| 1 | Br J Psychiatry 2000 Oct 177: 348-53 |
|---|---|
| PMID | 11116777 |
| Title | Nithsdale Schizophrenia Surveys. 20. Cognitive function in a catchment-area-based population of patients with schizophrenia. |
| Abstract | Cognitive deficits are a core aspect of schizophrenia but there has been no study of cognitive function in a catchment-area-based population of patients with schizophrenia. To assess cognitive function in a population of patients with schizophrenia, and relate it to community functioning. All patients with schizophrenia in Nithsdale, south-west Scotland, were identified (n = 182). Measures of assessment were: National Adult Reading Test (NART), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT), Executive Interview (EXIT), FAS Verbal Fluency and Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS). We assessed 138 patients, mean age 48 years (standard deviation (s.d.) 15). Only 14% were in-patients. The mean premorbid IQ as assessed by NART was 98 (s.d. 14); 15% of patients had significant global cognitive impairment (MMSE); 81% had impaired memory (RBMT); 25% had executive dyscontrol (EXIT); and 49% had impaired verbal fluency (FAS). Scores on the functional impairment sub-scale of HoNOS correlated with all measures of cognitive impairment. Cognitive dysfunction is pervasive in a community-based population of patients with schizophrenia. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 2 | Psychiatry Res 2002 Jul 110: 273-80 |
| PMID | 12127477 |
| Title | Family attitude scale: measurement of criticism in the relatives of patients with schizophrenia in Japan. |
| Abstract | Expressed emotion (EE) is traditionally measured with the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI), but the CFI requires considerable time for both execution and evaluation. As an alternative, we investigated the validity of the Family Attitude Scale (FAS), a questionnaire developed for the measurement of EE. The CFI, the FAS, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and the Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) were administered in 57 members of the families of 41 patients with acute episodes of schizophrenia. The relative sensitivity and specificity of EE assessment with the FAS compared with the criticism component of the CFI were 100% and 88.5%, respectively. EE assessment based on criticism as assessed with the FMSS compared with the CFI had a sensitivity of 40.0% and a specificity of 90.4%. The GHQ score tended to be higher in the high-scoring FAS group than in the low-scoring FAS group. The FAS showed excellent validity for the measurement of critical aspects of family attitudes, and the FAS score reflected the state of psychological health of the families. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 3 | Int J Ment Health Nurs 2002 Sep 11: 192-8 |
| PMID | 12510597 |
| Title | The validity and reliability of the measurement of the concept 'expressed emotion' in the family members and nurses of Hong Kong patients with schizophrenia. |
| Abstract | This study aimed to test the validity and reliability of three measures of expressed emotion in a sample of family members and nurses of Hong Kong Chinese people with schizophrenia. Little research has been done in Hong Kong in relation to family expressed emotion (EE) and schizophrenia so the present study set out to pilot some measures that could become reliable and valid measures for future clinical studies. The Adjective Check List (ACL) and the Family Attitude Scale (FAS) were compared to EE ratings obtained after a brief interview. The ratings were made based on the conceptual framework of the Camberwell Family Interview, which includes the dimensions of criticism, hostility and emotional over-involvement. Twenty-one family members and their primary nurses participated in the study which revealed that 13 of the family members and 10 of the primary nurses were rated as high EE, either in terms of criticism, emotional over-involvement or both, based on the interview. The differences in the mean FAS scores between the high EE groups and the low EE group was large but not statistically significant, and there was a significant correlation between the FAS and the brief interview. The ACL revealed some interesting results in terms of the way relatives and nurses see themselves responding to the person with schizophrenia and vice versa. Recommendations for future studies and family education strategies are made. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 4 | Child Neuropsychol 2003 Sep 9: 189-207 |
| PMID | 13680409 |
| Title | Word memory test performance in children. |
