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Introduction: Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) is used to improve cognitive functioning in patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSDs). Most of the previous studies had incorporated a long rehabilitation program. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a short and easy to implement computer-based CRT on cognitive performance in patients with SSDs using a randomized controlled trial design., Methods: Sixty-Two patients with SSDs were enrolled in Roozbeh Hospital (Tehran City, Iran); they were randomized to either receive a CRT program added to the standard pharmacological treatment (n=31) or the standard treatment alone (n=31). The remediation consisted of 10 sessions of CRT provided 2-3 times a week applying the Cogpack software. The cognitive performance was assessed in attention, memory, and executive functions before and after the intervention using the respective tests of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB)., Results: This study did not demonstrate any significant improvement in attention and executive function between the experimental and control group. However, we observed modest improvements in some aspects of visual memory (first trial memory score, F=9.152, P<0.001, Cohen's d=0.40; mean errors to success, F=6.991, P=0.011, Cohen's d=0.14; stages completed on the first trial, F=7.155, P=0. 010, Cohen's d=0.71; total errors, F=5.730, P=0.020, Cohen's d=0.53)., Conclusion: We observed only modest improvements in the patients' cognitive functioning after a short course of CRT. The short duration of the training and lack of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan may explain the obtained findings., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright© 2021 Iranian Neuroscience Society.)

Introduction: Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have some impairment in emotional relationship which can be due to problems in emotional processing. The present study investigated neural correlates of early stages of emotional face processing in this group compared with typically developing children using the Gamma Band Activity (GBA)., Methods: A total of 19 children diagnosed with ADHD (Combined type) based on DSM-IV classification were compared with 19 typically developing children matched on age, gender, and IQ. The participants performed an emotional face recognition while their brain activities were recorded using an event-related oscillation procedure., Results: The results indicated that ADHD children compared to normal group showed a significant reduction in the gamma band activity, which is thought to reflect early perceptual emotion discrimination for happy and angry emotions (P<0.05)., Conclusion: The present study supports the notion that individuals with ADHD have some impairments in early stage of emotion processing which can cause their misinterpretation of emotional faces., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest All authors certify that this manuscript has neither been published in whole nor in part nor being considered for publication elsewhere. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.