Predicting work outcome in patients with schizophrenia: Influence of IQ decline
Patients with schizophrenia show various trajectories in intelligence. However, whether the degree of IQ decline is associated with functional outcomes remains unclear. The purposes of the study were 1) to determine whether IQ decline was related with work outcome, and 2) to perform predictions for attaining a certain amount of work measured by work hours. (Source: Schizophrenia Research)
Source: Schizophrenia Research - July 4, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Chika Sumiyoshi, Haruo Fujino, Hidenaga Yamamori, Noriko Kudo, Hirotsugu Azechi, Michiko Fujimoto, Yuka Yasuda, Kazutaka Ohi, Tomiki Sumiyoshi, Ryota Hashimoto Source Type: research
Is it possible for people with severe mental illness to sit less and move more? A systematic review of interventions to increase physical activity or reduce sedentary behaviour
Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) (schizophrenia-spectrum, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder) die 10 –20 years prematurely due to physical disorders such as cardiovascular disease. Physical activity (PA) is effective in preventing and managing these conditions in the general population, however individuals with SMI engage in substantially less PA and more sedentary behaviour (SB) compared to he althy counterparts. Furthermore, the effectiveness of intervening to increase PA or reduce SB in SMI populations is unknown. (Source: Schizophrenia Research)
Source: Schizophrenia Research - July 3, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Garcia Ashdown-Franks, Julie Williams, Davy Vancampfort, Joseph Firth, Felipe Schuch, Kathryn Hubbard, Tom Craig, Fiona Gaughran, Brendon Stubbs Source Type: research
Parcellating cognitive heterogeneity in early psychosis-spectrum illnesses: A cluster analysis
Cognitive impairment is argued to represent a core feature of psychosis-spectrum illnesses. However, within-diagnosis heterogeneity is common, and risk factors for poor cognition remain to be examined after statistically accounting for heterogeneity. Accordingly, we used a data-driven technique (cluster analysis) to empirically-derive cognitive clusters across diagnoses and examined whether concurrent substance use or a history of a neurodevelopmental/behavioral disorder differed between clusters. (Source: Schizophrenia Research)
Source: Schizophrenia Research - July 3, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Jacob J. Crouse, Ahmed A. Moustafa, Sophia E.R. Bogaty, Ian B. Hickie, Daniel F. Hermens Source Type: research
N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antibody-related pathologies and pre-existent mental state disorders
We read with interest the article by Mantere and colleagues, who tested serum autoantibodies against a wide spectrum of neuronal antigens in a large series of patients with a first-episode psychosis, or clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis (Mantere et al., 2018). They found that only one patient with a history of recurrent major depressive episodes was seropositive for antibodies to the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). The patient was referred to the study for symptoms of CHR for psychosis. (Source: Schizophrenia Research)
Source: Schizophrenia Research - July 2, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Federico Massa, Diego Franciotta, Matteo Gastaldi, Giovanni Luigi Mancardi, Luana Benedetti Tags: Letter to the editor Source Type: research
Frontal hypoactivation and alterations in the reward-system during humor processing in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Humor is a ubiquitous human ability with important implications for both social and emotional functioning. Patients with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, experience difficulties in the comprehension and appreciation of humor. However, the specific neural mechanisms underlying these deficits are unknown. In the current study, we sought to elucidate the neural correlates of humor processing in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) was used in thirty-one patients with SSD and a control group, performing a humor processing paradigm. (Source: Schizophrenia Research)
Source: Schizophrenia Research - July 2, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Philipp Berger, Florian Bitsch, Arne Nagels, Benjamin Straube, Irina Falkenberg Source Type: research
“Other” tags for “Self”-generated speech in patients with auditory verbal hallucinations, an fMRI study
While the mechanisms of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) remain elusive, various disorders of inner speech (thinking in words) have been consistently implicated (Stephane et al., 2001). Developmental research indicates that both inner speech and social speech develop from a common precursor; and just like social speech, inner speech includes a perceptual (inner voice) and motor components (speech muscles activity). Similarly, in addition to the inherent perceptual component of hallucinations, AVH are often associated with a motor component (e.g. (Source: Schizophrenia Research)
Source: Schizophrenia Research - July 2, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Massoud Stephane, Philip Burton, Dustin Meriwether, Gihyun Yoon Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research
Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder and delayed sleep-wake phase in schizophrenia: Clinical and functional correlates
Growing evidence suggests that circadian rhythm disruption is detrimental to health. A link between clock genes, circadian rhythm disruption and dopamine dysregulation has been shown in schizophrenia (Yates, 2016). In a recent report (Wulff et al., 2012), two profiles of sleep disturbance in schizophrenia were identified. The first profile was characterized by delayed or non-24-hour sleep-wake phase, sleep onset difficulty, prolonged sleep, and reduced daytime activity, while the other had normal non-shifted entrained rhythms, sleep onset difficulty, and excessively prolonged, irregular or fragmented sleep. (Source: Schizophrenia Research)
Source: Schizophrenia Research - July 2, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Yvonne Patricia Yuan-Ping Poon, Chui-Kwan Kan, Wing-Fai Yeung, Ka-Fai Chung Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research
Neurobiology of cognitive remediation in schizophrenia: Effects of EAAT2 polymorphism
Cognitive deficits represent core features of schizophrenia, affecting quality of life and functioning. The excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) is responsible for the majority of glutamate reuptake and its activity is crucial for glutamatergic neurotransmission, prevention of excitotoxic damage and cerebral metabolism. Different studies reported that EAAT2 rs4354668 ( −181 T/G) influences cognitive functions and brain structures in patients with schizophrenia. Specifically, the G allele, linked to lower EAAT2 expression, was associated with impaired prefrontal cognitive performance and reduced grey matter volum...
