Conclusions

The association found between verbal fluency and negative symptoms may be indicative of an overlap between those constructs. Finally, verbal fluency might have a strong influence on the clinical impression of negative symptoms, especially on alogia.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Type
e-Poster Walk: Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders - Part 3
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2017

Fig. 1 Cognitive variables associated with psychopathological symptoms. *P .05; **P .01.

Figure 0

Fig. 1 Cognitive variables associated with psychopathological symptoms. *P .05; **P .01.

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