Processing Speed as a Core Endophenotype: New Evidence from a 115-Study Meta-Analysis in Schizophrenia

MedXY Editorial Team•Dec 23, 2025•news

A massive meta-analysis of 115 studies involving 10,114 individuals with schizophrenia confirms a profound impairment in processing speed, with a Hedges g effect size of -1.52.
While symbol coding tests are among the most sensitive markers, the impairment is not uniquely isolated, as 15 other cognitive tests showed comparable levels of deficit.
Key moderators of processing speed performance include age, IQ, sex, inpatient status, and specific diagnostic subtypes (schizoaffective and schizophreniform).
Findings suggest that processing speed deficits are a central hub for global cognitive impairment, likely rooted in disrupted brain connectivity.

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A massive meta-analysis of 115 studies involving 10,114 individuals with schizophrenia confirms a profound impairment in processing speed, with a Hedges g effect size of -1.52.
While symbol coding tests are among the most sensitive markers, the impairment is not uniquely isolated, as 15 other cognitive tests showed comparable levels of deficit.
Key moderators of processing speed performance include age, IQ, sex, inpatient status, and specific diagnostic subtypes (schizoaffective and schizophreniform).
Findings suggest that processing speed deficits are a central hub for global cognitive impairment, likely rooted in disrupted brain connectivity.