Wada Ayumu, Yamada Risa, Yamada Yuji, Sumiyoshi Chika, Hashimoto Ryota, Matsumoto Junya, Kikuchi Akiko, Kubota Ryotaro, Matsui Makoto, Nakachi Kana, Fujimaki Chinatsu, Adachi Leona, Stickley Andrew, Yoshimura Naoki, Sumiyoshi Tomiki
Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, National Center Hospital of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Brain Bioregulatory Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
Schizophr Res. 2025 Jan;275:131-136. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2024.12.003. Epub 2024 Dec 24.
Cognitive impairment is a cardinal feature in patients with schizophrenia and leads to poor social functioning. Recently, the treatment of schizophrenia has evolved to include the goal of improving quality of life (QoL). However, most of the factors influencing subjective QoL are unknown. Autistic traits have been shown to co-occur with various psychiatric conditions including schizophrenia. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate whether cognitive function and autistic trait severity are associated with social functioning and subjective QoL in patients with early schizophrenia.
Data were analyzed from 183 outpatients diagnosed with early schizophrenia in Tokyo, Japan. Information was obtained on neurocognition with the Japanese version of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia. Autistic trait severity was assessed using the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), while social functioning was measured with the Specific Levels of Functioning Scale Japanese version. Information was obtained on subjective QoL with the Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic drug treatment Short form, Japanese version. Multiple regression analysis was used to examined associations.
In an analysis adjusted for demographic characteristics (age, sex and education), both autistic trait severity (β = -0.56, p < 0.01) and neurocognitive function (β = 4.37, p < 0.01) were significantly associated with social function. On the other hand, only autistic trait severity made a significant contribution to the prediction of subjective QoL (β = -1.79, p < 0.01).
The results of this study suggest that efforts to detect and treat cognitive impairment and comorbid autistic trait in early schizophrenia may be important for improving social functioning and subjective QoL in this population. In particular intervention that targets autistic trait severity seems to be key to achieving personal recovery in patients with schizophrenia.
认知障碍是精神分裂症患者的主要特征，会导致社会功能不良。近年来，精神分裂症的治疗目标已发展为包括提高生活质量（QoL）。然而，影响主观生活质量的大多数因素尚不清楚。自闭症特质已被证明与包括精神分裂症在内的各种精神疾病同时出现。因此，本研究旨在调查早期精神分裂症患者的认知功能和自闭症特质严重程度是否与社会功能和主观生活质量相关。
对日本东京183名被诊断为早期精神分裂症的门诊患者的数据进行分析。使用日语版的精神分裂症认知简短评估获取神经认知信息。使用自闭症谱系商数（AQ）评估自闭症特质严重程度，同时使用日语版功能特定水平量表测量社会功能。使用日语版抗精神病药物治疗下的主观幸福感简表获取主观生活质量信息。采用多元回归分析来检验相关性。
在对人口统计学特征（年龄、性别和教育程度）进行调整的分析中，自闭症特质严重程度（β = -0.56，p < 0.01）和神经认知功能（β = 4.37，p < 0.01）均与社会功能显著相关。另一方面，只有自闭症特质严重程度对主观生活质量的预测有显著贡献（β = -1.79，p < 0.01）。
本研究结果表明，在早期精神分裂症中检测和治疗认知障碍及共病的自闭症特质对于改善该人群的社会功能和主观生活质量可能很重要。特别是针对自闭症特质严重程度的干预似乎是实现精神分裂症患者个人康复的关键。
