This is a type of highly-specialized therapy, but it appears to work

Feb 23, 2012 23:01 GMT  ·  By
Specific type of computerized cognitive training can lead to an improvement in schizophrenia patients
   Specific type of computerized cognitive training can lead to an improvement in schizophrenia patients

Researchers have recently proposed a new potential way to go about addressing at least some of the symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Putting sufferers through a specific type of computerized cognitive training can lead to significant improvements in their condition.

In a series of experiments, conducted in the form of intensive, 16-week-long sessions, researchers noticed that patients who were asked to undergo this form of training displayed marked neural and behavioral improvements, PsychCentral reports.

“Although there are drugs that reduce the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia, current medications do not improve cognitive deficits,” study team member Dr. Sophia Vinogradov explains.

What this unconventional approach does is enhance both the behavior and brain activation patterns of the brain. This apparently has positive effects in schizophrenia patients.