Does childhood trauma influence cognitive functioning in schizophrenia? The association of childhood trauma and cognition in schizophrenia spectrum disorders

N Mørkved; E Johnsen; R A Kroken; R Gjestad; D Winje; J Thimm; F Fathian; M Rettenbacher; L G Anda; E M Løberg

doi:10.1016/j.scog.2020.100179

Does childhood trauma influence cognitive functioning in schizophrenia? The association of childhood trauma and cognition in schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Schizophr Res Cogn. 2020 May 19:21:100179. doi: 10.1016/j.scog.2020.100179. eCollection 2020 Sep.

Authors

N Mørkved^{1

2}, E Johnsen^{3

4}, R A Kroken^{3

4}, R Gjestad^{3

5}, D Winje⁶, J Thimm², F Fathian⁷, M Rettenbacher⁸, L G Anda^{9

10}, E M Løberg^{3

6

11}

Affiliations

¹ Mosjøen District Psychiatric Centre, Helgeland Hospital, Skjervengan 17, 8657 Mosjøen, Norway.
² Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Pb 6050 Langnes, 9037 Tromsø, Norway.
³ NORMENT Centre of Excellence and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Jonas Lies vei 65, 5021 Bergen, Norway.
⁴ Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Pb 7800, 5020 Bergen, Norway.
⁵ Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Sandviksleitet 1, 5036 Bergen, Norway.
⁶ Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Christies gate 13, 5015 Bergen, Norway.
⁷ NKS Olaviken Gerontopsychiatric Hospital, Ulriksdal 8, 5009 Bergen, Norway.
⁸ Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
⁹ Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Jonas Liesvei 91, BB-building, 5009 Bergen, Norway.
¹⁰ Clinics for Mental Health Care, Stavanger University Hospital, Jan Johnsens gate 12, 4011 Stavanger, Norway.
¹¹ Department of Addiction Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Østre Murallmenningen 7, 5012 Bergen, Norway.

Abstract

Childhood trauma (CT) is a risk factor for schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs), and cognitive impairment is a core feature and a vulnerability marker of SSDs. Studies of the relationship between CT and cognitive impairment in SSDs are inconclusive. In addition, few studies have examined differential effects of CT subtypes, e.g. physical, sexual or emotional abuse/neglect, on cognitive functioning. The present study therefore aimed to examine the effects of CT and CT subtypes on cognitive impairment in SSD. Participants (n = 78) with SSDs completed a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short-Form (CTQ-SF). We compared global cognitive performance as well as scores in seven subdomains (verbal abilities, visuospatial abilities, learning, memory, attention/working memory, executive abilities and processing speed) between participants reporting no CT and those reporting CT experiences using independent samples t-tests as well as linear regression analyses to control for possible confounders. CT subtype physical neglect was associated with attention and working memory after controlling for positive and negative psychosis symptoms, years of education, antipsychotics, gender and age, and adjustment of multiple testing. Our results indicate that the observed heterogeneity in cognitive impairment in SSDs, especially attention/working memory abilities, may in part be associated with childhood physical neglect.

Keywords: Adverse childhood experiences; Adversity; Neuropsychology; Psychosis.