Predicting Real-World Functioning in Schizophrenia: The Relative Contributions of Neurocognition, Functional Capacity, and Negative Symptoms

Neurocognition and functional capacity are commonly reported predictors of real-world functioning in schizophrenia. However, the additional impact of negative symptoms, specifically its subdomains, i.e., diminished expression (DE) and avolition-apathy (AA), on real-world functioning remains unclear. The current study assessed 58 individuals with schizophrenia. Neurocognition was assessed with the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia, functional capacity with the UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment (UPSA-B), and negative symptoms with the Negative Symptom Assessment-16. Real-world functioning was assessed with the Multnomah Community Ability Scale (MCAS) with employment status as an additional objective outcome. Hierarchical regressions and sequential logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between the variables of interest. The results show that global negative symptoms contribute substantial additional variance in predicting MCAS and employment status above and beyond the variance accounted for by neurocognition and functional capacity. In addition, both AA and DE predict the MCAS after controlling for cognition and functional capacity. Only AA accounts for additional variance in employment status beyond that by UPSA-B. In summary, negative symptoms contribute substantial additional variance in predicting both real-world functioning and employment outcomes after accounting for neurocognition and functional capacity. Our findings emphasize both DE and AA as important treatment targets in functional recovery for people with schizophrenia.

Measuring Cognition in Bipolar Disorder with Psychosis Using the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery

Given the substantial overlap in cognitive dysfunction between bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ), we examined the utility of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB)—developed for use in SZ—for the measurement of cognition in patients with BD with psychosis (BDP) and its association with community functioning. The MCCB, Multnomah Community Ability Scale, and measures of clinical symptoms were administered to participants with BDP (n=56), SZ (n=37), and healthy controls (HC) (n=57). Groups were compared on clinical and cognitive measures; linear regressions examined associations between MCCB and community functioning. BDP and SZ groups performed significantly worse than HC on most neurocognitive domains; BDP and HC did not differ on Social Cognition. Patients with BDP performed better than patients with SZ on most cognitive measures, although groups only differed on social cognition, working memory, verbal memory, and the composite after controlling for clinical variables. MCCB was not associated with community functioning. The MCCB is an appropriate measure of neurocognition in BDP but does not appear to capture social cognitive deficits in this population. The addition of appropriate social cognitive measures is recommended. (JINS, 2015, 21, 468–472)