Processing speed deficits in schizophrenia: reexamining the evidence. 2010

Emma E M Knowles, and Anthony S David, and Abraham Reichenberg
Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's Health Partners, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF UK. emma.knowles@kcl.ac.uk

OBJECTIVE A recent meta-analysis identified processing speed inefficiency as the largest single cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. However, the effect of potential moderator variables, such as medication status and severity of illness, remained unclear. The authors present an extended meta-analysis of processing speed and other specific cognitive functions in schizophrenia and examine the role of potential moderator variables. METHODS In addition to the studies identified in the original analysis, subsequently published articles were identified via systematic searches of MEDLINE and PsycINFO for the period from May 2006 to January 2009. The authors extracted data for potential moderator variables, including publication year; severity of illness; chlorpromazine equivalent daily dose; and mean IQ, mean age, and sample size for each study. Effect sizes were calculated for all measures, and meta-influence and homogeneity analyses were conducted. RESULTS Eleven studies were added to the original analysis, increasing the schizophrenia sample size from 1,915 to 4,135. The largest effect size was for coding tasks (g=-1.50), followed by category fluency (g=-1.31). However, for coding tasks, variation in effect size magnitude attributable to heterogeneity was substantial. Metaregression analyses indicated that three moderator variables were related to coding task effect size: publication year, IQ difference from comparison subjects, and chlorpromazine equivalent daily dose. There was a difference of 0.8 effect size units between studies with low compared with high chlorpromazine equivalent daily dose. No significant relationships were found between any moderators and the other cognitive tasks included in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS The processing speed impairment in schizophrenia is substantially affected by several moderating factors, in particular antipsychotic medication dosage.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007361 Intelligence Tests Standardized tests that measure the present general ability or aptitude for intellectual performance. Mental Tests,Raven Test,Raven's Progressive Matrices,Intelligence Test,Mental Test,Raven Progressive Matrices,Ravens Progressive Matrices,Test, Intelligence,Test, Mental,Test, Raven
D011597 Psychomotor Performance The coordination of a sensory or ideational (cognitive) process and a motor activity. Perceptual Motor Performance,Sensory Motor Performance,Visual Motor Coordination,Coordination, Visual Motor,Coordinations, Visual Motor,Motor Coordination, Visual,Motor Coordinations, Visual,Motor Performance, Perceptual,Motor Performance, Sensory,Motor Performances, Perceptual,Motor Performances, Sensory,Perceptual Motor Performances,Performance, Perceptual Motor,Performance, Psychomotor,Performance, Sensory Motor,Performances, Perceptual Motor,Performances, Psychomotor,Performances, Sensory Motor,Psychomotor Performances,Sensory Motor Performances,Visual Motor Coordinations
D011930 Reaction Time The time from the onset of a stimulus until a response is observed. Response Latency,Response Speed,Response Time,Latency, Response,Reaction Times,Response Latencies,Response Times,Speed, Response,Speeds, Response
D002746 Chlorpromazine The prototypical phenothiazine antipsychotic drug. Like the other drugs in this class chlorpromazine's antipsychotic actions are thought to be due to long-term adaptation by the brain to blocking DOPAMINE RECEPTORS. Chlorpromazine has several other actions and therapeutic uses, including as an antiemetic and in the treatment of intractable hiccup. Aminazine,Chlorazine,Chlordelazine,Chlorpromazine Hydrochloride,Contomin,Fenactil,Largactil,Propaphenin,Thorazine,Hydrochloride, Chlorpromazine
D003071 Cognition Intellectual or mental process whereby an organism obtains knowledge. Cognitive Function,Cognitions,Cognitive Functions,Function, Cognitive,Functions, Cognitive
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012559 Schizophrenia A severe emotional disorder of psychotic depth characteristically marked by a retreat from reality with delusion formation, HALLUCINATIONS, emotional disharmony, and regressive behavior. Dementia Praecox,Schizophrenic Disorders,Disorder, Schizophrenic,Disorders, Schizophrenic,Schizophrenias,Schizophrenic Disorder
D012565 Schizophrenic Psychology Study of mental processes and behavior of schizophrenics. Psychology, Schizophrenic
D014150 Antipsychotic Agents Agents that control agitated psychotic behavior, alleviate acute psychotic states, reduce psychotic symptoms, and exert a quieting effect. They are used in SCHIZOPHRENIA; senile dementia; transient psychosis following surgery; or MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION; etc. These drugs are often referred to as neuroleptics alluding to the tendency to produce neurological side effects, but not all antipsychotics are likely to produce such effects. Many of these drugs may also be effective against nausea, emesis, and pruritus. Antipsychotic,Antipsychotic Agent,Antipsychotic Drug,Antipsychotic Medication,Major Tranquilizer,Neuroleptic,Neuroleptic Agent,Neuroleptic Drug,Neuroleptics,Tranquilizing Agents, Major,Antipsychotic Drugs,Antipsychotic Effect,Antipsychotic Effects,Antipsychotics,Major Tranquilizers,Neuroleptic Agents,Neuroleptic Drugs,Tranquillizing Agents, Major,Agent, Antipsychotic,Agent, Neuroleptic,Drug, Antipsychotic,Drug, Neuroleptic,Effect, Antipsychotic,Major Tranquilizing Agents,Major Tranquillizing Agents,Medication, Antipsychotic,Tranquilizer, Major
D015203 Reproducibility of Results The statistical reproducibility of measurements (often in a clinical context), including the testing of instrumentation or techniques to obtain reproducible results. The concept includes reproducibility of physiological measurements, which may be used to develop rules to assess probability or prognosis, or response to a stimulus; reproducibility of occurrence of a condition; and reproducibility of experimental results. Reliability and Validity,Reliability of Result,Reproducibility Of Result,Reproducibility of Finding,Validity of Result,Validity of Results,Face Validity,Reliability (Epidemiology),Reliability of Results,Reproducibility of Findings,Test-Retest Reliability,Validity (Epidemiology),Finding Reproducibilities,Finding Reproducibility,Of Result, Reproducibility,Of Results, Reproducibility,Reliabilities, Test-Retest,Reliability, Test-Retest,Result Reliabilities,Result Reliability,Result Validities,Result Validity,Result, Reproducibility Of,Results, Reproducibility Of,Test Retest Reliability,Validity and Reliability,Validity, Face

Related Publications

Emma E M Knowles, and Anthony S David, and Abraham Reichenberg
November 2016, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America,
Emma E M Knowles, and Anthony S David, and Abraham Reichenberg
April 2022, Psychological medicine,
Emma E M Knowles, and Anthony S David, and Abraham Reichenberg
August 2000, Journal of abnormal psychology,
Emma E M Knowles, and Anthony S David, and Abraham Reichenberg
May 2011, Psychiatry research,
Emma E M Knowles, and Anthony S David, and Abraham Reichenberg
May 2010, Schizophrenia research,
Emma E M Knowles, and Anthony S David, and Abraham Reichenberg
November 2004, Cognitive neuropsychiatry,
Emma E M Knowles, and Anthony S David, and Abraham Reichenberg
January 1990, Schizophrenia research,
Emma E M Knowles, and Anthony S David, and Abraham Reichenberg
February 1986, The American journal of psychiatry,
Emma E M Knowles, and Anthony S David, and Abraham Reichenberg
October 2015, Human brain mapping,
Emma E M Knowles, and Anthony S David, and Abraham Reichenberg
February 2020, Multiple sclerosis and related disorders,
Copied contents to your clipboard!