Cognitive Functions in Children of Persons with Schizophrenia

Abstract

Background: Cognitive deficits are a central feature of schizophrenia and occur in high-risk relatives of the patients. Aim: We aimed to investigate whether children at-risk for schizophrenia also present neurocognitive deficits that are commonly observed in patients with schizophrenia. Settings and Design: In a cross-sectional study, we assessed neurocognitive functioning in 15 at–risk children of schizophrenia patients with an equal number of healthy controls. Materials and Methods: Offspring at-risk were compared with the control group on the measures of intelligence, verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, processing speed (assessed with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth (India Edition), verbal working memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) and executive function (Maze test). Results: Participants in the study group obtained significantly lesser scores, compared to those in the control group, on all neurocognitive measures including verbal comprehension, working memory, processing speed and verbal working memory except for perceptual reasoning and executive function. Conclusion: High-risk children had lower than average IQ and performed poorly on several neuropsychological measures in contrast to children in the control group.