Brief cognitive assessment instruments in schizophrenia and bipolar patients, and healthy control subjects: A comparison study between the Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool for Schizophrenia (B-CATS) and the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP)

Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia and psychosis is ubiquitous and acknowledged as a core feature of clinical expression, pathophysiology, and prediction of functioning. However, assessment of cognitive functioning is excessively time-consuming in routine practice, and brief cognitive instruments specific to psychosis would be of value. Two screening tools have recently been created to address this issue, i.e., the Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool for Schizophrenia (B-CATS) and the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP). The aim of this research was to examine the comparative validity of these two brief instruments in relation to a global cognitive score. 161 patients with p…

Age of onset of Cannabis use and cognitive function in first-episode non-affective psychosis patients: Outcome at three-year follow-up

In recent years, the effects of cannabis use on cognitive functions in patients with psychosis have been widely studied. Recently, special emphasis has been placed on the impact of age at the onset of consumption on cognition in these patients.349 patients with a first episode of non-affective psychosis were studied. Patients were classified as cannabis users and non-users. Users were divided, according to their age when they began using cannabis, into: early-onset (age  16) and late-onset (age ≥ 16) users. Differences between groups at baseline were studied based on sociodemographic, clinical, and cognitive variables. The groups were longitudinally (3-year) compared on cognitive variables.…

Diez años de investigación traslacional colaborativa en enfermedades mentales: el CIBERSAM

Neurocognitive diagnosis and cut-off scores of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S)

To demonstrate the ability of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S) to discriminate between cognitively-impaired individuals and those with adequate functioning in a sample of schizophrenic and bipolar patients, as well as in a control group.The SCIP-S, together with a full neuropsychological battery, was administered to three groups: patients with schizophrenia, patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder I, and controls. The battery scores were used to perform a standardization with respect to the control group and this served to determine the comparison groups (cognitively impaired versus unimpaired) for each of the subtests of the SCIP-S. A full analysis of decision va…

Grip Strength, Neurocognition, and Social Functioning in People WithType-2 Diabetes Mellitus, Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia

[Background] Frailty is a common syndrome among older adults and patients with several comorbidities. Grip strength (GS) is a representative parameter of frailty because it is a valid indicator of current and long-term physical conditions in the general population and patients with severe mental illnesses (SMIs). Physical and cognitive capacities of people with SMIs are usually impaired; however, their relationship with frailty or social functioning have not been studied to date. The current study aimed to determine if GS is a valid predictor of changes in cognitive performance and social functioning in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus and SMIs.

The relevance of cognitive, clinical and premorbid variables in predicting functional outcome for individuals with first-episode psychosis: A 3 year longitudinal study

Real-world functional deficits are common and persistent in individuals with psychosis. Cognitive deficits have been shown to compromise functioning. We aimed to study the predictive values of premorbid, sociodemographic, and baseline clinical and neurocognitive factors on long-term functional outcome for individuals with first episode non-affective psychosis. We failed to demonstrate a significant relationship between cognitive deficits at baseline and functional disability at 3 year follow-up. Diagnosis of schizophrenia (OR=2.457, p=0.011), shorter education (OR=1.177, p=0.005) and poor premorbid social adjustment (OR=1.628, p=0.013) emerged as the strongest predictors for the 114 subject…

Neuroimaging correlates of insight in non-affective psychosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Objective Neurological correlates of impaired insight in non-affective psychosis remain unclear. This study aimed to review and meta-analyze the studies assessing the grey matter volumetric correlates of impaired insight in non-affective psychosis. Methods This study consisted of a systematic review of 23 studies, and a meta-analysis with SDM-PSI of the 11 studies that were whole-brain and reported maps or peaks of correlation of studies investigating the grey matter volumetric correlates of insight assessments of non-affective psychosis, PubMed and OVID datasets were independently reviewed for articles reporting neuroimaging correlates of insight in non-affective psychosis. Qualit…

