A comparison of the CogState Schizophrenia Battery and the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) Battery in assessing cognitive impairment in chronic schizophrenia

Abstract

This study examined the criterion and construct validity of a brief computerized cognitive test battery (CogState Schizophrenia Battery) compared to a conventional cognitive test battery recommended by the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) consensus. The CogState and MATRICS batteries yielded comparable effect sizes in comparing patients with schizophrenia to healthy controls (Cohen's ds = -1.50 for both batteries). Moderate to large correlations were observed between CogState and MATRICS measures of processing speed, attention/vigilance, working memory, verbal and visual learning, reasoning/problem solving, and social cognition (rs = .56-.79). CogState and MATRICS composite scores also correlated strongly with scores on the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) Performance-Based Skills Assessment (UPSA; rs = .76 and .79, respectively) in patients with schizophrenia. Results of this study suggest that the CogState Schizophrenia Battery provides valid measurement of the cognitive domains nominated by the MATRICS consensus group as being important to consider in the context of pharmacological treatments for cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.

Calibration and cross-validation of MCCB and CogState in schizophrenia

“…playing cards) and the avoidance of language-based tasks minimise problems of culture and experience with testing that can impact performance (Cairney and Maruff 2007). Pietrzak et al (2009) initial examination of the validity of CogState's SB compared to the MCCB suggested that the SB and the MCCB yield comparable effect sizes when comparing patients with schizophrenia to controls (−1.50<Cohens d< −0.20). Furthermore, moderate to large correlations were observed between the analogous SB tasks and the MCCB on the seven domains of cognition assessed (all 0.55<r<0.77).…”

Methodological improvements in quantifying cognitive change in clinical trials: An example with single-dose administration of donepezil

“…Results of these studies suggest that the GMLT provides a sensitive measure of central nervous system (CNS) drug penetration and activity of a cognitiveenhancing agent in healthy older adults and individuals with mild AD. In addition to the GMLT, several other cognitive measures with psychometric properties that make them suitable for repeated administration have also been developed to assess cognitive functions such as psychomotor speed, attention/vigilance, verbal and visual memory, working memory, and social cognition (12,(30)(31)(32). These tests and methods can easily be extended to phase II and III trials, in which the absence of a practice effect in the placebo condition is critical to detecting the presence or absence of treatmentrelated cognitive change.…”

The Comparative Effects of Risperidone Long-Acting Injection and Paliperidone Palmitate on Social Functioning in Schizophrenia: A 6-Month, Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

“…The SECT is a domain of the CogState, which is a computerized cognitive battery. It consists of 8 tasks related to verbal learning, speed of processing, attention/vigilance, visual memory, spatial working memory, reasoning and problem solving, and social cognition [26,27]. The SECT is a social cognition task where 4 human facial pictures are presented, one of which is different from the others in terms of the facial expression.…”

“…These were assessed using the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Performance-Based Skills Assessment-Brief (UPSA-B) for functional capacity [24,25] and the Social Emotional Cognition Task (SECT) for emotional cognition [26,27]. …”