| Abstract | One-hundred and thirty-five children between the ages of 7 and 18 years were evaluated clinically. Their diagnoses included Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) or Effects, schizophrenia, Bipolar Mood Disorder, various neurological diseases, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder, Oppositional-Defiant Disorder and learning disabilities. As part of a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, the children were given the Word Memory Test (WMT; Green, Allen, & Astner, 1996; Green & Astner, 1995), containing various subtests which measure, respectively, effort and verbal memory. Although age and verbal intelligence are known to affect scores on most ability tests, they were not found to be significant determinants of WMT effort scores. Younger children did not score any lower on the effort subtests than older children. The children scored as well as a group of parents seeking custody of their children and they scored higher than adult patients with mild head injuries. The computerized WMT requires some basic reading skills and some children with lower than a grade 3 reading level scored at a relatively low level on the effort subtests. The current data suggest that most children with at least a grade 3 reading level can pass the WMT using the adult criteria. It is concluded that the WMT is potentially useful in the evaluation of effort during pediatric neuropsychological evaluations. Further research is needed to replicate these findings and to develop child norms for the memory subtests. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 5 | Schizophr. Res. 2003 Jun 61: 293-302 |
| PMID | 12729881 |
| Title | Neurocognitive, behavioural and neurodevelopmental correlates of schizotypy clusters in adolescents from the general population. |
| Abstract | Studies on the neurocognitive correlates of schizotypy dimensions have found inconsistent results. This might stem from the fact that correlational methods, in contrast to cluster analysis, do not account for the possibility that a subject presents high scores on more than one dimension simultaneously. We aimed to establish clusters of normal adolescents based on schizotypy dimensions and compare them on neurocognitive, behavioural, and neurodevelopmental markers. Two hundred seventy normal adolescents from the general population (mean age 13.4, SD=0.72) attending obligatory education were evaluated. A K-means iterative cluster analysis was performed with the Perceptual Aberration, Revised Social Anhedonia and Physical Anhedonia Scales. A forced four-cluster model yielded the following clusters: 'negative schizotypy', 'high or mixed schizotypy', 'positive schizotypy', and 'normal scorers'. Comparisons with ANOVAs showed that 'high schizotypes' performed poorly on neurocognition (Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children-Revised (WISC-R) and Verbal Fluency (FAS)) and obtained the highest teacher ratings (TRF) of behavioural problems. 'Negative schizotypes' had the worst WCST results and more dermatoglyphic abnormalities. Both clusters had more neurological soft signs than 'normal scorers' and 'positive schizotypes'. Our results with community adolescents found the same cluster structure than the previous cluster analytic studies conducted in adult college subjects. Furthermore, we showed differences among them on neurocognitive and malneurodevelopment markers consistent with the adult literature on schizotypy. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 6 | Nihon Arukoru Yakubutsu Igakkai Zasshi 2004 Oct 39: 474-81 |
| PMID | 15573676 |
| Title | [Adult fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) with various nouropsychiatric symptoms]. |
| Abstract | This is the first report of an adult patients with the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in Japan, who was treated for psychiatric disorders. The case was a 35 years-old woman who had many neuropsychiatric symptoms. She had been treated for 15 years at the Kurihama Alcoholism Center, for mental retardation, schizophrenic symptoms, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disorder, trichotillomania, bipolar disorder, and impulsive behavior. She had low body weight at birth, mental retardation and a small facial malformation, which were diagnosed as FAS. At first admission, she was not diagnosed as FAS because her parent denied that her mother drank during pregnancy. Recently, her family admitted her mother's heavy drinking during pregnancy, and we diagnosed her as having FAS. She showed many pathological symptoms of the central nervous system such as very lower scores for performance IQ than for verbal IQ in the WAIS-R and enlargement of the lateral ventricle on MRI. Recently many reports have mentioned that prenatal alcohol exposure brings about severe damage of the central nervous system. Therefore, one author proposes that such disorders are referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). This patient showed many symptoms of FASD, and was difficult to treat because of these symptoms. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 7 | Int J Ment Health Nurs 2004 Dec 13: 282-91 |
| PMID | 15660598 |
| Title | Neurocognitive functioning and quality of life among dually diagnosed and non-substance abusing schizophrenia inpatients. |
| Abstract | The aim of this study was to compare the domains of intellectual, memory and executive functions of persons with schizophrenia who concurrently have substance abuse disorders (the dually diagnosed) with a group of non-substance-abusing patients with schizophrenia and to ascertain if there were differences between the two groups in their perceptions of quality of life. Neuropsychological and quality of life data of 46 dually diagnosed and 43 non-substance-abusing patients with schizophrenia was analysed retrospectively. All subjects were inpatients of a state psychiatric hospital. Selected subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III and the Wechsler Memory Scale-III constituted the intellectual and memory measures whilst the measures of executive functioning were the Stroop Color Word Test, the FAS version of the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, and the Trail Making Test (Trails A & B). Perceptions of quality of life were evaluated using the World Health Organization Quality of Life measure. The two groups did not differentiate on intellectual and memory domains, however, the dually diagnosed showed a significantly better facility with tasks of executive functions. In addition, the dually diagnosed expressed higher levels of satisfaction with their quality of life compared to the non-substance-abusing patients with schizophrenia. These results have implications for interventions. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 8 | J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford) 2004 Jun 18: 156-72 |
