Abstract
Objective: The current study aimed to compare specific cognitive profiles corresponding to auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) status and elucidate which pattern of cognitive deficits may predict voice-hearing status. Method: Clinical participants with schizophrenia spectrum disorders were partitioned into: (i) current voice-hearers (n = 46), (ii) past voice-hearers (n = 37) and (iii) never voice-hearers (n = 40), and compared with 319 non-clinical controls. Cognitive assessment employed the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), supplemented by the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Colour–Word Interference Test (Stroop) as a robust measure of executive function. Results: On the Visual Learning domain, current and past voice-hearers had significantly poorer performance relative to never voice-hearers, who in turn had significantly poorer performance than non-clinical controls. Current and never voice-hearers had significantly poorer performance on the Social Cognition domain relative to non-clinical controls. Current voice-hearers also had significantly poorer performance on the Inhibition domain relative to non-clinical controls. Binary logistic regression revealed that Visual Learning was the only significant cognitive predictor of AVH presence. Conclusion: Visual learning, and potentially inhibition, may be viable therapeutic targets when addressing cognitive mechanisms associated with AVHs. Future research should focus on investigating additional cognitive mechanisms, employing diverse voice-hearing populations and embarking on related longitudinal studies.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 553-562 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica |
Volume | 141 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jun 2020 |
Keywords
- auditory verbal hallucinations
- cognition
- inhibition
- psychosis
- schizophrenia
- visual learning