F145. WHAT ARE THE MAIN BRAIN CHANGES IN FMRI AFTER TREATMENT IN FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS? A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract Background There are many studies using structural MRI to explore the longitudinal course of F Episode Psychosis (FEP).2 On the other hand, there is a lack of functional MRI studies examining the longitudinal course of FEP. The aim of this work is to make a literature systematic review of these studies, to summarize the knowledge about longitudinal course of functional brain activity in FEP. Methods We followed the PRISMA guidelines for conducting systematic reviews and combined the use of electronic and manual systematic search methods, in the principal databases (MedLine, PubMed and Web of Science) using the query “longitudinal” AND “fMRI” AND “first episode psychosis” OR “first …

Predicting relapse after a first episode of non-affective psychosis: A three-year follow-up study

Preventing relapse during the first years of illness has a critical impact on lifelong outcomes in schizophrenia. A better understanding and improvement in factors which influence relapse should diminish the risk of relapse and consequently improve the outcome of the illness.To identify factors associated with relapse after 3 years of a first episode in a sample of non-affective psychosis patients who are representative of clinical practice in an epidemiological catchment.We analyzed socio-demographic and clinical data from a cohort of patients who were treated in a specialized early intervention service and who were at risk of relapse during a 3-year follow-up. Univariate analyses, logisti…

Additional file 3: of Cancer and central nervous system disorders: protocol for an umbrella review of systematic reviews and updated meta-analyses of observational studies

Definitions of specific cancer-site outcomes (DOCX 26 kb)

Cuando la asistencia no sigue a la evidencia: el caso de la falta de programas de intervención temprana en psicosis en España

Resumen Actualmente existe evidencia suficiente que avala la importancia de las intervenciones en fases tempranas de la psicosis. El retraso en la deteccion y el tratamiento del primer episodio psicotico se asocia con una recuperacion menor y mas lenta, asi como con un riesgo mayor de recaidas. A pesar de ello, todavia no se han implementado de forma regular programas de intervencion temprana en los servicios de salud mental en Espana. En este articulo de opinion se revisaran los principales argumentos que nos permitan defender la necesidad de la implementacion de estos programas y las estrategias a seguir para cumplir con este objetivo. Existen actualmente programas de intervencion tempran…

Imaging Genetics of Hallucinations

Structural and functional imaging of the brain language structures, regions, and circuits has revealed the association between brain anomalies and hallucinations in psychosis (see Chaps. 9, 10, and 11). Similarly genetic investigations have demonstrated the effect of gene variations on the severity of hallucination (see Chap. 7).

NORMATIVE DATA OF THE SCIP-S IN SCHIZOPHRENIA AND TYPE I BIPOLAR DISORDER

One year longitudinal study of the straight gyrus morphometry in first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum patients

Brief report.-- El pdf es la versión post-print.-- et al.

Utility of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II in schizophrenia.

The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHODAS II) was developed for assessing disability. This study provides data on the validity and utility of the Spanish version of the WHODAS II in a large sample of patients with schizophrenia.The sample included 352 patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. They completed a comprehensive assessment battery including measures of psychopathology, functionality and quality-of-life. A sub-sample of 36 patients was retested after six months to assess its temporal stability.Participation in society (6.3%) and Life activities (4.0%) were the domains with the highest percentage of missing data. The internal consistency (Cronba…

Predictors of clinical remission following a first episode of non-affective psychosis: Sociodemographics, premorbid and clinical variables

The aim of the study was to identify predictors associated with a lower likelihood of achieving a clinical remission 1 year after the first break of the illness. Participants were 174 consecutive subjects included in a first episode programme with no prior treatment with antipsychotic medication. Patients were assigned to haloperidol, olanzapine or risperidone in a randomized, open-label, prospective clinical trial. The main outcome variable was the remission criteria developed by the Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group. Clinical variables were included in a logistic regression analysis in order to predict the remission state at 1 year. At 1 year, 31% of patients met criteria for remis…

Spanish version of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S): psychometric properties of a brief scale for cognitive evaluation in schizophrenia.

The Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP) is a brief scale designed for detecting cognitive deficits in several psychotic and affective disorders. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the SCIP in a sample of outpatients suffering schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.Psychometric properties were evaluated in a sample of 126 stable patients with schizophrenia. Men and women 18 to 55 years of age were recruited from consecutive admissions to 40 psychiatric outpatient clinics in Spain and asked to complete a series of cognitive measures at baseline, as well as three versions of the SCIP separated by one week intervals. A matched sample of 39 healt…

Cannabis use in male and female first episode of non-affective psychosis patients: long-term clinical, neuropsychological and functional differences

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies show the existence of a high prevalence of cannabis use among patients with psychosis. However, the differences between men and women who debut with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) regarding cannabis use have not been largely explored. The aim of this study was to identify the specific sex factors and differences in clinical evolution associated with cannabis use. METHOD: Sociodemographic characteristics at baseline were considered in our sample of FEP patients to find differences depending on sex and the use of cannabis. Clinical, functional and neurocognitive variables at baseline, 1-year, and 3-years follow-up were also explored. RESULTS: A total of 549 pa…

Time dependent expression of the blood biomarkers EIF2D and TOX in patients with schizophrenia

Background During last years, there has been an intensive search for blood biomarkers in schizophrenia to assist in diagnosis, prognosis and clinical management of the disease. Methods In this study, we first conducted a weighted gene coexpression network analysis to address differentially expressed genes in peripheral blood from patients with chronic schizophrenia (n?=?30) and healthy controls (n?=?15). The discriminating performance of the candidate genes was further tested in an independent cohort of patients with first-episode schizophrenia (n?=?124) and healthy controls (n?=?54), and in postmortem brain samples (cingulate and prefrontal cortices) from patients with schizophrenia (n?=?3…

Lifestyle in Undergraduate Students and Demographically Matched Controls during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain

Few studies have used a multidimensional approach to describe lifestyle changes among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic or have included controls. This study aimed to evaluate lifestyle behaviors and mental health of undergraduate students and compare them with an age and sex-matched control group. A cross-sectional web survey using snowball sampling was conducted several months after the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. A sample of 221 students was recruited. The main outcome was the total SMILE-C score. Students showed a better SMILE-C score than controls (79.8 + 8.1 vs. 77.2 + 8.3

Bipolar disorder comorbid with alcohol use disorder: focus on neurocognitive correlates

Bipolar disorder (BD) and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are usually comorbid, and both have been associated with significant neurocognitive impairment. Patients with the BD-AUD comorbidity (dual diagnosis) may have more severe neurocognitive deficits than those with a single diagnosis, but there is paucity of research in this area. To explore this hypothesis more thoroughly, we carried out a systematic literature review through January 2015. Eight studies have examined the effect of AUDs on the neurocognitive functioning of BD patients. Most studies found that BD patients with current or past history of comorbid AUDs show more severe impairments, especially in verbal memory and executive cog…

Duration of active psychosis and functional outcomes in first-episode non-affective psychosis.

AbstractBackground:The duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) has been associated with negative outcomes in psychosis; however, few studies have focused on the duration of active psychotic symptoms after commencing treatment (DAT). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of DUP and DAT on functional long-term outcomes (3 years) in patients with early psychosis.Methods:We evaluated the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) at frequent intervals for 3 years after presentation to determine the DAT for 307 individuals with first-episode psychosis together with DUP and clinical variables. The functional outcomes were assessed using the Disability Assessment Scale (DAS) at th…

Sex-specific variation of MRI-based cortical morphometry in adult healthy volunteers: The effect on cognitive functioning

