Cognitive remediation in schizophrenia—The view from India

Abstract

The prevalence and disability due to Schizophrenia (SZ) in India is similar to other parts of the world. Cognitive impairments are also present in a large group of Indian persons with SZ. Interventions to address these impairments – termed cognitive remediation or cognitive retraining – are being tested all over the world. Indian research on remediation in schizophrenia has been eclectic and is reviewed here. Some investigators have focused mainly on symptom control and quality of life, as yoga could be a cost effective and culturally acceptable intervention for remediation and rehabilitation. Although participants were not exhaustively tested for improvement in cognitive function in the majority of such trials, published results are encouraging.

Contributions of complementary therapies and other strategies to the treatment of schizophrenia: an integrative review

“…Preliminary evidence treats the effectiveness of yoga as a complementary treatment in schizophrenia, but more research is needed to understand the mechanism by which yoga improves the symptoms of this disease. There are also reports of improved self-reflection in schizophrenic patients, highlighting that this intervention is economically and culturally acceptable, thus encouraging further research (Deshpande, et al, 2016).…”

“…Patients with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotics underwent treatment with yoga in order to reduce the signs and symptoms of the disease (Cherubal, et al, 2019;rao & menon, 2016), such as the depression and cognitive correction in schizophrenia (Bhatia, et al, 2017;Cherubal, et al, 2019;Deshpande, et al, 2016). This intervention resulted in an improvement in general attentional skills (Deshpande, et al, 2016), and reduced depression and anxiety stress, generating well-being (Cherubal, et al, 2019).…”

“…Professional rehabilitation as a cognitive improvement; Yoga as a cognitive enhancement therapy; Unsupervised cognitive recycling at home; gain strength in India, with satisfactory results. However, other innovative approaches need to be tested (Deshpande, et al, 2016).…”

Cognitive deficits in children with autism spectrum disorders: Toward an integrative approach combining social and non-social cognition

“…Initially used for brain-damaged patients, CR use was extended to schizophrenia ( 13 ), and later to several pediatric mental health conditions. CR effectiveness was demonstrated in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ( 14 ), anorexia nervosa ( 15 , 16 ), specific learning disorder ( 17 ), intellectual disability ( 18 ) and in early onset psychosis ( 19 ).…”

A structured review of psychiatric rehabilitation for individuals living with severe mental illness within three regions of the Asia‐Pacific: Implications for practice and policy

“…Research has shown benefits in mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and psychosis (Varambally & Gangadhar, 2016). Increasingly, Yoga is seen as an indigenous model of rehabilitation throughout parts of Asia, assisting with symptom control and quality of life, which could be a cost-effective and culturally acceptable intervention (Deshpande, Bhatia, Mohandas, & Nimgaonkar, 2016). Varambally and Gangadhar (2016) argue that yoga can be an adjunct to standard treatment and potentially a treatment on its own.…”