Neurocognitive Subgroups in Children at Familial High-risk of Schizophrenia or Bipolar disorder: Subgroup Membership Stability or Change From Age 7 to 11-The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Christina Bruun Knudsen
  • Aja Neergaard Greve
  • Jens Richardt Mollegaard Jepsen
  • Rikke Lambek
  • Anna Krogh Andreassen
  • Lotte Veddum
  • Julie Marie Brandt
  • Maja Gregersen
  • Mette Falkenberg Krantz
  • Anne Sondergaard
  • Anders Helles Carlsen
  • Nanna Lawaetz Steffensen
  • Anette Faurskov Bundgaard
  • Birgitte Klee Burton
  • Thorup, Anne Amalie Elgaard
  • Nordentoft, Merete
  • Ole Mors
  • Vibeke Fuglsang Bliksted
  • Nicoline Hemager

Background and Hypothesis Subgroups with distinct levels of neurocognitive functioning exist in children of parents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. However, studies investigating the temporal stability of subgroup membership are currently lacking. We hypothesized that a minority of children at familial high-risk of schizophrenia (FHR-SZ) or bipolar disorder (FHR-BP) would transition to a different neurocognitive subgroup from age 7 to 11 and that most transitions would be to a more impaired subgroup. Study Design Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups at two assessments (age 7 and 11) based on the performance of 320 children at FHR-SZ or FHR-BP across eight neurocognitive functions. Temporal stability in subgroup membership was evaluated with latent profile transition analysis. Population-based controls (age 7, n = 199; age 11, n = 178) were included as a reference group. Children transitioning to a more impaired subgroup were compared with nontransitioning children on sex, FHR-status, global functioning, and psychopathology. Study Results At both assessment points, we identified three subgroups based on neurocognitive performance: a moderately-severely impaired, a mildly impaired, and an above-average subgroup. A total of 12.8% of children transitioned to a different subgroup, of which the majority (85.2%) moved to a more impaired subgroup. Parental diagnosis of schizophrenia, but neither parental diagnosis of bipolar disorder, global functioning at age 7, psychopathology, nor sex significantly differentiated children transitioning to a more impaired subgroup from nontransitioning children. Conclusions During pre-adolescence, neurocognitive developmental lag is associated with being at FHR-SZ. Close attention to these children's neurocognitive development is indicated.

Original languageEnglish
JournalSchizophrenia Bulletin
Volume49
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)185-195
Number of pages11
ISSN0586-7614
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

    Research areas

  • severe mental disorders, pre-adolescence, cognitive development, latent profile transition analysis, COGNITIVE HETEROGENEITY, 7-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN, ADULT SCHIZOPHRENIA, PSYCHOSIS, COHORT, ATTENTION, METAANALYSIS, METHODOLOGY, REMEDIATION, PERFORMANCE

ID: 344368838