Previous investigations have revealed sex-specific differences in brain morphometry. The effect of sex on cortical thickness may be influencing cognitive differences between sexes. With this exploratory study, we aimed to investigate the effect of sex in MRI-based cerebral cortex morphometry in healthy young volunteers and how the variability in cortical measures might affect cognitive functioning in men and women. 76 young healthy volunteers (45 men and 31 women) underwent a 1.5 T MR scan and 53 of them completed a comprehensive cognitive battery. Overall no gross significant differences between sexes were found in cortical thickness, surface area and curvature indexes. However, there was …

Manual motor speed dysfunction as a neurocognitive endophenotype in euthymic bipolar disorder patients and their healthy relatives. Evidence from a 5-year follow-up study

Background: Few studies have examined Manual Motor Speed (MMS) in bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of this longitudinal, family study was to explore whether dysfunctional MMS represents a neurocognitive endophenotype of BD. Methods: A sample of 291 subjects, including 131 BD patients, 77 healthy first-degree relatives (BD-Rel), and 83 genetically-unrelated healthy controls (HC), was assessed with the Finger-Tapping Test (En) on three occasions over a 5-year period. Dependence of FTT on participants' age was removed by means of a lineal model of HC samples, while correcting simultaneously the time and learning effect. Differences between groups were evaluated with an ANOVA test. Results: The p…

Childhood trauma and substance use underlying psychosis: a systematic review

[EN] Background: Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are mental diseases caused by a combination of genetic susceptibility and a number of environmental factors. Among these factors, the role of traumatic events suffered in childhood, as well as that of substance use, have been of particular research interest. Objectives: To conduct a systematic review to clarify whether there is an interaction between childhood trauma and substance use related to the diagnosis or symptoms of SSD. It was also the objective of this review to collate the associations that may exist between the three variables of the study (trauma, substance use and psychosis). Methods: We conducted a systematic search resu…

S68. UNALTERED FRONTAL AND PREFRONTAL BRAIN RESPONSE DURING WORK MEMORY TASKS IN PATIENTS WITH A FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS META-ANALYSIS STUDY

BACKGROUND: There is extensive evidence that frontal and prefrontal cortex have abnormal functioning in patients with schizophrenia (Weinberger et al., 2001). For example, with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), multiple studies have shown altered activation during working memory tasks in these patients compared with controls (Adamczyk et al., 2017; Li et al., 2017). While most of the studies have been conducted in patients with chronic illness, whether these findings translate to individuals at the time of presenting with a First Episode Psychosis (FEP) is less well understood (Soldevila-Matias et al., 2018). The main objective of this study was to meta-analyze fMRI studies that…

GLOBAL AND REGIONAL CORTICAL THINNING IN FIRST-EPISODE SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS: RELATIONSHIPS WITH CLINICAL AND COGNITIVE FEATURES

Course of cognitive deficits in first episode of non-affective psychosis: a 3-year follow-up study.

Abstract Cognitive dysfunctions are critical determinants of the quality of life and functionality in schizophrenia. Whether the cognitive deficits present at an early stage, are static or change across one's lifespan is still under debate. This study aims to investigate the long-term (3 years) course of cognitive deficits in a large and representative cohort of first episode schizophrenia spectrum patients (N = 155),and evaluate their influence on disability. In addition, a healthy control sample (N = 43) was also studied for comparison. This study evaluates the performance of patients and controls in a battery of cognitive assessments using baseline, 1-year and 3-year follow-up designs. T…

Straight gyrus morphology in first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum patients

et al.

Education and long-term outcomes in first episode psychosis: 10-year follow-up study of the PAFIP cohort

[Background] Lower levels of education have been associated with the development of psychosis. Investigating educational achievement in the first episode of psychosis (FEP) patients may shed light on the origins of the alterations and on the variability of outcomes in psychotic disorders.

