The role of genetics in cognitive remediation in schizophrenia: A systematic review

The role of genetics in cognitive remediation therapies in schizophrenia has not been completely understood yet. Different genes involved in neurotrophic, dopaminergic and serotonin systems have reported to influence cognitive functioning in schizophrenia. These genetic factors could also be contributing to the variability in responsiveness to cognitive treatments. No comprehensive synthesis of the literature of the role of genetics in the context of cognitive remediation has been conducted until now. We aimed to systematically review the published works through three electronic database searches: PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. Eligible studies revealed a rising interest in the field although the number of published studies was rather small (n = 10). Eventually, promising results showing a relationship between some phenotypic variations based on different polymorphisms and different levels of responsivity to cognitive remediation therapies have been described although results are still inconclusive. In case those findings will be replicated, they could be guiding future research and informing clinical decision-making in the next future.