Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
05:52
Handwriting Analysis Indicates Spontaneous Dyskinesias in Neuroleptic Naïve Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis
Published on: November 21, 2013
Is processing speed predictive of functional outcome in psychosis?
Nienke Jabben1, Jim van Os, Tom Burns
1Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, P.O. BOX 616 (VIJV), 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
|February 29, 2008
Summary
Processing speed shows weak associations with social and subjective outcomes in psychosis patients. Longitudinal data suggest it
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Cognitive impairments, particularly processing speed deficits, are common in psychosis.
- Understanding the role of processing speed in functional outcomes is crucial for treatment.
- Previous research has yielded mixed results on the predictive power of processing speed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of processing speed with service use, social, and subjective outcomes in individuals with chronic psychosis.
- To determine if processing speed is an independent predictor or a consequence of illness severity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the UK700 Case Management Trial (n=708) with chronic psychotic illness.
- Employed regression analyses to assess baseline processing speed against outcome measures.
- Controlled for current psychopathology and baseline outcome values in longitudinal analyses.
Main Results:
- Cross-sectional analysis revealed associations between processing speed and all outcome domains.
- These associations, particularly for social and subjective outcomes, persisted after controlling for psychopathology.
- Longitudinal analyses showed only a weak association with patient-reported needs (CAN), which diminished after adjustments.
Conclusions:
- Processing speed appears to be an independent dimension of psychosis severity rather than a direct cause of poor social outcomes.
- Longitudinal changes in patient-reported needs may be minimally influenced by baseline cognitive function.
- The findings highlight the complexity of cognitive-functional relationships in chronic psychosis.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy
Antipsychotic drugs are a crucial treatment method for acute and chronic psychoses, bipolar illness, and behavioral disorders. The selection of these drugs depends on several factors, including the state of the disease, clinical judgment, possible drug interactions, and the patient's sensitivity to adverse effects. In immediate scenarios, such as delirium and dementia, short-term treatment with low doses of high-potency typical or atypical agents can effectively manage symptom exacerbation. For...
01:28Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview
The term "psychosis" refers to a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by abnormal thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors. It can manifest as mood disorders, dementia, delirium with psychotic features, substance-induced psychosis with psychotic features, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. Among all these disorders, schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder, affecting 1% of the worldwide population. Psychotic symptoms in all...
01:27Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose origins are rooted in complex genetic components. Despite our burgeoning understanding, the pathophysiology of this disorder remains incompletely deciphered.
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
01:20Parallel Processing
The brain processes sensory information rapidly due to parallel processing, which involves sending data across multiple neural pathways at the same time. This method allows the brain to manage various sensory qualities, such as shapes, colors, movements, and locations, all concurrently. For instance, when observing a forest landscape, the brain simultaneously processes the movement of leaves, the shapes of trees, the depth between them, and the various shades of green. This enables a quick and...
01:30Information Processing Approach
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...
01:17Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a term introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911, describes a severe psychological disorder marked by profound disruptions in attention, thought processes, language, emotion, and interpersonal relationships. The core feature of schizophrenia is psychosis — a state characterized by a fundamental detachment from reality. This disconnection manifests through distorted logic, impaired perception, and atypical behavior, severely affecting the lives of those diagnosed.