Introduction: Cognitive remediation is used to improve cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia. Most of the previous studies had incorporated a long duration of a rehabilitation program. This study aims to evaluate the effect of a short course and easy to implement computer-based cognitive remediation on the cognitive performance in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders using a randomized controlled trial design. Method: Sixty-two patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders were enrolled in Roozbeh Hospital (Tehran, Iran) and were randomized to either receive a cognitive remediation program added to the standard pharmacological treatment (n=31) or the standard treatment alone (n=31). The remediation consisted of ten sessions of the cognitive training provided 2-3 times a week by applying the Cogpack software. The cognitive performance was assessed in attention, memory and executive function before and after the interventions by using the respective tests of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Results: This study did not demonstrate any significant improvement in attention and executive function in the experimental vs control group. Nonetheless, we observed modest improvements in some aspects of visual memory (first trial memory score, F=9.152, P< 0.001, Cohen’s d=0.40; Mean errors to success, F= 6.991, P= 0.011, Cohen’s d=0.14; stages completed on first trial, F= 7.155, P= 0. 010, Cohen’s d=0.71; Total errors, F= 5.730, P= 0.020, Cohen’s d=0.53). Conclusion: We observed only modest improvements in the patients' cognitive functioning after a short-course of cognitive remediation. The short duration of the training and lack of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan may explain the findings.

Background: Cognitive impairment is a chronic and disabling manifestation of schizophrenia. Objectives: This before-after study was conducted to examine the effect of a short course computer-assisted cognitive remediation on improving cognitive functions of patients with schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with schizophrenia were enrolled into the study. The intervention consisted of 10 onehour sessions held 2-3 times a week, using the Cogpack software that includes tasks to improve attention, memory, and executive function. The patients' cognitive functioning was assessed before and after the remediation, using tests in the CANTAB battery, including stop signal task (SST) and choice reaction time (CRT) to assess attention levels, pattern recognition memory (PRM) and Paired associate learning (PAL) to examine memory, and stocking of Cambridge (SOC) and intra-extra dimensional task (IED) to evaluate executive function. Results: IED and SOC revealed a statistically significant improvement in executive function after the intervention. PAL revealed a significant improvement in memory functioning in most aspects after the intervention, while PRM did not. CRT showed a significant improvement in some aspects of attention and concentration after the intervention, while SST did not. Conclusions: This before-after study revealed that a relatively short course of a computer-assisted cognitive remediation can be applied to improve several aspects of cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia. A randomized controlled trial is required to establish the effectiveness of the intervention.