| PMID | 15260903 |
| Title | Effects of amisulpride, risperidone and chlorpromazine on auditory and visual latent inhibition, prepulse inhibition, executive function and eye movements in healthy volunteers. |
| Abstract | In view of the evidence that cognitive deficits in schizophrenia are critically important for long-term outcome, it is essential to establish the effects that the various antipsychotic compounds have on cognition, particularly second-generation drugs. This parallel group, placebo-controlled study aimed to compare the effects in healthy volunteers (n = 128) of acute doses of the atypical antipsychotics amisulpride (300 mg) and risperidone (3 mg) to those of chlorpromazine (100 mg) on tests thought relevant to the schizophrenic process: auditory and visual latent inhibition, prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response, executive function and eye movements. The drugs tested were not found to affect auditory latent inhibition, prepulse inhibition or executive functioning as measured by the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Battery and the FAS test of verbal fluency. However, risperidone disrupted and amisulpride showed a trend to disrupt visual latent inhibition. Although amisulpride did not affect eye movements, both risperidone and chlorpromazine decreased peak saccadic velocity and increased antisaccade error rates, which, in the risperidone group, correlated with drug-induced akathisia. It was concluded that single doses of these drugs appear to have little effect on cognition, but may affect eye movement parameters in accordance with the amount of sedation and akathisia they produce. The effect risperidone had on latent inhibition is likely to relate to its serotonergic properties. Furthermore, as the trend for disrupted visual latent inhibition following amisulpride was similar in nature to that which would be expected with amphetamine, it was concluded that its behaviour in this model is consistent with its preferential presynaptic dopamine antagonistic activity in low dose and its efficacy in the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 9 | J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford) 2004 Jun 18: 156-72 |
| PMID | 15260903 |
| Title | Effects of amisulpride, risperidone and chlorpromazine on auditory and visual latent inhibition, prepulse inhibition, executive function and eye movements in healthy volunteers. |
| Abstract | In view of the evidence that cognitive deficits in schizophrenia are critically important for long-term outcome, it is essential to establish the effects that the various antipsychotic compounds have on cognition, particularly second-generation drugs. This parallel group, placebo-controlled study aimed to compare the effects in healthy volunteers (n = 128) of acute doses of the atypical antipsychotics amisulpride (300 mg) and risperidone (3 mg) to those of chlorpromazine (100 mg) on tests thought relevant to the schizophrenic process: auditory and visual latent inhibition, prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response, executive function and eye movements. The drugs tested were not found to affect auditory latent inhibition, prepulse inhibition or executive functioning as measured by the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Battery and the FAS test of verbal fluency. However, risperidone disrupted and amisulpride showed a trend to disrupt visual latent inhibition. Although amisulpride did not affect eye movements, both risperidone and chlorpromazine decreased peak saccadic velocity and increased antisaccade error rates, which, in the risperidone group, correlated with drug-induced akathisia. It was concluded that single doses of these drugs appear to have little effect on cognition, but may affect eye movement parameters in accordance with the amount of sedation and akathisia they produce. The effect risperidone had on latent inhibition is likely to relate to its serotonergic properties. Furthermore, as the trend for disrupted visual latent inhibition following amisulpride was similar in nature to that which would be expected with amphetamine, it was concluded that its behaviour in this model is consistent with its preferential presynaptic dopamine antagonistic activity in low dose and its efficacy in the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 10 | J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 2005 Aug 12: 431-8 |
| PMID | 16011498 |
| Title | A study of three measures of expressed emotion in a sample of Chinese families of a person with schizophrenia. |
