Beskrivelse
Objective: Traditional neuro-cognition (NC) theory suggests that IQ and NC are hierarchically intertwined. For example, it is commonly expected that ”lower” or less demanding functioning such as basic attention assessed with reaction-time will not be as closely associated with IQ-levels as ”heavier” cognitive functions such as executive, prefrontal functioning. The aim of this study was to investigate this common assumption about the relationship between NC and IQ, and to evaluate if the same relationships are observed in schizophrenic patients and in healthy controls.Method: 38 newly debuted schizophrenics and 38 healthy controls were given the same four widely used neurocognitive CANTAB-tests (RTI, SWM, IED & OTS) and four subtest from the IST 2000R IQ-battery (2 language tests, numbers & matrices). RTI (Reaction Time) and SWM (Short Working Memory) are considered “lighter” tests, less dependent on prefrontal functioning. IED (Intra-Extra Dimensional set Shift), a test of attention flexibility and strategy shift, and OTS (One Touch Stockings of Cambridge) are considered tests, which are substantially dependent on prefrontal functioning. We compared the groups with regard to Pearson correlations between IQ- and the individual CANTAB-test-scores to evaluate if the correlations differed between the two groups: Would the overall IQ-score be associated with the same CANTAB-domains in the two groups?
Results: IQ was associated with more NC-measures among the patients than among the controls. Among the controls, IQ was associated with movement time in RTI (r=-0.35; p=0.030), and the ability to correct errors on OTS (r=0.37; p=0.022). Among the patients, IQ was associated with completed stage trials (r=-0.32; p=0.05), with completed stage errors (r=-0.388; P=0.02) on IED, and with problems solved on first choice (r=0.66; p=0.00) and the ability to correct errors on OTS (r=-0.58; p=0.00). Thus there was a tendency for IQ to be associated with heavier NC functioning among the patients; this tendency was not found to the same extent among the controls, except that of being able to correct errors on OTS.
Conclusion:
The IQ and neurocognitive intertwinement of people suffering from schizophrenia cannot be compared directly to that of healthy controls. It seems that prefrontal NC-functioning in healthy controls is less depending on IQ than that of people suffering from schizophrenia.
Periode | 4 dec. 2013 |
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Begivenhedstitel | Region Hovedstadens Psykiatris Forskningsdag |
Begivenhedstype | Konference |
Placering | København, DanmarkVis på kort |