Cognitive impairments in first-episode psychosis patients with attenuated niacin response

MingLiang Ju; Bin Long; YanYan Wei; XiaoChen Tang; LiHua Xu; RanPiao Gan; HuiRu Cui; YingYing Tang; ZhengHui Yi; HaiChun Liu; ZiXuan Wang; Tao Chen; Jin Gao; Qiang Hu; LingYun Zeng; ChunBo Li; JiJun Wang; HuanZhong Liu; TianHong Zhang

Schizophrenia Research: Cognition (Jun 2025)

Cognitive impairments in first-episode psychosis patients with attenuated niacin response

MingLiang Ju,
Bin Long,
YanYan Wei,
XiaoChen Tang,
LiHua Xu,
RanPiao Gan,
HuiRu Cui,
YingYing Tang,
ZhengHui Yi,
HaiChun Liu,
ZiXuan Wang,
Tao Chen,
Jin Gao,
Qiang Hu,
LingYun Zeng,
ChunBo Li,
JiJun Wang,
HuanZhong Liu,
TianHong Zhang

Affiliations

MingLiang Ju: Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 238000, China; Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China
Bin Long: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China
YanYan Wei: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China
XiaoChen Tang: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China
LiHua Xu: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China
RanPiao Gan: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China
HuiRu Cui: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China
YingYing Tang: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China
ZhengHui Yi: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China
HaiChun Liu: Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
ZiXuan Wang: Shanghai Xinlianxin Psychological Counseling Center, Shanghai, China
Tao Chen: Big Data Research Lab, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
Jin Gao: Department of Clinical Psychology, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
Qiang Hu: Department of Psychiatry, ZhenJiang Mental Health Center, Zhenjiang, China
LingYun Zeng: Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, ShenZhen, GuangDong, China
ChunBo Li: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China
JiJun Wang: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China; Department of Psychiatry, Nantong Fourth People's Hospital & Nantong Brain Hospital, Suzhou 226000, China; Correspondence to: J.J. Wang, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, PR China.
HuanZhong Liu: Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 238000, China; Correspondence to: H.Z. Liu, Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 238000, China.
TianHong Zhang: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai 200030, China; Correspondence to: T.H. Zhang, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 600 Wanping Nan Road, Shanghai 200030, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 40
p. 100346

Abstract

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Background: Psychosis is a complex brain disorder with diverse biological subtypes influenced by various pathogenic mechanisms, which can affect treatment efficacy. The ANR(Attenuated Niacin Response) subtype is characterized by pronounced negative symptoms and functional impairments, suggesting a distinct clinical profile. However, research on the cognitive characteristics associated with the ANR subtype in drug-naïve first-episode psychosis(FEP) patients remains limited. Methods: This observational study involved 54 FEP patients and 52 healthy controls(HC). Clinical psychopathology was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS), while cognitive performance was evaluated through the Chinese version of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery(MCCB). Additionally, niacin response was measured using aqueous methylnicotinate patches, with responses quantified to classify participants into ANR or normal niacin response (NNR) groups. Results: Among the FEP patients, 25.9 % were classified as having ANR, significantly higher than the 7.7 % in the HC group (χ2 = 6.247, p = 0.012). The ANR group exhibited more severe negative symptoms and higher total PANSS scores compared to the NNR group, with significant differences in cognitive performance on the Trail Making test and the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised. Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive relationship between overall symptom severity and niacin response, as well as between cognitive performance and niacin response, particularly for the Trail Making and Symbol coding tests. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the ANR subtype in first-episode psychosis is linked to more severe negative symptoms and cognitive impairments. Targeted assessments and interventions for patients with ANR may improve treatment outcomes and enhance understanding of cognitive dysfunction in psychotic disorders.

Published in Schizophrenia Research: Cognition

ISSN: 2215-0013 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry: Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/schizophrenia-research-cognition/

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