| Abstract | Emotional climate or expressed emotion (EE) has been examined in families of white descent who have a family member with schizophrenia but few studies have been conducted in Asian or Chinese families. This study tested the utility of the five-minute interview (FMI), adjective checklist (ACL) and family attitude scale (FAS) in a sample of Chinese family members in Beijing, in an attempt to introduce useful measures of EE into practice. A sample of 51 family members were interviewed and administered the three instruments. A total of 29.4% of families were found to be high-EE critical and 13.7% high-EE emotional over involvement using the FMI. The FAS and ACL prove internally consistent and were significantly correlated but not with the FMI. Cultural explanations for the discrepancies are offered. The measures have applicability in terms of understanding family relationships but further research and replication is necessary to deepen our understanding of EE in Chinese families. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 11 | Schizophr. Res. 2005 Sep 77: 279-88 |
| PMID | 15950437 |
| Title | Prefrontal cognitive functions in stabilized first-episode patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a dissociation between dorsolateral and orbitofrontal functioning. |
| Abstract | Specific prefrontal cognitive impairments have been reported in first-episode and chronic schizophrenia. We sought to investigate potential impairments in specific prefrontal cortical cognitive functions among stabilized patients with a first-episode of schizophrenia. A sample of 80 individuals with a first-episode of schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 22 healthy volunteers underwent a neurocognitive battery assessing orbitofrontal (OFC) [The Iowa Gambling Task (GT)], and dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC) functions (WAIS III Backward digits, verbal fluency test (FAS), and Trail Making Test). Cognitive data were obtained following stabilization of acute psychotic symptoms. Clinical symptoms after six weeks of treatment were assessed by using the SAPS and SANS scales. While there were no significant group differences in overall scores and in the profile of progress of performance along periods on the GT, patient group showed a significant impairment when performing DLPFC tasks. Only FAS score was correlated to the severity of negative symptomatology. The OFC functions are unimpaired at the early phases of psychosis and in contrast there is a significant deficit in DLPFC functions in first-episode of schizophrenia. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 12 | Schizophr. Res. 2006 Oct 87: 254-60 |
| PMID | 16854567 |
| Title | Verbal fluency impairments among middle-aged and older outpatients with schizophrenia are characterized by deficient switching. |
| Abstract | Patients with schizophrenia demonstrate impaired verbal fluency, but no studies have examined the underlying cognitive mechanisms (e.g., clustering and switching) associated with impaired fluency among middle-aged and older, non-institutionalized patients. Using Troyer et al.'s [Troyer, A.K., Moscovitch, M., Winocur, G., 1997. Clustering and switching as two components of verbal fluency: evidence from younger and older healthy adults. Neuropsychology 11 (1), 138-146] conceptual model, we examined clustering and switching on verbal fluency tasks among 163 middle-aged and older outpatients with schizophrenia and 92 age comparable healthy comparison (HC) participants. The patients produced significantly fewer total words than HC participants on both the letter ("F", "A", "S") and Animal fluency conditions. With regard to clustering, patients were similar to HC participants on both FAS and Animal fluency tasks. However, significantly fewer switches between lexical-semantic categories were observed among patients with schizophrenia on both conditions relative to HC participants. A small, but statistically significant association was found between number of switches on the Animal fluency task and severity of negative symptoms. The absence of a difference in mean cluster size between the patient and HC groups suggests intact lexical-semantic stores among middle-aged and older outpatients with schizophrenia. Differences in switching between patients and HC participants may be driven by several cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia. Further delineation of the cognitive mechanisms of the observed lexical-semantic switching deficits in schizophrenia should be a focus of future research. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 13 | Prostaglandins Leukot. Essent. Fatty Acids 2006 Feb 74: 75-85 |
| PMID | 16384692 |
| Title | Low essential fatty acid and B-vitamin status in a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia and its response to dietary supplementation. |
