Memory impairments identified in people at ultra-high risk for psychosis who later develop first-episode psychosis

Abstract

Objective: While cognitive deficits are frequently reported in psychotic disorders, it is unclear whether these impairments predate the onset of illness and to what extent they are predictive of later transition to psychosis. Method: The authors studied 37 healthy volunteers and 98 symptomatic, help-seeking patients meeting the inclusion criteria of a treatment program for people at ultra-high risk for psychosis. Of the ultra-high-risk patients, 34 (34.7%) developed psychosis over the course of the investigation. Premorbid and current IQ, attention, memory, and executive functioning were measured with instruments including subtests from the Wechsler Memory Scale - Revised (WMS-R). Analyses c..