Additional file 1: of Cancer and central nervous system disorders: protocol for an umbrella review of systematic reviews and updated meta-analyses of observational studies

PRISMA-P Checklist (DOCX 27 kb)

Clinical usefulness of the screen for cognitive impairment in psychiatry (SCIP-S) scale in patients with type I bipolar disorder

Abstract Background The relevance of persistent cognitive deficits to the pathogenesis and prognosis of bipolar disorders (BD) is understudied, and its translation into clinical practice has been limited by the absence of brief methods assessing cognitive status in Psychiatry. This investigation assessed the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S) for the detection of cognitive impairment in BD. Methods After short training, psychiatrists at 40 outpatient clinics administered the SCIP three times over two weeks to a total of 76 consecutive type I BD admissions. Experienced psychologists also administered a comprehensive ba…

When the healthcare does not follow the evidence: The case of the lack of early intervention programs for psychosis in Spain

Abstract There is now sufficient evidence to support the importance of interventions in the early stages of psychosis. The delay in the detection and treatment of the first-episode psychosis is related to a lower and slower recovery, as well as a higher risk of relapse. Despite this fact, early intervention units or teams are still not regularly implemented in mental health service settings in Spain. In this opinion article, a review is presented of the main arguments for defending the need to implement these programmes and strategies in order to achieve this aim. There are a number of programmes for early intervention for psychosis currently working in other countries, with a therapeutic p…

Predictors of neurocognitive impairment at 3years after a first episode non-affective psychosis

Abstract Background Neurocognitive impairment is a core component of schizophrenia. However, patients show great variability in the level and course of deficits. The goal of the present longitudinal study was to identify predictors of neurocognitive impairment in first episode psychosis patients. Methods N eurocognitive performance was analyzed in a cohort of 146 patients 3 years after a first episode non-affective psychosis. Subgroups, impaired vs. unimpaired, were compared on baseline clinical, neuropsychological, premorbid and sociodemographic characteristics. Results Fifty-nine percent of participants presented general neurocognitive impairment and regression analyses demonstrated that …

Mild cognitive decline. A position statement of the Cognitive Decline Group of the European Innovation Partnership for Active and Healthy Ageing (EIPAHA)

Introduction: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a term used to describe a level of decline in cognition which is seen as an intermediate stage between normal ageing and dementia, and which many consider to be a prodromal stage of neurodegeneration that may become dementia. That is, it is perceived as a high risk level of cognitive change. The increasing burden of dementia in our society, but also our increasing understanding of its risk factors and potential interventions, require diligent management of MCI in order to find strategies that produce effective prevention of dementia. Aim: To update knowledge regarding mild cognitive impairment, and to bring together and appraise evidence abou…

Additional file 2: of Cancer and central nervous system disorders: protocol for an umbrella review of systematic reviews and updated meta-analyses of observational studies

Key terms for PubMed/MEDLINE search (DOCX 22 kb)

Course of weight gain and metabolic abnormalities in first treated episode of psychosis: the first year is a critical period for development of cardiovascular risk factors

Data on the long-term metabolic side-effects associated with antipsychotics are scarce. Prospective longitudinal studies in medication-naive patients with a first episode of psychosis are a valuable source of information as they provide an assessment prior to the antipsychotic exposure and minimize the effect of potential confounding factors. The aim of this study was to assess the course of weight gain and the incidence of metabolic abnormalities during the first 3 yr of antipsychotic treatment. Data were collected from a cohort of 170 first-episode psychosis patients. They were randomly assigned to haloperidol (32%); olanzapine (32%) and risperidone (36%). The dose used was flexible. The …

Disability in bipolar I disorder: the 36-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0.

Abstract Background The WHODAS 2.0 is an ICF-based multidimensional instrument developed for measuring disability. The present study analyzes the utility of the 36-item interviewer-administered version in a sample of patients with bipolar disorder. There is no study to date that analyses how the scale works in a sample that only comprises such patients. Methods A total of 291 patients with bipolar disorder (42.6% males) according to DSM-IV-TR criteria from a cross-sectional study conducted in outpatient psychiatric clinics were enrolled. In addition to the WHODAS 2.0, patients completed a comprehensive assessment battery including measures on psychopathology, functionality and quality of li…

Cancer and central nervous system disorders: protocol for an umbrella review of systematic reviews and updated meta-analyses of observational studies

[Background] The objective of this study will be to synthesize the epidemiological evidence and evaluate the validity of the associations between central nervous system disorders and the risk of developing or dying from cancer.

