Cognitive therapy improved selected test outcomes in schizophrenia
A randomized trial favored cognitive rehabilitation on some thinking measures, but found no significant group differences in symptoms or daily functioning.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Integrated Neurocognitive Therapy performed better than usual care on executive function and overall cognition, and better than physical exercise on executive function and social cognition. The groups did not differ significantly in symptom severity or everyday functioning. The findings support selected cognitive test benefits without demonstrating broader improvements in patients' lives.
The abstract gives no effect sizes or confidence intervals, so the size and practical importance of the cognitive differences cannot be assessed.
What researchers found
Executive function and overall cognitive performance
Compared with usual care after 15 weeks, cognitive therapy performed better in post-hoc analyses; the abstract provides no effect sizes.
What the trial compared
Researchers compared a cognitive rehabilitation program, physical exercise and usual treatment. Assessments before and after the treatment period covered thinking performance, symptom severity and psychosocial functioning, allowing these outcomes to be considered separately.
Exercise findings remain uncertain
The exercise intervention did not yield statistically significant effects in this study. That does not prove exercise has no benefit; it means this trial did not establish an effect on the measured outcomes.
The original publication
Effectiveness of Integrated Neurocognitive Therapy compared to Physical Exercise and Treatment As Usual in schizophrenia: Results from a multi-center randomized controlled study.
Deste G, Barlati S, Nibbio G et al.
Schizophr Res · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41371060
- Record checked
AI-assisted research and writing. This explains one selected publication; it is not a complete review of everything known. Our approach.
One more question, understood.
Keep track of the research you’ve explored.