Abstract

The treatment of cognitive dysfunctions has been posited to be critical in the treatment of the different psychotic syndromes, owing to they are strongly associated with high levels of social and functional disability and they are the key factor that contributes to such disability. Cognitive remediation is a psychological intervention aimed at treating the cognitive dysfunctions associated with psychotic disorders. A large body of literature in chronic psychotic disorders suggests that cognitive remediation is a most valuable treatment for people with schizophrenia, proven to be effective in ameliorating cognitive performance and psychosocial functioning. The effects of treatment on global cognition appear to be long-lasting in the periods studied, between six months and two years. Furthermore, recent studies have suggested that cognitive remediation has an impact on brain functioning. Significant improvements in neuroactivation patterns and neuroconnectivity have been described although underlying neurobiological mechanisms of cognitive recovery are not completely understood yet. Moreover, some new data suggest how cognitive remediation could be interacting with some neurotrophic factors like BDNF at epigenetic level.