Neurocognitive Development in Adolescent Offspring at Familial High Risk of Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder and a Population-Based Control Group

The authors aimed to investigate neurocognitive development in adolescents at familial high risk for schizophrenia (FHR-SZ) and bipolar disorder (FHR-BP) compared to a population-based control group (PBC) at ages 7, 11, and 15. They found that offspring at FHR-SZ exhibited significant developmental delays in processing speed and deficits across various cognitive domains by age 15, while those at FHR-BP showed mostly normative development with minor deficits in semantic verbal fluency. These findings suggest that distinct neurocognitive trajectories could serve as potential predictors for the onset of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.