Metabolic syndrome associations with neurocognitive function in first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders

We examined the associations between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and neurocognitive function in patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders (FES) compared to controls assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status. In patients, psychopathology was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia. First, we found illness- and domain-specific associations between the individual MetS features and neurocognitive performance in patients, but not in controls. Second, body mass index and total cholesterol levels were lower in patients than controls, which in turn correlated with increased global psychopathology severity and cognitive deficits. Third, negative symptoms moderated the association between low HDL cholesterol and poorer immediate verbal memory performance in patients. Our findings suggest that distinct lipid profile alterations are associated with cognitive performance and psychopathology severity in patients with FES. Further studies are needed to explore the associations of MetS with neurocognition over time, as well as how these relationships are affected by socio-demographic and clinical factors, including depression, anxiety, and related psychopathology.