How much does cognitive remediation therapy for schizophrenia contribute to neuralplasticity?

The aim of the present study was to examine the effectiveness and applicability of compensatory cognitive training (CCT) in Japanese patients with schizophrenia. CCT is a manualized, group-based training that coaches compensatory strategies in four cognitive domains (prospective memory, attention, verbal memory, and executive functions). Cognitive, functional, and clinical symptom measures were implemented at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Our study suggests that CCT has beneficial effects on cognitive performance, improving functional outcomes in Japanese patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, it was suggested that improvement of cognitive function by CTT may be related to neural plasticity based on brain function and biological indicators such as BDNF.