Sex-specific cognitive abnormalities in early-onset psychosis

Abstract

Objectives: Brain maturation differs depending on the area of the brain and sex. Girls show an earlier peak in maturation of the prefrontal cortex. Although differences between adult females and males with schizophrenia have been widely studied, there has been less research in girls and boys with psychosis. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in verbal and visual memory, verbal working memory, auditory attention, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility between boys and girls. Methods: We compared a group of 80 boys and girls with first-episode psychosis to a group of controls. Results: We found interactions between group and sex in verbal working memory (p = 0.04) and auditory attention (p = 0.01). The female controls showed better working memory (p = 0.01) and auditory attention (p = 0.001) than males. However, we did not find any sex differences in working memory (p = 0.91) or auditory attention (p = 0.93) in the psychosis group. Conclusions: These results are consistent with the presence of sex-modulated cognitive profiles at first presentation of early-onset psychosis.

Trajectory of brain maturation and sex-specific cognitive abnormalities in early-onset psychosis

“…Ruiz-Veguilla et al, 1 in the January-March 2017 issue of Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, reported on ''sexspecific cognitive abnormalities in early-onset psychosis''. The study makes a contribution to our understanding of how schizophrenia might influence brain maturation and function.…”

“…ZIKV infection, previously considered a self-limited febrile exanthematic disease, leads to serious neurologic complications. 1 Microcephaly and extensive brain damage can result from congenital ZIKV infection. An association with Guillain-Barre Syndrome was suggested after the French Polynesia outbreak, 2 and reports from endemic areas suggest that acute ZIKV infection leads to numerous central nervous system (CNS) complications.…”