| Abstract | We assessed essential fatty acid (EFA) and B-vitamin status, together with their determinants, in 61 patients with schizophrenia and established whether those with poor status responded biochemically to the appropriate dietary supplements. As a group, the patients had high erythrocyte saturated fatty acids (FAS), monounsaturated FA and low polyunsaturated FA of the omega3 and omega6 series. Patients reporting not to take vitamin supplements had low vitamin B12 and high homocysteine. Homocysteine variance proved best explained by folate in both the total group and male patients, and by vitamins B12 and B6 in females. Alcohol consumption and duration of illness are risk factors for low polyunsaturated FA status (< P2.5 of reference range), while male gender and absence of fish consumption predict hyperhomocysteinemia (> P97.5 of reference range). Two patients exhibited biochemical EFA deficiency and seven showed biochemical signs of omega3/docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) marginality. Four patients exhibited moderate hyperhomocysteinemia with plasma values ranging from 57.5 to 74.8 micromol/L. None of the five patients with either moderate hyperhomocysteinemia, biochemical EFA deficiency, or both, was predicted by their clinicians to have poor diets. That diet was nevertheless at the basis of these abnormalities became confirmed after supplementing 4 of them with B vitamins and with soybean and fish oils. We conclude that a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia has biochemical EFA deficiency, omega3/DHA marginality, moderate hyperhomocysteinemia, or combinations. Correction seems indicated in view of the possible relation of poor EFA and B-vitamin status with some of their psychiatric symptoms, but notably to reduce their high risk of cardiovascular disease. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 14 | Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry 2006 Mar 30: 280-5 |
| PMID | 16236415 |
| Title | Fatty acid relationships in former cannabis users with schizophrenia. |
| Abstract | Abnormalities in the fatty acid (FA)-based endocannabinoid lipid signaller anandamide, and prevalent cannabis use, have been found to be associated with schizophrenia and may potentially alter stress mechanisms. Other FA-based signallers, however, reportedly enhance anandamide function. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between peripherally-measured levels of the FA sources of anandamide and its related signallers. The authors examined erythrocyte FA levels in patients who were former cannabis users ("C-ever") (n=6) or cannabis-naïve ("C-never") (n=6), in relation to symptoms of stress measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS). The results showed that, in former cannabis users only, arachidonic acid (AA, anandamide's precursor) was positively correlated with total 16- and 18-carbon monounsaturated and saturated FAS (16,18m+sFAS), precursors of lipid signallers that enhance or interact with anandamide function. In C-ever, both AA and 16,18m+sFAS correlated inversely with stress, while the 18-carbon polyunsaturated FA, linoleic acid, was positively correlated with stress. Although the findings are tentative in this small sample, potential interventions are indicated. Future research may determine whether these FAS are involved in hypothesised links between anandamide abnormalities, cannabis use and stress in schizophrenia. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 15 | Neuropsychologia 2006 -1 44: 289-99 |
| PMID | 15992835 |
| Title | Reduced auditory M100 asymmetry in schizophrenia and dyslexia: applying a developmental instability approach to assess atypical brain asymmetry. |
| Abstract | Although atypical structural and functional superior temporal gyrus (STG) asymmetries are frequently observed in patients with schizophrenia and individuals with dyslexia, their significance is unclear. One possibility is that atypical asymmetries reflect a general risk factor that can be seen across multiple neurodevelopmental conditions--a risk factor whose origins are best understood in the context of Developmental Instability (DI) theory. DI measures (minor physical anomalies (MPAs) and fluctuating asymmetries (FAS)) reflect perturbation of the genetic plan. The present study sought to assess whether the presence of peripheral indices of DI predicts anomalous functional auditory cortex asymmetry in schizophrenia patients and dyslexia subjects. The location of the auditory M100 response was used as a measure of functional STG asymmetry, as it has been reported that in controls (but not in subjects with schizophrenia or dyslexia) the M100 source location in the right hemisphere is shifted anterior to that seen for the left hemisphere. Whole-brain auditory evoked magnetic field data were successfully recorded from 14 male schizophrenia patients, 21 male subjects with dyslexia, and 16 normal male control subjects. MPA and FA measures were also obtained. Replicating previous studies, both schizophrenia and dyslexia groups showed less M100 asymmetry than did controls. schizophrenia and dyslexia subjects also had higher MPA scores than normal controls. Although neither total MPA nor FA measures predicted M100 asymmetry, analyses on individual MPA items revealed a relationship between high palate and M100 asymmetry. Findings suggest that M100 positional asymmetry is not a diagnostically specific feature in several neurodevelopmental conditions. Continued research examining DI and brain asymmetry relationships is warranted. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 16 | J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2007 Sep 13: 893-7 |
| PMID | 17697420 |
| Title | Language and crossed finger localization in patients with schizophrenia. |
