Neurobiologic Underpinnings of Social Cognition and Metacognition in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Abstract Objective Neurocognitive impairment has been extensively studied in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and seems to be one of the major determinants of functional outcome in this clinical population. Data exploring the link between neuropsychological deficits and the risk of violence in schizophrenia has been more inconsistent. In this study, we analyse the differential predictive potential of neurocognition and social cognition to discriminate patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders with and without a history of severe violence. Methods Overall, 398 (221 cases and 177 controls) patients were recruited in forensic and general psychiatric settings across five European countries and assessed using a standardized battery. Results Education and processing speed were the strongest discriminators between forensic and non-forensic patients, followed by emotion recognition. In particular, increased accuracy for anger recognition was the most distinctive feature of the forensic group. Conclusions These results may have important clinical implications, suggesting potential enhancements of the assessment and treatment of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders with a history of violence, who may benefit from consideration of socio-cognitive skills commonly neglected in ordinary clinical practice.

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The influence of autistic symptoms on social and non-social cognition and on real-life functioning in people with schizophrenia: Evidence from the Italian Network for Research on Psychoses multicenter study

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.99 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Antonio Vita ◽

Stefano Barlati ◽

Giacomo Deste ◽

Paola Rocca ◽

Alessandro Rossi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Interpersonal Relationships ◽

Multicenter Study ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Real Life ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽

Relevant Role ◽

Spectrum Disorders

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs), although conceptualized as separate entities, may share some clinical and neurobiological features. ASD symptoms may have a relevant role in determining a more severe clinical presentation of schizophrenic disorder but their relationships with cognitive aspects and functional outcomes of the disease remain to be addressed in large samples of individuals. Aims To investigate the clinical, cognitive, and functional correlates of ASD symptoms in a large sample of people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Methods The severity of ASD symptoms was measured with the PANSS Autism Severity Scale (PAUSS) in 921 individuals recruited for the Italian Network for Research on Psychoses multicenter study. Based on the PAUSS scores, three groups of subjects were compared on a wide array of cognitive and functional measures. Results Subjects with more severe ASD symptoms showed a poorer performance in the processing speed (p = 0.010), attention (p = 0.011), verbal memory (p = 0.035), and social cognition (p = 0.001) domains, and an overall lower global cognitive composite score (p = 0.010). Subjects with more severe ASD symptoms also showed poorer functional capacity (p = 0.004), real-world interpersonal relationships (p < 0.001), and participation in community-living activities (p < 0.001). Conclusions These findings strengthen the notion that ASD symptoms may have a relevant impact on different aspects of the disease, crucial to the life of people with schizophrenia. Prominent ASD symptoms may characterize a specific subpopulation of individuals with SSD.

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Linking social cognition with social interaction: Non-verbal expressivity, social competence and "mentalising" in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Behavioral and Brain Functions ◽

10.1186/1744-9081-5-6 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 6 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Martin Brüne ◽

Mona Abdel-Hamid ◽

Claudia Sonntag ◽

Caroline Lehmkämper ◽

Robyn Langdon

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Social Interaction ◽

Social Competence ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorders

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The Relationship between Negative Symptoms and Both Emotion Management and Non-social Cognition in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617720001290 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Caitlin O. B. Yolland ◽

Sean P. Carruthers ◽

Wei Lin Toh ◽

Erica Neill ◽

Philip J. Sumner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Hierarchical Cluster ◽

Emotion Management ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽

Targeted Interventions ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Objective: There is ongoing debate regarding the relationship between clinical symptoms and cognition in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). The present study aimed to explore the potential relationships between symptoms, with an emphasis on negative symptoms, and social and non-social cognition. Method: Hierarchical cluster analysis with k-means optimisation was conducted to characterise clinical subgroups using the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms and Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms in n = 130 SSD participants. Emergent clusters were compared on the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery, which measures non-social cognition and emotion management as well as demographic and clinical variables. Spearman’s correlations were then used to investigate potential relationships between specific negative symptoms and emotion management and non-social cognition. Results: Four distinct clinical subgroups were identified: 1. high hallucinations, 2. mixed symptoms, 3. high negative symptoms, and 4. relatively asymptomatic. The high negative symptom subgroup was found to have significantly poorer emotion management than the high hallucination and relatively asymptomatic subgroups. No further differences between subgroups were observed. Correlation analyses revealed avolition-apathy and anhedonia-asociality were negatively correlated with emotion management, but not non-social cognition. Affective flattening and alogia were not associated with either emotion management or non-social cognition. Conclusions: The present study identified associations between negative symptoms and emotion management within social cognition, but no domains of non-social cognition. This relationship may be specific to motivation, anhedonia and apathy, but not expressive deficits. This suggests that targeted interventions for social cognition may also result in parallel improvement in some specific negative symptoms.

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Disorganisation, thought disorder and socio-cognitive functioning in schizophrenia spectrum disorders

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.2018.160 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 214 (2) ◽

pp. 103-112 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Paulo de Sousa ◽

William Sellwood ◽

Martin Griffiths ◽

Richard P. Bentall

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Thought Disorder ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽

Cognitive Difficulties ◽

Current Review ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽

Attributional Biases ◽

Spectrum Disorders

BackgroundPoor social cognition is prevalent in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Some authors argue that these effects are symptom-specific and that socio-cognitive difficulties (e.g. theory of mind) are strongly associated with thought disorder and symptoms of disorganisation.AimsThe current review tests the strength of this association.MethodWe meta-analysed studies published between 1980 and 2016 that tested the association between social cognition and these symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.ResultsOur search (PsycINFO, MEDLINE and Web of Science) identified 123 studies (N = 9107). Overall effect size as r = −0.313, indicating a moderate association between symptoms and social cognition. Subanalyses yielded a moderate association between symptoms and theory of mind (r = −0.349) and emotion recognition (r = −0.334), but smaller effect sizes for social perception (r = −0.188), emotion regulation (r = −0.169) and attributional biases (r = −0.143).ConclusionsThe association is interpreted within models of communication that highlight the importance of mentalisation and processing of partner-specific cues in conversational alignment and grounding.Declaration of interestsNone.

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