CNTRICS imaging biomarker selections: Executive control paradigms.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Psychiatric Disorders
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Schizophrenia treatment research aims to improve cognitive deficits.
• Identifying reliable neural measures of cognitive processes is crucial for treatment development.

Framework:

• The 5th Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia meeting focused on selecting candidate imaging biomarkers.
• Executive control processes, including rule generation, selection, and dynamic adjustments, were targeted.

Implementation:

• Two paradigms were recommended: the AX continuous performance task (fMRI) for rule generation/selection and the switching Stroop task (fMRI/EEG) for rule generation/selection and dynamic control.
• These tasks are validated for cognitive and neural mechanisms, with literature reviews supporting their use.

Implications:

• The selected paradigms offer potential for measuring neural activity related to executive functions in schizophrenia.
• Further validation and optimization of these tasks are recommended for clinical application and treatment development.