Color Trails Test: A New Set of Data on Cognitive Flexibility and Processing Speed in Schizophrenia.

cognitive flexibility cognitive functions executive functions processing speed schizophrenia

Journal

Frontiers in psychiatry
ISSN: 1664-0640
Titre abrégé: Front Psychiatry
Pays: Switzerland
ID NLM: 101545006

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
2020
Historique:
received: 19 01 2019
accepted: 21 05 2020
entrez: 26 6 2020
pubmed: 26 6 2020
medline: 26 6 2020
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Although schizophrenia patients have been reported to manifest deficits in cognitive flexibility and lower processing speed (measured with i.a., the Color Trails Test, CTT), there still remain a few matters that require further investigation. We have therefore formulated three research aims: 1) to examine the factor structure of CTT in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls, 2) to compare different CTT performance measures in the two groups, 3) to investigate the relationship between these measures and selected psychopathological symptoms in the patient group. Sixty-seven patients with paranoid schizophrenia and 67 healthy controls, matched for gender, age, number of years of education, and overall cognitive functioning underwent assessment of cognitive flexibility and processing speed with the CTT. Factor analysis of CTT variables based on the principal component method revealed a four-factor solution in both groups. Compared with healthy controls, the patients performed poorer on CTT 1 time, CTT 2 time, 2-1 difference, prompts in CTT 2, and had higher regression factor scores for Factor 1 (reflecting the slower speed of perceptual tracking). Furthermore, significant links were found between some CTT measures, and negative and disorganization symptoms. Schizophrenia patients exhibit problems with speed of perceptual tracking and executive processes dependent on processing speed. Our results may be useful for the development of neuropsychological diagnostic methods for schizophrenia patients. It seems that, compared to other CTT indices, CTT 1 time, CTT 2 time, and 2-1 difference are more appropriate measures of cognitive performance in schizophrenia patients.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Although schizophrenia patients have been reported to manifest deficits in cognitive flexibility and lower processing speed (measured with i.a., the Color Trails Test, CTT), there still remain a few matters that require further investigation. We have therefore formulated three research aims: 1) to examine the factor structure of CTT in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls, 2) to compare different CTT performance measures in the two groups, 3) to investigate the relationship between these measures and selected psychopathological symptoms in the patient group.
METHODS METHODS
Sixty-seven patients with paranoid schizophrenia and 67 healthy controls, matched for gender, age, number of years of education, and overall cognitive functioning underwent assessment of cognitive flexibility and processing speed with the CTT.
RESULTS RESULTS
Factor analysis of CTT variables based on the principal component method revealed a four-factor solution in both groups. Compared with healthy controls, the patients performed poorer on CTT 1 time, CTT 2 time, 2-1 difference, prompts in CTT 2, and had higher regression factor scores for Factor 1 (reflecting the slower speed of perceptual tracking). Furthermore, significant links were found between some CTT measures, and negative and disorganization symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
Schizophrenia patients exhibit problems with speed of perceptual tracking and executive processes dependent on processing speed. Our results may be useful for the development of neuropsychological diagnostic methods for schizophrenia patients. It seems that, compared to other CTT indices, CTT 1 time, CTT 2 time, and 2-1 difference are more appropriate measures of cognitive performance in schizophrenia patients.

Identifiants

pubmed: 32581889
doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00521
pmc: PMC7296107
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

521

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2020 Tyburski, Karabanowicz, Mak, Lebiecka, Samochowiec, Pełka-Wysiecka, Sagan and Samochowiec.

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Auteurs

Ernest Tyburski (E)

Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poznań, Poland.

Ewa Karabanowicz (E)

Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland.

Monika Mak (M)

Independent Clinical Psychology Unit, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.

Zofia Lebiecka (Z)

Independent Clinical Psychology Unit, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.

Agnieszka Samochowiec (A)

Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland.

Justyna Pełka-Wysiecka (J)

Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.

Leszek Sagan (L)

Department of Neurosurgery, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.

Jerzy Samochowiec (J)

Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.

Classifications MeSH