| Abstract | Language deficits are frequently reported in studies of patients with schizophrenia. The present study sought to test the hypothesis that such deficits are related to callosal function in this group. The FAS test of verbal fluency and Perin's Spoonerisms test of phonological processing were the tests of language. Callosal function was assessed using a Crossed Finger Localisation Test (CFLT), which is a measure of the interhemispheric transfer of somatosensory information. Patients with schizophrenia performed less well than controls on measures of language function, as well as on the CFLT. Significant positive correlations between CFLT performance and language function were present in the patient group, but not the control group. These findings extend on previous studies that report functional abnormalities of the corpus callosum in schizophrenia and are consistent with the hypothesis that language deficits in schizophrenia are related to impaired callosal functioning in this group. However, other explanations cannot be ruled out. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 17 | Mol. Psychiatry 2007 Jun 12: 562-71 |
| PMID | 17211438 |
| Title | Alterations of lipid metabolism and gene expression in rat adipocytes during chronic olanzapine treatment. |
| Abstract | Although antipsychotics are established drugs in schizophrenia treatment, they are admittedly known to induce side effects favoring the onset of obesity and worsening its complications. Despite potential involvement of histamine receptor antagonism, or of other neurotransmitter systems, the mechanism by which antipsychotic drugs increase body weight is not elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether chronic antipsychotic treatments can directly alter the regulation of two main functions of white adipose tissue: lipolysis and glucose utilization. The influence of a classical antipsychotic (haloperidol) was compared to that of two atypical antipsychotics, one known to favor weight gain (olanzapine), the other not (ziprasidone). Cell size, lipolytic capacity and glucose transport activity were determined in white adipocytes of rats subjected to 5-week oral treatment with these antipsychotics. Gene expression of adipocyte proteins involved in glucose transport or fat storage and mobilization, such as glucose transporters (GLUT1 and GLUT4), leptin, matrix metallo-proteinase-9 (MMP9), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) was also evaluated. Adipocytes from chronic olanzapine-treated rats exhibited decreased lipolytic activity, lowered HSL expression and increased FAS expression. These changes were concomitant to enlarged fat deposition and adipocyte size. Alterations were observed in adipocytes from olanzapine-treated rats whereas the other antipsychotics did not induce any notable disorder. Our results therefore show evidence of an effect of chronic antipsychotic treatment on rat adipocyte metabolism. Thus, impairment of fat cell lipolysis should be considered as a side effect of certain antipsychotics, leading, along with the already documented hyperphagia, to the excessive weight gain observed in patients under prolonged treatment.. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 18 | Schizophr. Res. 2008 Feb 99: 85-95 |
| PMID | 18083349 |
| Title | Cognitive deficits in early-onset schizophrenia spectrum patients and their non-psychotic siblings: a comparison with ADHD. |
| Abstract | Previous research has shown cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in the areas of executive function, verbal memory and attention. Subtle deficits have been shown in healthy first-degree relatives of patients, suggesting that they may be trait markers. The specificity of these markers for schizophrenia compared with another neurodevelopmental disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has not been reliably established. The Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Hayling Sentence Completion Test (HSCT), FAS Test of orthographic verbal fluency (FAS) and Continuous Performance Test-Identical Pairs (CPT-IP) were administered to adolescent schizophrenia spectrum patients (SZ; n=30), adolescent siblings of schizophrenia spectrum patients (SZ-SIB; n=36), healthy control participants (HC; n=72); a neurodevelopmental comparison group of adolescents with ADHD (n=27). The SZ group were impaired on all measures. The SZ-SIB group were impaired on IQ, immediate recall (RAVLT), target sensitivity (CPT-IP), response initiation (HSCT); error rates for the FAS and HSCT. There were no significant differences between the SZ-SIB and ADHD groups on individual measures of cognitive function. Principal Components Analysis revealed four factors on which further analyses were conducted. The SZ-SIB and ADHD groups showed different profiles of impairment on components related to response initiation and sustained attention/vigilance when each was compared with the HC group. Deficits in intellectual function, verbal memory and response initiation/inhibition were found in the SZ-SIB group indicating that these are markers of risk for schizophrenia. Subtle differences in profiles of impairment in the SZ-SIB and ADHD groups on composite measures of attention and response initiation require further investigation. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 19 | Psychol Med 2008 Sep 38: 1257-66 |
| PMID | 18005495 |
| Title | Cannabis abuse is associated with decision-making impairment among first-episode patients with schizophrenia-spectrum psychosis. |
