Self-reported sleep disturbances associated with procedural learning impairment in adolescents at ultra-high risk for psychosis

Sleep disturbance contributes to impaired procedural learning in schizophrenia, yet little is known about this relationship prior to psychosis onset. Adolescents at ultra high-risk (UHR; N = 62) for psychosis completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and a procedural learning task (Pursuit Rotor). Increased self-reported problems with sleep latency, efficiency, and quality were associated with impaired procedural learning rate. Further, within-sample comparisons revealed that UHR youth reporting better sleep displayed a steeper learning curve than those with poorer sleep. Sleep disturbances appear to contribute to cognitive/motor deficits in the UHR period and may play a role in psychosis etiology.