Abstract
Through a series of NIMH-supported consensus-building meetings of experts and empirical comparisons of candidate tests, the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) initiative developed a battery of standardized cognitive measures to allow reliable evaluation of results from clinical trials of promising interventions for core cognitive deficits in this disorder. Ten tests in seven cognitive domains were selected for the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). The MCCB has now been translated into 39 languages/dialects and has been employed in more than 145 clinical trials. It has become the standard cognitive change measure for studies of both pharmacological and training-based interventions seeking to improve cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. We summarize its applications and its relationship to the subsequent development of the NIMH RDoC Matrix.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Barch DM, Carter CS, Arnsten A, Buchanan RW, Cohen JD, Geyer M, Green MF, Krystal JH, Nuechterlein K, Robbins T, Silverstein S, Smith EE, Strauss M, Wykes T, Heinssen R (2009) Selecting paradigms from cognitive neuroscience for translation into use in clinical trials: proceedings of the third CNTRICS meeting. Schizophr Bull 35(1):109–114
Bell M, Bryson G, Greig T, Corcoran C, Wexler BE (2001) Neurocognitive enhancement therapy with work therapy: effects on neuropsychological test performance. Arch Gen Psychiatry 58:763–768
Bezdicek O, Michalec J, Kalisova L, Kufa T, Dechterenko F, Chlebovcova M, Havlik F, Green MF, Nuechterlein KH (2020) Profile of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and factor structure of the Czech MATRICS consensus cognitive battery. Schizophr Res 218:85–92
Buchanan RW, Davis M, Goff D, Green MF, Keefe RS, Leon AC, Nuechterlein KH, Laughren T, Levin R, Stover E, Fenton W, Marder SR (2005) A summary of the FDA-NIMH-MATRICS workshop on clinical trial design for neurocognitive drugs for schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 31:5–19
Buchanan RW, Keefe RS, Umbricht D, Green MF, Laughren T, Marder SR (2011) The FDA-NIMH-MATRICS guidelines for clinical trial design of cognitive-enhancing drugs: what do we know 5 years later? Schizophr Bull 37:1209–1217
Burton CZ, Vella L, Harvey PD, Patterson TL, Heaton RK, Twamley EW (2013) Factor structure of the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery (MCCB) in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 146:244–248
Carter CS, Barch DM, Buchanan RW, Bullmore E, Krystal JH, Cohen J, Geyer M, Green M, Nuechterlein KH, Robbins T, Silverstein S, Smith EE, Strauss M, Wykes T, Heinssen R (2008) Identifying cognitive mechanisms targeted for treatment development in schizophrenia: an overview of the first meeting of the cognitive neuroscience treatment research to improve cognition in schizophrenia initiative. Biol Psychiatry 64(1):4–10
Davis MC, Green MF, Lee J, Horan WP, Senturk D, Clarke AD, Marder SR (2014) Oxytocin-augmented social cognitive skills training in schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 39:2070–2077
Fett AKJ, Viechtbauer W, Dominguez MG, Penn DL, Van Os J, Krabbendam L (2011) The relationship between neurocognition and social cognition with functional outcomes in schizophrenia: a meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 35:573–588
Fisher M, Holland C, Merzenich MM, Vinogradov S (2009) Using neuroplasticity-based auditory training to improve verbal memory in schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatr 166:805–811
Fisher M, Loewy R, Carter C, Lee A, Ragland JD, Niendam T, Schlosser D, Pham L, Miskovich T, Vinogradov S (2015) Neuroplasticity-based auditory training via laptop computer improves cognition in young individuals with recent onset schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 41:250–258
Fitch K, Bernstein SJ, Aguilar MD, Burnand B, Lacalle JR, Lazaro P, Van Het Loo M, McDonnell J, Vader JP, Kahan JP (2001) The RAND/UCLA appropriateness method user’s manual. RAND, Santa Monica