| Abstract | Cannabis use appears to be a risk factor for schizophrenia. Moreover, cannabis abusers show impaired decision-making capacities, linked to the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Although there is substantial evidence that first-episode schizophrenia patients show impairments in cognitive tasks associated with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), it is not clear whether decision making is impaired at schizophrenia onset. In this study, we examined the association between antecedents of cannabis abuse and cognitive impairment in cognitive tasks associated with the DLPFC and the OFC in a sample of first-episode patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. One hundred and thirty-two patients experiencing their first episode of a schizophrenia-spectrum psychosis were assessed with a cognitive battery including DLPFC-related tasks [backward digits, verbal fluency (FAS) and the Trail Making Test (TMT)] and an OFC-related task [the Iowa Gambling Task (GT)]. Performance on these tasks was compared between patients who had and had not abused cannabis before their psychosis onset. No differences were observed between the two groups on the performance of any of the DLPFC-related tasks. However, patients who had abused cannabis before their psychosis onset showed a poorer total performance on the gambling task and a lower improvement on the performance of the task compared to no-abusers. Pre-psychotic cannabis abuse is associated with decision-making impairment, but not working memory and executive function impairment, among first-episode patients with a schizophrenia-spectrum psychosis. Further studies are needed to examine the direction of causality of this impairment; that is, does the impairment make the patients abuse cannabis, or does cannabis abuse cause the impairment? |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 20 | Schizophr. Res. 2011 Jul 129: 211-2 |
| PMID | 21549565 |
| Title | Association of FAS, a TNF-? receptor gene, with treatment resistant schizophrenia. |
| Abstract | -1 |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 21 | Schizophr. Res. 2011 Aug 130: 20-6 |
| PMID | 21504842 |
| Title | Dietary, lifestyle and pharmacogenetic factors associated with arteriole endothelial-dependent vasodilatation in schizophrenia patients treated with atypical antipsychotics (AAPs). |
| Abstract | Within schizophrenia cardiovascular disease (CVD) is highly prevalent secondary to atypical antipsychotic (AAP) use. Thorough assessments of diet, lifestyle, and endothelial functioning have not been done in this population. Omega 3 Fatty Acids (N-3 FAS) have garnered attention in relation to psychopathology as well as cardioprotection. This study examined the status of endothelial function within the schizophrenia population and determined pharmacogenetic, medication, dietary, and lifestyle factors associated with this functioning. schizophrenia subjects were screened for the metabolic syndrome along with physical activity, smoking, and variants related to folate pharmacogenetics in this cross-sectional analysis. Arteriole endothelial-dependent vasodilatation was measured using non-invasive peripheral arterial tonometry (RH-PAT, EndoPAT2000). A 24h dietary food recall was used to construct intake profiles using the Nutrition Data Systems for Research software (NDSR). We examined associations between AAP use and RH-PAT values, and the influence of N-3 FA dietary intake on this measure. Preliminary data are reported in 83 subjects with a mean age (±s.d.) of 45.89 (±11.49), 64% were Caucasian (n=53), 64% were male (n=53), and 77% were receiving AAP treatment (n=63). A significant positive relationship was found between RH-PAT values and N-3 FA intake (F=17.7(1,16), p=0.0007) in subjects not receiving AAPs. This relationship was lost in those treated with AAPs (F=0.25(1,43), p>0.6). Regression analysis confirmed the interaction effect of AAP treatment on the relationship between RH-PAT and N-3 FAS (p=0.0105). Endothelial dysfunction was also related to folate pharmacogenetic variants. AAPs may counteract some vascular health benefits of a diet high in N-3 FAS. AAP use may necessitate a higher N-3 FA dose to regain these effects, but additional research is necessary to strengthen the preliminary findings. Pharmacogenetic variants related to folate and homocysteine metabolism may also increase endothelial dysfunction risk. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 22 | Schizophr. Res. 2011 Mar 126: 138-43 |
| PMID | 21109405 |
| Title | Action (verb) fluency in schizophrenia: getting a grip on odd speech. |
| Abstract | Formal thought disorder (TD) is a key symptom of schizophrenia with a significant impact on interpersonal relationships. Current cognitive models emphasize disordered language functioning and abnormalities accessing semantic representations. The cortical mechanisms for language and motor function are closely linked, hence action-related language may be impaired in TD, yet existing studies have focussed exclusively on object (noun) rather than action (verb) semantics. In order to examine this issue both action (verb) and traditional semantic (tools, fruits, musical instruments) and phonological (FAS) fluency tasks were completed by individuals with schizophrenia (N=53) and healthy controls (N=69). Fluency performance was measured as the total number of correct words generated in 60s. The schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) was used to index