Insight and metacognition in neuropsychiatric disorders
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cognitive and neural correlates of insight and metacognition in first episode psychosis and early-stage dementia or mild cognitive impairment, and their relationship with mood
IRAS ID
114032
Contact name
Emma Palmer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Institute of Psychiatry, R&D Office
Research summary
A common symptom in dementia and psychosis patients is an absence of patient awareness of their illness, also known as ‘lack of insight’. Poor awareness can have serious implications for a patient’s treatment and recovery as they will often refuse medication; this can also lead to greater patient distress and increased burden for caregivers and relatives. Recent research has suggested that the degree of insight a patient possesses could be related to or mediated by metacognition, the ability to ‘think about thinking’. Mood has been implicated as a mediator of awareness in both illnesses, where lower mood is related to improved awareness, and so patients with depression will also be included. This study aims to investigate the link between cognitive insight and metacognition and if these are mediated by mood, in healthy control participants, depressed patients, first episode psychosis patients and early stage dementia patients. Clinical, self-report, cognitive and neuropsychological measures will be used to investigate this link.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/0661
Date of REC Opinion
18 Jun 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion