 - Impairments in these abilities of nonsocial cognition are proved to be core features of schizophrenia.
 - Nonsocial cognitive impairments are independent of positive psychotic symptoms, side effects of antipsychotic medications.
 - The impairments are also relatively stable during the time period of the illness and are detectable in different levels in unaffected biological relatives of the patient.

Nature of nonsocial cognitive impairment in schizophrenia

Although it was expected that antipsychotic medications may reduce the symptoms of the patients and enhance the community integration, researches have shown that this did not happen. The impairments of nonsocial cognition and their functional outcome stay as challenges of the field.

Implications of nonsocial cognitive impairment for community integration

There are mixed results from both pharmacological and cognitive perspectives of the interventions for nonsocial cognitive impairments of schizophrenia. Emerging evidence from other perspectives may also be rewarding with future explorations.

Interventions for nonsocial cognitive impairments

- Schizophrenia research has predomi­nantly focused on nonsocial cognition (also referred to as neurocognition).
- Nonsocial cognition includes those commonly considered mental abilities, including speed of processing, verbal learning and memory, visuospatial learning and memory, working memory, attention/vigilance, and reasoning and problem solving.


Syracuse University

Cognition is another area of functioning that is affected in schizophrenia leading to problems with attention, concentration and memory, and to declining educational performance.

Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia 

Green, M. F., Horan, W. P., &amp; Lee, J. (2019). Nonsocial and social cognition in schizophrenia: Current evidence and Future Directions. World Psychiatry, 18(2), 146–161. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20624 

Nonsocial and social cognition in schizophrenia: current evidence and future directions

Nonsocial Cognition 

- Neuroinflammation and Cognition
- Computational Modeling of Cognitive Processes 
- Cognition and Remote Digital Technology 
- Brain Network Organization 



Future Directions for Research on Cognition in Schizophrenia 

A set of symptoms of schizophrenia that affects the normal processes of the brain that helps day to day functioning

Cognitive Impairment

A type of information processing deficit that would negatively impact cognition from the very beginning

Perceptual Impairment

Interest in social cognition as it relates to schizophrenia is a more recent development, and research in this area has grown dramatically over the past 10-­15 years.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After