Bridging the gap between research into biological and psychosocial models of psychosis.

Paul Bebbington's recent Special Article provides an excellent synthesis of recent advances in psychosocial research on psychosis. However, we doubt that a model based solely on social epidemiology and cognitive theory can totally describe psychosis, and to be fair, Bebbington does not suggest that it does. A complete model must also incorporate what we have learned from non-social epidemiology, neuroscience, and genetics. Evidence indicates that both the social risk factors that interest Bebbington and biological risk factors, such as abuse of stimulants and cannabis, can provoke psychotic symptoms by dysregulating striatal dopamine. The role of neurodevelopmental deviance also needs to be…

Interaction between cannabis consumption and childhood abuse in psychotic disorders:preliminary findings on the role of different patterns of cannabis use

Aim: Several studies have suggested that lifetime cannabis consumption and childhood abuse synergistically contribute to the risk for psychotic disorders. This study aimed to extend existing findings regarding an additive interaction between childhood abuse and lifetime cannabis use by investigating the moderating role of type and frequency of cannabis use. Methods: Up to 231 individuals presenting for the first time to mental health services with psychotic disorders and 214 unaffected population controls from South London, United Kingdom, were recruited as part of the Genetics and Psychosis study. Information about history of cannabis use was collected using the Cannabis Experiences Questi…

Psychosis onset: use of cannabis x COMT genotype interaction. A case-only design analysis in a first-episode psychosis sample.

Does clinical or cognitive insight predict outcome in psychosis? Findings from a longitudinal first episode cohort

Is cerebral asymmetry associated with serotonin transporter in psychosis?

First-Episode Psychosis Patients Who Deteriorated in the Premorbid Period Do Not Have Higher Polygenic Risk Scores Than Others: A Cluster Analysis of EU-GEI Data

Abstract Cluster studies identified a subgroup of patients with psychosis whose premorbid adjustment deteriorates before the onset, which may reflect variation in genetic influence. However, other studies reported a complex relationship between distinctive patterns of cannabis use and cognitive and premorbid impairment that is worthy of consideration. We examined whether: (1) premorbid social functioning (PSF) and premorbid academic functioning (PAF) in childhood and adolescence and current intellectual quotient (IQ) define different clusters in 802 first-episode of psychosis (FEP) patients; resulting clusters vary in (2) polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for schizophrenia (SCZ_PRS), bipolar dis…

PREVALENCE OF BULLYING AMONGST FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS AND UNAFFECTED CONTROLS

Background:Despite increasing evidence suggesting that childhood mal-treatment is significantly associated with psychotic disorders, the role ofbullying in the later development of psychosis is still controversial (Kelle-her et al., 2008, Arseneault et al., 2011). Therefore, this study examinedthe prevalence of bullying amongst first-episode psychosis patients andunaffected controlsMethods:Data were collected from 227 first-presentation psychosis casesand 215 geographically-matched controls. Bullying was assessed as partof the Brief Life Events schedule. Patients and controls were shown acard listing 10 adverse events, including “bullying”, “sexual abuse”, “beingexpelled from school”, and a…

A first episode psychosis case-control genetic association study

Background:GAP(genesandpsychosis) is a case-control studyof first episode psychosis conducted in London and Cambridge, which aims to identify genes conferring susceptibility to psychosis, and associated phenotypes including cognitive dysfunction and cerebral morphology. Methods:First episode psychosis cases have been recruited in South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and in Cambridge. A variety of demographic and clinical data have been collected. In a subset of these, neurocognitive assessments and MRIs have been performed. Samples have been taken for DNA, and in a subset for RNA and proteomic analysis. Genetic association analysis is being undertaken using a candidate gene approach. The gen…

Psychosis onset: Use of Cannabis X COMT Interaction. Case-only Design analysis in a First-Episode Psychosis Sample.

Daily use of high-potency cannabis is associated with more positive symptoms in first-episode psychosis patients: The EU-GEI case-control study

The work was supported by: Clinician Scientist Medical Research Council fellowship (project reference MR/M008436/1) to MDF; the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South London at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to DQ; DFG Heisenberg professorship (no. 389624707) to UR. National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. The EU-GEI Project is funded by t…