Effect of antipsychotic drugs on cortical thickness. A randomized controlled one-year follow-up study of haloperidol, risperidone and olanzapine.

Abstract Background Imaging evidence indicates that brain alterations are primary to the full-blown onset of schizophrenia and seem to progress across time. The potential effects of antipsychotic medication on brain structure represent a key factor in understanding brain changes in psychosis. We aimed to investigate the effects of low doses of haloperidol, risperidone and olanzapine on cortical thickness. Method We investigated the effects of risperidone (N = 16), olanzapine (N = 18) and low doses of haloperidol (N = 18) in cortical thickness changes during 1-year follow-up period in a large and heterogeneous sample of schizophrenia spectrum patients. The relationship between cortical thick…

Global and regional cortical thinning in first-episode psychosis patients: relationships with clinical and cognitive features

BackgroundThe thickness of the cortical mantle is a sensitive measure for identifying alterations in cortical structure. We aimed to explore whether first episode schizophrenia patients already show a significant cortical thinning and whether cortical thickness anomalies may significantly influence clinical and cognitive features.MethodWe investigated regional changes in cortical thickness in a large and heterogeneous sample of schizophrenia spectrum patients (n=142) at their first break of the illness and healthy controls (n=83). Magnetic resonance imaging brain scans (1.5 T) were obtained and images were analyzed by using brains2. The contribution of sociodemographic, cognitive and clinic…

The screen for cognitive impairment in psychiatry: diagnostic-specific standardization in psychiatric ill patients

Abstract Background The Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP) is a simple and easy to administer scale developed for screening cognitive deficits. This study presents the diagnostic-specific standardization data for this scale in a sample of schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder patients. Methods Patients between 18 and 55 years who are in a stable phase of the disease, diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, or bipolar I disorder were enrolled in this study. Results The SCIP-S was administered to 514 patients (57.9% male), divided into two age groups (18–39 and 40–55 years) and two educational level groups (less than and secondary or…

Prediction of acute clinical response following a first episode of non affective psychosis: results of a cohort of 375 patients from the Spanish PAFIP study.

Abstract Objective Predicting response to antipsychotic treatment might optimize treatment strategies in early phases of schizophrenia. We aimed to investigate sociodemographic, premorbid and clinical predictors of response to antipsychotic treatment after a first episode of non-affective psychosis. Method 375 (216 males) patients with a diagnosis of non affective psychosis entered the study. The main outcome measure was clinical response at 6 weeks and variables at baseline were evaluated as predictors of response. ANOVA for continuous and chi-square for categorical data were used to compare responders and non-responders. Multivariate logistic regression was used to establish a prediction …

Transdiagnostic neurocognitive deficits in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia: A 1-year follow-up study

AbstractBackgroundImpairments in neurocognition are critical factors in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), and schizophrenia (SZ), and also in those with somatic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Intriguingly, these severe mental illnesses are associated with an increased co-occurrence of diabetes (direct comorbidity). This study sought to investigate the neurocognition and social functioning across T2DM, MDD, BD, and SZ using a transdiagnostic and longitudinal approach.MethodsA total of 165 subjects, including 30 with SZ, 42 with BD, 35 with MDD, 30 with T2DM, and 28 healthy controls (HC), were assessed twice at a 1-year interval using a c…

Visual memory dysfunction as a neurocognitive endophenotype in bipolar disorder patients and their unaffected relatives. Evidence from a 5-year follow-up Valencia study.

