Original article 1 Journal of Psychopathology 2015;21:1-12 Summary Objectives There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that barriers to functional recovery are associated with a host of neurocogni- tive impairments in both the early and later course of schizo- phrenia. Given the significant influence of cognitive functions on daily functioning, several cognitive training approaches have been developed to improve cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Increasing amounts of data suggest that cognitive remediation leads to improvements not only in cognition, but also in func- tional outcomes of schizophrenia. Some researchers speculate that deficits in cognition are more amenable to remediation during earlier phases of the illness, rather than when chronicity has developed. Despite the widely cited benefits of cognitive remediation in long-term course patients, fewer studies have examined the extent to which cognitive remediation has practi- cal implications in the early stages of schizophrenia. The aim of this paper is to review the available literature on cognitive remediation in the prodromal phase and the early course of schizophrenia. Methods This review summarizes findings of cognitive changes induced in the early course and the prodromal phases of schizophre- nia by different cognitive remediation approaches. Electronic searches were performed in the PubMed database, and all the studies published until January 2013 have been taken in ac- count. Controlled studies of cognitive training are discussed in more detail. Results Few studies on the effects of cognitive training programs have been conducted in first episode or in early schizophrenia, and only three studies have been conducted in the prodromal phase of the disease or in subjects at risk for psychosis. The studies available support the usefulness of cognitive remediation when applied in the early course of schizophrenia and in subjects at risk for the disease. Conclusions Although preliminary positive results have been achieved, more empirical research is needed to confirm the efficacy of cogni- tive remediation in the early course of schizophrenia, and future studies should address the issue of the usefulness of cognitive remediation in the prodromal phases of schizophrenia or in sub- jects at risk for psychosis. Key words Schizophrenia • Cognitive remediation • First episode psychosis • Early intervention • At risk psychosis Correspondence Antonio Vita, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy • Tel. +39 030 2184856 • Fax +39 030 2184871 • E-mail: vita@med.unibs.it Non-pharmacological interventions in early schizophrenia: focus on cognitive remediation Interventi non farmacologici nelle fasi precoci della schizofrenia: focus sul rimedio cognitivo S. Barlati 1 , L. De Peri 2 , G. Deste 1 , A. Vita 2 1  Department of Mental Health, Spedali Civili Hospital, Brescia, Italy; 2  University of Brescia, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, Brescia, Italy Introduction Impairments in a wide range of cognitive abilities have been consistently reported in individuals with schizophre- nia  1 . Deficits in cognitive functioning, including those in psychomotor speed, attention, memory and executive functions, are thought to underlie the severe functional disability associated with the disease  2 3 . Subjects at risk for psychosis and in the prodromal phase of schizophre- nia have been shown to be already impaired in cogni- tive functions, especially in verbal executive and memory functions  4 . According to the diathesis-stress model, the cognitive deficits in the prodromal phase of schizophre- nia can also trigger illness 5 . Early course patients per- form 0.3 to 1.0 standard deviations better than long-term course patients on neurocognitive abilities  6 . Declines in neurocognition are observed in the first 10 to 12 years of schizophrenia despite good clinical outcomes  7 . The consolidation of cognitive functions enables patients with schizophrenia to better cope with stressful life and environmental events usually determining higher risks of relapses  8 . Taken together, these findings underline the importance of targeting neurocognitive impairments early in the course of illness to decrease the severity of