Perinatal complications and executive dysfunction in early-onset schizophrenia

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) is characterized by higher rates of obstetric complications and executive dysfunction.
• Newborns' developing brains are vulnerable to perinatal insults, potentially impacting prefrontal cortex maturation and executive functions.
• Perinatal complications may play a role in the development of executive dysfunction observed in EOS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between perinatal obstetric complications and executive dysfunction in individuals with EOS.
• To compare these associations in EOS patients versus healthy controls.
• To explore the specific impact of gestational length and Apgar scores on executive function.

Main Methods:

• Study included 19 EOS patients and 54 healthy controls.
• Executive function assessed using the D-KEFS Color Word Interference Test and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.
• Perinatal data, including obstetric complications and Apgar 5-min scores, obtained from the Norwegian Medical Birth Registry.
• Stepwise regression analyses used to examine associations between perinatal factors and executive function.

Main Results:

• Shorter gestational length and other perinatal complications were significantly associated with executive dysfunction in EOS patients.
• Perinatal complications did not significantly affect executive function in healthy controls.
• Lower Apgar 5-min scores were associated with executive dysfunction in both EOS patients and healthy controls.

Conclusions:

• Exposure to perinatal complications, particularly shorter gestational length, increases executive dysfunction risk in EOS.
• EOS patients show heightened vulnerability to perinatal insults leading to executive deficits.
• Low Apgar 5-min scores may serve as an early indicator of executive difficulties in adolescents, irrespective of diagnosis.