BACKGROUND: Scarce research has focused on Visual Memory (VM) deficits as a possible neurocognitive endophenotype of bipolar disorder (BD). The main aim of this longitudinal, family study with healthy controls was to explore whether VM dysfunction represents a neurocognitive endophenotype of BD. METHODS: Assessment of VM by Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCF) was carried out on a sample of 317 subjects, including 140 patients with BD, 60 unaffected first-degree relatives (BD-Rel), and 117 genetically-unrelated healthy controls (HC), on three occasions over a 5-year period (T1, T2, and T3). BD-Rel group scores were analyzed only at T1 and T2. RESULTS: Performance of BD patients was sig…

Temporal pole morphology in first-episode schizophrenia patients:

Studies of the temporal pole (TP) in schizophrenia patients are not consistent. The aim of this study was to investigate morphometric anomalies of the TP in first-episode schizophrenia patients. Patients did not significantly differ from controls in the TP morphometric variables evaluated. Clinical variables were not significantly related to the TP.

No paradox, no progress: inverse cancer comorbidity in people with other complex diseases.

Salvador Martínez [et al.]. 5 p., 2 tables and references.

Suicidal behaviour in first-episode non-affective psychosis: Specific risk periods and stage-related factors

Suicide is a major cause of premature death in psychosis. Earlier stages have been associated with higher risk. However, such risk periods have not been specifically determined and risk factors for suicidal behaviour may change over those periods, which may have crucial implications for suicide prevention. The aim of this study was to determine and characterize the highest risk period for suicide in a representative sample of first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients. Suicidal behaviour prior to first presentation of psychosis and during a 3-year follow-up was examined in a sample of 397 individuals. Risk factors for suicidal behaviour during specific time periods were investigated and compare…

Comparison of metabolic effects of aripiprazole, quetiapine and ziprasidone after 12 weeks of treatment in first treated episode of psychosis.

This randomized open-label study compared the incidence of metabolic side effects of aripiprazole, ziprasidone and quetiapine in a population of medication-naive first-episode psychosis patients. A total of 202 subjects were enrolled. Body weight, body mass index, leptin, fasting lipids and fasting glycaemic parameters were measured at baseline and at 3 months follow-up. A hundred and sixty-six patients completed the follow-up and were included in the analyses. A high proportion of patients experienced a significant weight increase (>7% of their baseline weight): 23% ziprasidone (n=12), 32% with quetiapine (n=16) and 45% with aripiprazole (n=31). Patients treated with aripiprazole gained si…

Lifestyle changes and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A repeated, cross-sectional web survey

VBM acknowledges the national grant PI16/01770 from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, ISCIII (The PROBILIFE study). EV thanks the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PI15/00283, PI18/00805) integrated into the Plan Nacional de I+D+I and co-financed by the ISCIII-Subdirección General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); the Instituto de Salud Carlos III; the CIBER of Mental Health (CIBERSAM) (...)

Unraveling the relationship of loneliness and isolation in schizophrenia: Polygenic dissection and causal inference

ABSTRACTThere is increasing recognition of the association between loneliness and social isolation (LNL-ISO) with schizophrenia. Here, we demonstrate significant LNL-ISO polygenic score prediction on schizophrenia in an independent case-control sample (N=3,488). We then dissect schizophrenia predisposing variation into subsets of variants based on their effect on LNL-ISO. Genetic variation with concordant effects in both phenotypes show significant SNP-based heritability enrichment, higher polygenic predictive ability in females and positive covariance with other mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity, alcohol use disorder, and autism. Conversely, gene…

Differential associations of cognitive insight components with pretreatment characteristics in first-episode psychosis

An increasing number of studies have focused on cognitive insight (i.e. awareness of one's own thinking) in psychotic disorders. However, little is known about the premorbid and pretreatment correlates of cognitive insight in the early course of psychosis. One hundred and three patients experiencing first-episode psychosis (FEP) were assessed shortly after treatment initiation for cognitive insight. Pretreatment and baseline clinical, functional and neurocognitive characteristics were examined. The self-reflectiveness dimension of cognitive insight was independently associated with clinical insight and executive functioning, whereas self-certainty was associated with premorbid IQ, premorbid…