Table 1.
Neuroimaging studies of CR in early SCZ
| Reference | Number of participants (M/F) | Age (mean ± s.d.) |
Years of illness (mean ± s.d.) |
Diagnosis (n) | CR intervention | Intervention length | Imaging method | Main results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsay et al. (2017) | CR: 43 (31/12) CT: 43 (33/10) | 21.70 ± 3.26 20.74 ± 3.37 |
1.57 ± 1.30 1.68 ± 1.45 |
SCZ (ns) SAD (ns) |
AT | 40 h/8–10 weeks | sMRI (3T) | CR v. CT showed larger GM thalamic volumes after the training. L thalamus GM volumes correlated positively with cognitive performance. Findings suggest that the cognitive gains induced by CR are associated with structural neuroplasticity in the thalamus. |
| Keshavan et al. (2017) | CR: 25 (14/11) CT: 16 (12/4) | 24.95 ± 5.16 26.13 ± 5.29 |
3.36 ± 2.45 2.97 ± 1.84 |
SCZ (26) SAD (15) |
CET | 60 h/3 months ( + 45 weekly sessions of social-cognitive group) | fMRI (3T) | CR v. CT showed increased activity in the R dlPFC activation and reduced connectivity between dlPFC and ACC. Increased R dlPFC activity correlated positively with neurocognitive improvements. |
| Eack et al. (2016) | CR: 25 (14/11) CT: 16 (12/4) | 29.95 ± 5.16 26.13 ± 5.29 |
3.36 ± 2.45 2.97 ± 1.84 |
SCZ (25) SAD (16) |
CET | 60 h/3 months ( + 45 1.5 h weekly sessions of social-cognitive group) | rsfMRI (3T) | CR v. CT showed greater functional connectivity preservation between the resting-state networks involved in emotion processing and problem solving (i.e. fronto-temporal network) and the L dlPFC and increased connectivity between the fronto-temporal network and the R insula. In patients treated with CR increased insular and L dlPFC connectivity correlated with improved emotion perception and regulation, respectively. |
| Eack et al. (2010) | CR: 31 (ns) CT: 27 (ns) | 26.17 ± 6.51 | 3.22 ± 2.2 | SCZ (53) SAD (18) |
CET | 60 h/3 months ( + 45 1.5 h weekly sessions of social-cognitive group) | sMRI (3T) | CR v. CT showed greater preservation of GM volume in the L hippocampus, parahippocampal, fusiform gyrus and L amygdala GM volume increases. Volumetric changes were associated with improved cognition. |
ACC, anterior cingulate cortex; AT, auditory training cognitive remediation; BOLD, blood-oxygenation level dependent; CET, cognitive enhancement therapy; CR, cognitive remediation; CT, control therapy; dlPFC, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; F, females; fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging; GM, grey matter; L, left; M, males; ns, not specified; R, right; SCZ, schizophrenia; SAD, schizoaffective disorder; rsfMRI, resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging; sMRI, structural magnetic resonance imaging; T, tesla.