Cognitive remediation in severe mental illness.

Cognitive enhancement has received substantial recent attention because of multiple recent successes. We review the current research literature on cognitive enhancement, focusing on new developments that separate previous less successful efforts from recent successes. These innovations include increased understanding of the dosing and spacing of sessions, the need for titration of difficulty of individual sessions, and the importance of concurrent interventions. We also review the domains of functioning shown to be improved by cognitive remediation and the possibility that some biomarkers improve as well. We close by noting that current societal factors may impose limitations on the benefits accrued from cognitive remediation and also note that some pharmacological treatments, such as anticholinergic medications, may reduce or eliminate the potential benefits from cognitive remediation.