Recent studies have shown that polygenic risk for SCZ influences working memory in both individuals with23 and without SCZ24, with trend level evidence of the relation of SCZ PRS with functional connectivity of fronto-parietal network supporting numerical working memory in healthy young adults24. Poorer performance and slower processing speed on various cognitive tasks have also been observed among individuals with SCZ65. A recent study found that microstructural abnormalities in the callosal white matter fibers connecting bilateral temporal lobe cortices contribute to poor neuropsychological performance and severe negative symptom in patients with schizophrenia66. Taken together, there is strong evidence that these cognitive deficits are involved in risk for SCZ. Fortunately, promising clinical trials of working memory and processing speed training for individuals with SCZ are underway67. However, further research is needed to understand if genetic risk influences early neural developmental factors to give rise to cognitive deficits, that may increase risk for SCZ.
