Rapid instruction-based task learning (RITL) in schizophrenia.

Abstract

Individuals with schizophrenia demonstrate broad impairments in neurocognitive functioning as measured through laboratory-based tasks. Neuropsychological measures depend on rapid instruction-based task learning (RITL), the ability to rapidly translate task instruction into goal-directed behavior. Here, the authors present the first known investigation of RITL in schizophrenia and aim to test whether RITL deficits exist in schizophrenia, are associated with abnormal brain activation, and contribute to the generalized cognitive deficit. Twenty-nine schizophrenia participants and 31 healthy controls completed a previously established RITL task while in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner and completed a brief assessment of general cognition outside the scanner. Patients were significantly impaired in RITL accuracy and reaction time (RT). Compared to controls, patients had reduced activation of the caudate and left inferior frontal junction (LIFJ) while viewing task instructions, and across all subjects, lower activation in these regions was associated with worse RITL performance. During practice trials, activation in the anterior insula, LIFJ, and middle frontal gyrus also related to performance. RITL ability was robustly associated with general cognitive ability, explained a significant proportion of the variance in the generalized cognitive deficit, and was associated with LIFJ activity during RITL instructions. These results indicate that the ability to rapidly learn task instructions is impaired in schizophrenia and associated with abnormal activation of the caudate and LIFJ. Abnormalities in RITL represent a critical cognitive facet for understanding the broad profile of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. (PsycINFO Database Record

Cognitive Deficits in Psychotic Disorders: A Lifespan Perspective

“…M. Silverstein et al 2012), early task-dependent processes have recently been shown to be impaired in schizophrenia. More specifically, rapid instructed task learning (RITL), the ability to rapidly transfer task instruction into goal-directed behavior, is reduced in schizophrenia, suggesting impaired learning processes (Sheffield et al 2018). Again, this overview is sparse compared to the impressive literature on cognitive impairment in chronic schizophrenia, but provides insight into the rich application of cognitive neuroscience research to understanding the generalized cognitive deficit across the life course of schizophrenia patients.…”

Neural representation of newly instructed rule identities during early implementation trials

“…Tracking these fine-grained representational dynamics is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the rapid neural re-organization processes that are taking place during early implementation trials right after first-time task instruction. Such rapid neural re-organization processes have been evidenced in terms of both mean activity dynamics (Cole et al, 2010; Hartstra et al, 2011; Ruge and Wolfensteller, 2010; Sheffield et al, 2018) and connectivity dynamics (Hampshire et al, 2019; Mohr et al, 2016; Mohr et al, 2018; Ruge and Wolfensteller, 2013). Specifically, conventional univariate analysis of mean activity has shown that lateral PFC engagement was maximal during the first-time implementation, followed by a rapid decline across the first few implementation trials (Hampshire et al, 2019; Hartstra et al, 2011; Ruge and Wolfensteller, 2010).…”

Initial neural representation of individual rules after first-time instruction

“…Tracking these fine-grained representational dynamics is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the rapid neural re-organization processes that are taking place right after first-time task instruction. Such rapid neural re-organization processes have been evidenced in terms of both mean activity dynamics [16][17][18][19] and connectivity dynamics [20][21][22][23] . Specifically, conventional univariate analysis of mean activity has shown that lateral PFC engagement was maximal right after instruction, followed by a rapid decline across the first few implementation trials 16,17,23 .…”