Fonseca AO, Berberian AA, De Meneses-Gaya C, Gadelha A, Vicente MO, Nuechterlein KH, Bressan RA, Lacerda ALT (2017) The Brazilian standardization of the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery (MCCB): psychometric study. Schizophr Res 185:148–153
Geyer MA, Heinssen R (2005) New approaches to measurement and treatment research to improve cognition in schizophrenia (MATRICS). Schizophr Bull 4:806–809
Geyer MA, Tamminga CA (2004) Measurement and treatment research to improve cognition in schizophrenia: Neuropharmacological aspects. Psychopharmacology 174:1–2
Green MF (1996) What are the functional consequences of neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia? Am J Psychiatry 153:321–330
Green MF, Nuechterlein KH (1999) Should schizophrenia be treated as a neurocognitive disorder? Schizophr Bull 25:309–319
Green MF, Kern RS, Braff DL, Mintz J (2000) Neurocognitive deficits and functional outcome in schizophrenia: are we measuring the "right stuff"? Schizophr Bull 26:119–136
Green MF, Nuechterlein KH, Gold JM, Barch DM, Cohen J, Essock S, Fenton WS, Frese F, Goldberg TE, Heaton RK, Keefe RS, Kern RS, Kraemer H, Stover E, Weinberger DR, Zalcman S, Marder SR (2004) Approaching a consensus cognitive battery for clinical trials in schizophrenia: the NIMH-MATRICS conference to select cognitive domains and test criteria. Biol Psychiatry 56:301–307
Green MF, Nuechterlein KH, Kern RS, Baade LE, Fenton WS, Gold JM, Keefe RS, Mesholam-Gately R, Seidman LJ, Stover E, Marder SR (2008) Functional co-primary measures for clinical trials in schizophrenia: results from the MATRICS psychometric and standardization study. Am J Psychiatr 165:221–228
Green MF, Horan WP, Lee J (2019) Nonsocial and social cognition in schizophrenia: current evidence and future directions. World Psychiatry 18:146–161
Hambleton RK, Merenda PF, Spielberger CD (2005) Adapting educational and psychological tests for cross-cultural assessment. Lawrence Erlbaum
Hellemann GS, Green MF, Kern RS, Sitarenios G, Nuechterlein KH (2017) Developing an international scoring system for a consensus-based social cognition measure: MSCEIT-managing emotions. Psychol Med 47:2494–2501
Holmen TL, Engh JA, Andersen E, Andreassen OA, Martinsen EW, Bigseth TT, Bang-Kittilsen G, Egeland J (2019) Cardio-respiratory fitness is associated with a verbal factor across cognitive domains in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 206:157–162
Horan WP, Catalano L, Green MF (in press) An update on treatment of cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia. In: Barch D, Young JW (eds) Current topics in behavioral neurosciences, cognitive functioning in schizophrenia: leveraging the RDoC framework
Hyman SE, Fenton WS (2003) What are the right targets for psychopharmacology? Science 299:350–351
Kantrowitz JT, Sharif Z, Medalia A, Keefe RS, Harvey P, Bruder G, Barch DM, Choo T, Lee S, Lieberman JA (2016) A multicenter, rater-blinded, randomized controlled study of auditory processing-focused cognitive remediation combined with open-label lurasidone in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. J Clin Psychiatry 77:799–806
Keefe RSE (2019) Why are there no approved treatments for cognitive impairment in schizophrenia? World Psychiatry 18:167–168
Keefe RSE, Fox KH, Harvey PD, Cucchiaro J, Siu C, Loebel A (2011) Characteristics of the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery in a 29-site antipsychotic schizophrenia clinical trial. Schizophr Res 125:161–168
Kern RS, Green MF, Nuechterlein KH, Deng BH (2004) NIMH-MATRICS survey on assessment of neurocognition in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 72:11–19
Kern RS, Nuechterlein KH, Green MF, Baade LE, Fenton WS, Gold JM, Keefe RS, Mesholam-Gately R, Mintz J, Seidman LJ, Stover E, Marder SR (2008) The MATRICS consensus cognitive battery, part 2: co-norming and standardization. Am J Psychiatr 165:214–220
Kern RS, Gold JM, Dickinson D, Green MF, Nuechterlein KH, Baade LE, Keefe RS, Mesholam-Gately RI, Seidman LJ, Lee C, Sugar CA, Marder SR (2011) The MCCB impairment profile for schizophrenia outpatients: results from the MATRICS psychometric and standardization study. Schizophr Res 126:124–131
