Pharmacological Treatment for Social Cognition: Current Evidence

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2021 Jul 24

PMID 34299076

Citations 3

Authors

Cecilia Riccardi

Cristiana Montemagni

Elisa Del Favero

Silvio Bellino

Claudio Brasso

Paola Rocca

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Cognitive impairment is currently considered a core feature of schizophrenia (SZ) and is gaining attention as a fundamental therapeutic target. Standard treatment for SZ involves the use of antipsychotics that are successfully used to control positive symptoms and disorganized behaviour. However, it is still unclear whether they are effective on social cognition (SC) impairment. Furthermore, different medications are currently being studied to improve SC in patients with SZ. A literature search on this topic was conducted using the PubMed database. All kinds of publications (i.e., reviews, original contributions and case reports) written in English and published in the last 15 years were included. The aim of our literature review is to draw a picture of the current state of the pharmacological treatment of SC impairment in SZ.

Citing Articles

Relationship between cognitive impairments and psychopathological symptoms in female schizophrenia subsequent to 8 weeks treatment with antipsychotic drugs.

Gao S, Xu Q, Han Y, Jiang J, Wu F, Peng T BMC Psychiatry. 2025; 25(1):211.

PMID: 40055632 PMC: 11889899. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-025-06605-w.

International perspective on social cognition in schizophrenia: current stage and the next steps.

Corbera S, Kurtz M, Achim A, Agostoni G, Amado I, Assaf M Eur Psychiatry. 2025; 68(1):e9.

PMID: 39812093 PMC: 11795453. DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2024.1776.

Increased functional connectivity between brain regions involved in social cognition, emotion and affective-value in psychedelic states induced by N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT).

Soares C, Lima G, Pais M, Teixeira M, Cabral C, Castelo-Branco M Front Pharmacol. 2024; 15:1454628.

PMID: 39539622 PMC: 11558042. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1454628.

Validation of behavioral measures of social cognition in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Rahamim N, Gilad R, Linkovski O, Bergman H, Avirame K, Foul Y Front Psychol. 2024; 15:1443145.

PMID: 39319067 PMC: 11420990. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1443145.

Effects of NMDA-receptor blockade by ketamine on mentalizing and its neural correlates in humans: a randomized control trial.

Wasserthal S, Lehmann M, Neumann C, Delis A, Philipsen A, Hurlemann R Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1):17184.

PMID: 37821513 PMC: 10567921. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44443-6.

References

Penn D, Ritchie M, Francis J, Combs D, Martin J . Social perception in schizophrenia: the role of context. Psychiatry Res. 2002; 109(2):149-59. DOI: 10.1016/s0165-1781(02)00004-5. View

Landry M, Levesque D, Di Paolo T . Estrogenic properties of raloxifene, but not tamoxifen, on D2 and D3 dopamine receptors in the rat forebrain. Neuroendocrinology. 2002; 76(4):214-22. DOI: 10.1159/000065951. View

Green M . Cognitive impairment and functional outcome in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. J Clin Psychiatry. 2006; 67(10):e12. View

Pinkham A, Harvey P, Penn D . Social Cognition Psychometric Evaluation: Results of the Final Validation Study. Schizophr Bull. 2017; 44(4):737-748. PMC: 6007629. DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbx117. View

Weickert T, Weinberg D, Lenroot R, Catts S, Wells R, Vercammen A . Adjunctive raloxifene treatment improves attention and memory in men and women with schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry. 2015; 20(6):685-94. PMC: 4444978. DOI: 10.1038/mp.2015.11. View

Cochran D, Fallon D, Hill M, Frazier J . The role of oxytocin in psychiatric disorders: a review of biological and therapeutic research findings. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2014; 21(5):219-47. PMC: 4120070. DOI: 10.1097/HRP.0b013e3182a75b7d. View

Calsolaro V, Femminella G, Rogani S, Esposito S, Franchi R, Okoye C . Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Dementia (BPSD) and the Use of Antipsychotics. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2021; 14(3). PMC: 8002184. DOI: 10.3390/ph14030246. View

Lancaster K, Carter C, Pournajafi-Nazarloo H, Karaoli T, Lillard T, Jack A . Plasma oxytocin explains individual differences in neural substrates of social perception. Front Hum Neurosci. 2015; 9:132. PMC: 4362216. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00132. View

Dadds M, Moul C, Cauchi A, Dobson-Stone C, Hawes D, Brennan J . Methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene and oxytocin blood levels in the development of psychopathy. Dev Psychopathol. 2013; 26(1):33-40. DOI: 10.1017/S0954579413000497. View

10.

Shilling P, Feifel D . Potential of Oxytocin in the Treatment of Schizophrenia. CNS Drugs. 2016; 30(3):193-208. PMC: 5458113. DOI: 10.1007/s40263-016-0315-x. View

11.

Guastella A, Ward P, Hickie I, Shahrestani S, Hodge M, Scott E . A single dose of oxytocin nasal spray improves higher-order social cognition in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res. 2015; 168(3):628-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.06.005. View

12.

Brune M . "Theory of mind" in schizophrenia: a review of the literature. Schizophr Bull. 2005; 31(1):21-42. DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbi002. View

13.

Busnelli M, Chini B . Molecular Basis of Oxytocin Receptor Signalling in the Brain: What We Know and What We Need to Know. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2017; 35:3-29. DOI: 10.1007/7854_2017_6. View

14.

Bell M, Fiszdon J, Greig T, Wexler B . Social attribution test--multiple choice (SAT-MC) in schizophrenia: comparison with community sample and relationship to neurocognitive, social cognitive and symptom measures. Schizophr Res. 2010; 122(1-3):164-71. PMC: 2908733. DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2010.03.024. View

15.

Kronbichler L, Tschernegg M, Martin A, Schurz M, Kronbichler M . Abnormal Brain Activation During Theory of Mind Tasks in Schizophrenia: A Meta-Analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2017; 43(6):1240-1250. PMC: 5737081. DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbx073. View

16.

Hogarty G, Flesher S, Ulrich R, Carter M, Greenwald D, Pogue-Geile M . Cognitive enhancement therapy for schizophrenia: effects of a 2-year randomized trial on cognition and behavior. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004; 61(9):866-76. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.61.9.866. View

17.

Bellack A, Sayers M, Mueser K, Bennett M . Evaluation of social problem solving in schizophrenia. J Abnorm Psychol. 1994; 103(2):371-8. DOI: 10.1037//0021-843x.103.2.371. View

18.

Schurz M, Radua J, Tholen M, Maliske L, Margulies D, Mars R . Toward a hierarchical model of social cognition: A neuroimaging meta-analysis and integrative review of empathy and theory of mind. Psychol Bull. 2020; 147(3):293-327. DOI: 10.1037/bul0000303. View

19.

Hogarty G, Flesher S . Developmental theory for a cognitive enhancement therapy of schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull. 2000; 25(4):677-92. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.schbul.a033410. View

20.

Dumais K, Bredewold R, Mayer T, Veenema A . Sex differences in oxytocin receptor binding in forebrain regions: correlations with social interest in brain region- and sex- specific ways. Horm Behav. 2013; 64(4):693-701. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.08.012. View