Enhanced computerized cognitive remediation therapy improved cognitive function, negative symptoms, and GDNF in male long-term inpatients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE

Negative and cognitive symptoms present significant challenges in patients with schizophrenia, and cognitive remediation is a promising approach to alleviate these symptoms. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of computerized cognitive remediation therapy (CCRT) on psychiatric symptoms, cognitive deficits, and serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in patients with schizophrenia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty male long-term institutionalized inpatients with schizophrenia were assigned to either a CCRT group (n = 20) or a control group (n = 20). The CCRT intervention consisted of 40 individual 40-min sessions over 8 weeks, conducted five times a week. Psychiatric symptoms, cognition, and serum levels of BDNF and GDNF were assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, the CCRT group exhibited decreased total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and negative subscale scores, as well as increased Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status scores. Moreover, improvements in list recall were associated with reduced negative symptoms. Additionally, CCRT ameliorated the decrease in serum GDNF levels in patients with schizophrenia.

CONCLUSION

The effectiveness of CCRT in alleviating negative symptoms was associated with improvements in list recall, and GDNF may play a role in the observed effects of CCRT in patients with schizophrenia.