Kimhy D, Vakhrusheva J, Bartels MN, Armstrong HF, Ballon JS, Khan S, Chang RW, Hansen MC, Ayanruoh L, Lister A, Castren E, Smith EE, Sloan RP (2015) The impact of aerobic exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurocognition in individuals with schizophrenia: a single-blind, randomized clinical trial. Schizophr Bull 41:859–868
Kuo SS, Wojtalik JA, Mesholam-Gately RI, Keshavan MS, Eack SM (2020) Transdiagnostic validity of the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery across the autism-schizophrenia spectrum. Psychol Med 50:1623–1632
Lee J, Altshuler L, Glahn DC, Miklowitz DJ, Ochsner K, Green MF (2013) Social and nonsocial cognition in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia: relative levels of impairment. Am J Psychiatry 170:334–341
Lewandowski KE, Sperry SH, Cohen BM, Norris LA, Fitzmaurice GM, Ongur D, Keshavan MS (2017) Treatment to enhance cognition in bipolar disorder (TREC-BD): efficacy of a randomized controlled trial of cognitive remediation versus active control. J Clin Psychiatry 78:e1242–e1249
Lo SB, Szuhany KL, Kredlow MA, Wolfe R, Mueser KT, McGurk SR (2016) A confirmatory factor analysis of the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery in severe mental illness. Schizophr Res 175:79–84
Loewy R, Fisher M, Schlosser DA, Biagianti B, Stuart B, Mathalon DH, Vinogradov S (2016) Intensive auditory cognitive training improves verbal memory in adolescents and young adults at clinical high risk for psychosis. Schizophr Bull 42(Suppl 1):S118–S126
Loewy R, Fisher M, Ma S, Carter C, Ragland JD, Niendam TA, Stuart B, Schlosser D, Amirfathi F, Yohannes S, Vinogradov S (2022) Durable cognitive gains and symptom improvement are observed in individuals with recent-onset schizophrenia 6 months after a randomized trial of auditory training completed remotely. Schizophr Bull 48:262–272
Mahncke HW, Kim SJ, Rose A, Stasio C, Buckley P, Caroff S, Duncan E, Yasmin S, Jarskog LF, Lamberti JS, Nuechterlein K, Strassnig M, Velligan D, Ventura J, Walker T, Stroup TS, Keefe RSE (2019) Evaluation of a plasticity-based cognitive training program in schizophrenia: results from the eCaesar trial. Schizophr Res 208:182–189
Marder SR, Fenton WS (2004) Measurement and treatment research to improve cognition in schizophrenia: NIMH MATRICS initiative to support the development of agents for improving cognition in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 72:5–10
McCleery A, Ventura J, Kern RS, Subotnik KL, Gretchen-Doorly D, Green MF, Hellemann GS, Nuechterlein KH (2014) Cognitive functioning in first-episode schizophrenia: MATRICS consensus cognitive battery (MCCB) profile of impairment. Schizophr Res 157:33–39
McCleery A, Green MF, Hellemann GS, Baade LE, Gold JM, Keefe RS, Kern RS, Mesholam-Gately RI, Seidman LJ, Subotnik KL, Ventura J, Nuechterlein KH (2015) Latent structure of cognition in schizophrenia: a confirmatory factor analysis of the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery (MCCB). Psychol Med 45:2657–2666
Medalia A, Revheim N, Casey M (2000) Remediation of memory disorders in schizophrenia. Psychol Med 30:1451–1459
Medalia A, Revheim N, Casey M (2001) The remediation of problem-solving skills in schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 27:259–267
Mohn C, Lystad JU, Ueland T, Falkum E, Rund BR (2017) Factor analyzing the Norwegian MATRICS consensus cognitive battery. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 71:336–345
Mucci A, Galderisi S, Green MF, Nuechterlein K, Rucci P, Gibertoni D, Rossi A, Rocca P, Bertolino A, Bucci P, Hellemann G, Spisto M, Palumbo D, Aguglia E, Amodeo G, Amore M, Bellomo A, Brugnoli R, Carpiniello B, Dell'osso L, Di Fabio F, Di Giannantonio M, Di Lorenzo G, Marchesi C, Monteleone P, Montemagni C, Oldani L, Romano R, Roncone R, Stratta P, Tenconi E, Vita A, Zeppegno P, Maj M, Italian Network for Research On Psychosis (2018) Familial aggregation of MATRICS consensus cognitive battery scores in a large sample of outpatients with schizophrenia and their unaffected relatives. Psychol Med 48:1359–1366
Nuechterlein KH, Green MF (2006) MATRICS consensus cognitive battery. MATRICS Assessment, Inc.