Source: Schizophrenia Research - July 2, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Marco Spangaro, Marta Bosia, Margherita Bechi, Mariachiara Buonocore, Federica Cocchi, Carmelo Guglielmino, Laura Bianchi, Antonella Mastromatteo, Cristina Lorenzi, Roberto Cavallaro Source Type: research
Childhood trauma and adolescent psychotic experiences in a community-based cohort: The potential role of positive attributes as a protective factor
To investigate how a set of positive social and personality characteristics called ‘positive attributes’ affects the emergence and persistence of Psychotic Experiences (PE) in adolescence. (Source: Schizophrenia Research)
Source: Schizophrenia Research - June 28, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Pedro M. Pan, Ary Gadelha, Felipe C. Argolo, Mauricio S. Hoffmann, Felipe B. Arcadepani, Euripedes C. Miguel, Luis A. Rohde, Philip McGuire, Giovanni A. Salum, Rodrigo A. Bressan Source Type: research
Screening for the ultra-high risk state in a youth mental health service
There is clinical utility in being able to identify individuals who are at higher risk of developing a psychotic disorder, as interventions are being developed with the aim of either delaying or preventing the onset of psychosis (van der Gaag et al., 2013). The Comprehensive Assessment of the At-Risk Mental State (CAARMS) is a widely used diagnostic instrument for identifying those at ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR) (Yung et al., 2005), however it can take a moderate amount of time to complete and requires a level of expertise to complete reliably. (Source: Schizophrenia Research)
Source: Schizophrenia Research - June 28, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Brian O'Donoghue, Vidyendaran Rudhran, Shakira Kumar, Meghan Bowtell, Andrea Polari, Andrew MacKinnon, Patrick McGorry, Barnaby Nelson Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research
Hippocampal volume and vasculature before and after exercise in treatment-resistant schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is associated with poor cognitive function and elevated cardiometabolic disease risk. These health concerns may exacerbate neurocognitive dysfunction associated with hippocampal abnormalities, particularly hippocampal volume reductions. Regular exercise is thought to improve symptom severity, reduce depression, and improve cognition in schizophrenia, and may trigger exercise-mediated hippocampal growth. The potential for the benefits of exercise for treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients has not been clearly assessed. (Source: Schizophrenia Research)
Source: Schizophrenia Research - June 28, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: M.L. Woodward, K.M. Gicas, D.E. Warburton, R.F. White, A. Rauscher, O. Leonova, W. Su, G.N. Smith, A.E. Thornton, A.T. Vertinsky, A.A. Phillips, V.M. Goghari, W.G. Honer, D.J. Lang Source Type: research
Measuring theory of mind in schizophrenia research: Cross-cultural validation
Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to understand mental states of others and it is crucial for building sensitivity to other persons or events. Measuring ToM is important for understanding and rehabilitating social cognitive impairments in persons with schizophrenia. The Social Attribution Task-Multiple Choice (SAT-MC) has been successfully employed to measure ToM between individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) and healthy controls (HC) in North America. Given that the SAT-MC uses geometric shapes, is nonverbal and less culturally loaded than other social cognition measures, it may serve for measuring ToM in schizophrenia acr...
Source: Schizophrenia Research - June 27, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Hyeon-Seung Lee, Silvia Corbera, Ania Poltorak, Kiho Park, Michal Assaf, Morris D. Bell, Bruce E. Wexler, Young-Il Cho, Sunho Jung, Sophy Brocke, Kee-Hong Choi Source Type: research
An evaluation of the differences in DNA damage in lymphocytes and repair efficiencies in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder
Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder are chronic and debilitating psychiatric disorders. The present study was designed to determine DNA damage in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder to assess the roles of oxidative metabolism and DNA repair mechanisms in this process, to assess the contribution of drugs, and thus to demonstrate the differences between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Thirty schizophrenia and 30 schizoaffective disorder patients, each having at least five years of disease history, aged between 18 and 60 years with no physical or neurological diseases, and 30 healthy...
Source: Schizophrenia Research - June 27, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Osman Zulkif Topak, Osman Ozdel, Yavuz Dodurga, Mucahit Secme Source Type: research
Adolescent inhalant use and psychosis risk – a prospective longitudinal study
Cross-sectional studies have suggested inhalant use is associated with psychosis. This association was examined in a longitudinal study accounting for other substance use and potential confounders. (Source: Schizophrenia Research)
Source: Schizophrenia Research - June 26, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Antti Mustonen, Solja Niemel ä, John J. McGrath, Graham K. Murray, Tanja Nordström, Pirjo Mäki, Jouko Miettunen, James G. Scott Source Type: research
Cognitive therapies for psychosis: Advances and challenges
Over the past two decades, recovery, not just symptom control, has become the focus of treatment for individuals suffering from the various clinical challenges associated with the schizophrenia syndrome. While pharmacotherapy is standard practice for managing the disorder, it has clear limitations for achieving the outcomes that patients urgently need to regain social and vocational functioning. Effective treatments for negative symptoms, persistent psychotic symptoms, and neuro- and social cognitive impairments remain major unmet needs, which prevent optimal functional outcomes and impede the recovery of a significant pro...
Source: Schizophrenia Research - June 26, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Alice Medalia, Aaron T. Beck, Paul M. Grant Source Type: research
