Spatial Working Memory as a Cognitive Endophenotype of Schizophrenia: Assessing Risk for Pathophysiological Dysfunction
- 28 September 2005
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Schizophrenia Bulletin
- Vol. 32 (3), 498-506
- https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbj072
Abstract
Research suggests that first-degree relatives and individuals with schizophrenia spectrum personality disorders (SSPD) may represent nonpenetrant carriers of the genetic diathesis for schizophrenia. This study examined visuospatial working memory (SWM) as a cognitive endophenotype of schizophrenia by expanding the concept of risk for pathophysiological dysfunction beyond overt psychosis. Risk was thus defined by familial status and the presence or absence of SSPD. SWM was assessed in the following groups, in order of decreasing likelihood of genetic vulnerability: 23 patients with schizophrenia, 17 SSPD relatives of patients with schizophrenia, 23 non-SSPD relatives of patients with schizophrenia, 14 SSPD community members with no family history of psychosis, and 36 non-SSPD community members. SWM performance during a computer task was quantified by A-Prime. Relative risk ratios for SWM deficits were compared among the groups. Compared with community non-SSPD volunteers, relative risk (RR) of SWM deficits was significantly elevated in patients with schizophrenia (RR = 3.76, p = .002) and SSPD family members (RR = 2.97, p = .027), but not in the family non-SSPD (RR = 1.88, p = .241) or community SSPD (RR = 1.03, p = .971) groups. The pattern of SWM performance deficits reflected the proposed model of latent genetic liability, upholding SWM as a viable cognitive endophenotype. The results underscore the importance of including both familial liability and the schizophrenia spectrum when considering risk for schizophrenia and schizophrenia-related traits. This is particularly relevant for research efforts to identify pathophysiological components of the disease.Keywords
This publication has 44 references indexed in Scilit:
- Cognitive deficits in relatives of patients with schizophrenia: a meta-analysisSchizophrenia Research, 2004
- Do schizotypal symptoms mediate the relationship between genetic risk for schizophrenia and impaired neuropsychological performance in co-twins of schizophrenic patients?Biological Psychiatry, 2003
- Spatial working memory as an endophenotype for schizophreniaBiological Psychiatry, 2003
- The Endophenotype Concept in Psychiatry: Etymology and Strategic IntentionsAmerican Journal of Psychiatry, 2003
- Neuropsychological performance in schizotypal personality disorder: evidence regarding diagnostic specificityBiological Psychiatry, 2002
- Spatial, object, and affective working memory in social anhedonia: an exploratory studySchizophrenia Research, 2002
- Relative risk for cognitive impairments in siblings of patients with schizophreniaBiological Psychiatry, 2001
- Relative Risk of Attention Deficits in Siblings of Patients With SchizophreniaAmerican Journal of Psychiatry, 2000
- Schizotypy and sustained attention.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1991
- The Structured Interview for Schizotypy (SIS): A Preliminary ReportSchizophrenia Bulletin, 1989