Nuechterlein KH, Green MF (2016) MATRICS consensus cognitive battery manual, 3rd edn. MATRICS Assessment, Inc.
Nuechterlein KH, Barch DM, Gold JM, Goldberg TE, Green MF, Heaton RK (2004) Identification of separable cognitive factors in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 72:29–39
Nuechterlein KH, Green MF, Kern RS, Baade LE, Barch DM, Cohen JD, Essock S, Fenton WS, Frese FJ 3rd, Gold JM, Goldberg T, Heaton RK, Keefe RS, Kraemer H, Mesholam-Gately R, Seidman LJ, Stover E, Weinberger DR, Young AS, Zalcman S, Marder SR (2008) The MATRICS consensus cognitive battery, part 1: test selection, reliability, and validity. Am J Psychiatr 165:203–213
Nuechterlein KH, Ventura J, Subotnik KL, Gretchen-Doorly D, Turner LR, Casaus LR, Luo J, Boucher ML, Hayata JN, Bell MD, Medalia A (2020) A randomized controlled trial of cognitive remediation and long-acting injectable risperidone after a first episode of schizophrenia: improving cognition and work/school functioning. Psychol Med:1–10
Nuechterlein KH, McEwen SC, Ventura J, Subotnik KL, Turner LR, Boucher M, Casaus LR, Distler MD, Hayata JN (2022) Aerobic exercise enhances cognitive training effects in first episode schizophrenia: randomized clinical trial demonstrates cognitive and functional gains. Psychol Med:1–11
Rodriguez-Jimenez R, Dompablo M, Bagney A, Santabarbara J, Aparicio AI, Torio I, Moreno-Ortega M, Lopez-Anton R, Lobo A, Kern RS, Green MF, Jimenez-Arriero MA, Santos JL, Nuechterlein KH, Palomo T (2015) The MCCB impairment profile in a Spanish sample of patients with schizophrenia: effects of diagnosis, age, and gender on cognitive functioning. Schizophr Res 169:116–120
Rodriguez-Jimenez R, Santos JL, Dompablo M, Santabarbara J, Aparicio AI, Olmos R, Jimenez-Lopez E, Sanchez-Morla E, Lobo A, Palomo T, Kern RS, Green MF, Nuechterlein KH, Garcia-Fernandez L (2019) MCCB cognitive profile in Spanish first episode schizophrenia patients. Schizophr Res 211:88–92
Sinkeviciute I, Begemann M, Prikken M, Oranje B, Johnsen E, Lei WU, Hugdahl K, Kroken RA, Rau C, Jacobs JD, Mattaroccia S, Sommer IE (2018) Efficacy of different types of cognitive enhancers for patients with schizophrenia: a meta-analysis. NPJ Schizophr 4:22
Young AS, Forquer SL, Tran A, Starzynski M, Shatkin J (2000) Identifying clinical competencies that support rehabilitation and empowerment in individuals with severe mental illness. J Behav Health Serv Res 27:321–333
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Nuechterlein, K.H., Green, M.F., Kern, R.S. (2022). The MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery: An Update. In: Barch, D.M., Young, J.W. (eds) Cognitive Functioning in Schizophrenia: Leveraging the RDoC Framework. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 63. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2022_395
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2022_395
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-26440-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-26441-2
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)