Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40544745›Full record

ArticlePsychiatry research2025

Social cognition as a mediator between neurocognition and functional outcome in early course schizophrenia.

Anju Kotwani, Jessica A Wojtalik, Douglas D Gunzler, Matthew J Smith, Wilson J Brown, Rochanne L Honarvar, Martha Sajatovic, Matcheri S Keshavan, Shaun M Eack

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Psychiatry research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Anju KotwaniJack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA. Electronic address: axk1469@case.edu.
Jessica A WojtalikJack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Douglas D GunzlerCenter for Healthcare Research and Policy, The MetroHealth System, Cleveland, OH, USA; Population Health and Equity Research Institute, The MetroHealth System, Cleveland, OH, USA; School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Matthew J SmithSchool of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Wilson J BrownDepartment of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Rochanne L HonarvarJack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Martha SajatovicSchool of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; Neurological and Behavioral Outcomes Center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Matcheri S KeshavanDepartment of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts Mental Health Center Division of Public Psychiatry, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Shaun M EackSchool of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Funding

Brain Imaging, Cognitive Enhancement and Early SchizophreniaR01MH092440 · NIMH · BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER · PI KESHAVAN, MATCHERI S. · 2012 to 2016
$3.1M
NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH092440
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Social cognition is an established mediator between neurocognition and functional outcome in schizophrenia, but there is limited evidence for this model specifically in the early course, which is a critical window for intervention to reduce long-term disability. This study aimed to test the social cognition mediator model in the early course of schizophrenia and identify social cognitive subdomains that may have stronger indirect effects on the relationship between neurocognition and functional outcome. This secondary analysis utilized baseline cognitive and functional outcome data from a cognitive remediation trial for outpatients with early course schizophrenia (N = 102). A path analysis approach was used to compute mediation of social cognition (mediator; composite index and subdomain scores) on the relationship between neurocognition (predictor; composite index) and functional outcome (outcome; composite index). Significant positive associations were observed between neurocognition, social cognition, and functional outcome. As previously observed, the mediation effect of the social cognition composite was significant (p = 0.042). Of the seven social cognitive subdomains, only social inference (p < 0.001) emerged as a significant mediator. Reverse mediation models (mediator; neurocognition) were non-significant. Results suggest that the impact of cognition on functional outcome in the early course occurs, in part, through the impact of neurocognition on social cognition, which subsequently influences functional outcome. In addition, social inference is possibly an important treatment target of functional recovery in the early course of the condition, highlighting a potential future research direction. These findings further support the provision of comprehensive cognitive remediation approaches to facilitate functional recovery.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionSchizophreniaSchizophrenic PsychologySocial CognitionAdultCognitive RemediationFemaleHumansMaleOutcome Assessment, Health CareYoung AdultEarly courseFunctional outcomeMediationNeurocognitionSchizophreniaSocial cognition

Identifiers

PMID40544745
PMCPMC13274532

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.