odd and disorganized speech, as well as positive and negative symptoms. Fluency on all tasks was impaired in schizophrenia, compared to controls, with a similar effect size. Within the schizophrenia group Odd Speech was correlated with poor fluency for actions, tools and musical instruments but not fruit or phonological fluency. These action-related fluency deficits were also correlated with Constricted Affect and Social Anxiety but not with Unusual Perceptions/Odd Beliefs. These results point to a unique connection and possible common aetiology between action fluency and odd speech in schizophrenia rather than a general impairment in language/executive functions common to fluency tasks. The findings provide the first evidence of a specific role of action-based language production deficits in TD together with a joint effect on social interaction skills. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 23 | Schizophr. Res. 2011 Mar 126: 138-43 |
| PMID | 21109405 |
| Title | Action (verb) fluency in schizophrenia: getting a grip on odd speech. |
| Abstract | Formal thought disorder (TD) is a key symptom of schizophrenia with a significant impact on interpersonal relationships. Current cognitive models emphasize disordered language functioning and abnormalities accessing semantic representations. The cortical mechanisms for language and motor function are closely linked, hence action-related language may be impaired in TD, yet existing studies have focussed exclusively on object (noun) rather than action (verb) semantics. In order to examine this issue both action (verb) and traditional semantic (tools, fruits, musical instruments) and phonological (FAS) fluency tasks were completed by individuals with schizophrenia (N=53) and healthy controls (N=69). Fluency performance was measured as the total number of correct words generated in 60s. The schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) was used to index odd and disorganized speech, as well as positive and negative symptoms. Fluency on all tasks was impaired in schizophrenia, compared to controls, with a similar effect size. Within the schizophrenia group Odd Speech was correlated with poor fluency for actions, tools and musical instruments but not fruit or phonological fluency. These action-related fluency deficits were also correlated with Constricted Affect and Social Anxiety but not with Unusual Perceptions/Odd Beliefs. These results point to a unique connection and possible common aetiology between action fluency and odd speech in schizophrenia rather than a general impairment in language/executive functions common to fluency tasks. The findings provide the first evidence of a specific role of action-based language production deficits in TD together with a joint effect on social interaction skills. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 24 | Transl Psychiatry 2012 -1 2: e204 |
| PMID | 23233023 |
| Title | Abnormal fatty acid composition in the frontopolar cortex of patients with affective disorders. |
| Abstract | Bipolar and major depressive disorders are essentially relapsing and remitting disorders of affect with nearly full recovery between episodes. Although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear, myelin-related abnormalities have long been suspected. Here, using novel statistical analysis, we show that subtle but significant abnormalities exist in the composition of fatty acids (FAS), including docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3), one of the omega-3 polyunsaturated FAS, found in the post-mortem frontopolar cortex (FPC) of subjects with bipolar or major depressive disorders, although not in those with schizophrenia. These abnormalities were all aggravated in a myelin level-dependent manner, suggesting their close relationship with myelination. Animal studies have further revealed that chronic antidepressant treatment induces robust changes in brain FA metabolism, but contributes only part of the abnormalities found in the affective disorder brains. These findings indicate that the pathophysiology of affective disorders involves an unknown type of perturbed myelination in the FPC that may serve as a novel diagnostic and therapeutic target. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 25 | Clin. Chem. Lab. Med. 2012 Jun 50: 1049-54 |
| PMID | 22706245 |
| Title | Schizophrenia is associated with increased levels of serum Fas and FasL. |
| Abstract | A growing body of evidence suggests that the apoptotic process is dysregulated in schizophrenia. However, only a few studies have evaluated apoptotic markers in vivo in patients or their cell cultures. Serum concentrations of FAS receptor (FAS/APO-1) and FAS ligand (FASL) were measured by ELISA techniques. The differences were tested according to the patients' demographic, clinical and drug treatment characteristics. The clinical accuracy of the examined markers was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. In this case-controlled study both sFAS/APO-1 and FASL were significantly higher in the patients with schizophrenia than in the controls. An increase in apoptotic markers was independent of the symptomatology, drug treatment, heredity, the first onset of the disease, the duration of the psychotic disease as well as the tobacco abuse. A significant negative correlation between the duration of the disease and sFASL concentration was found. At the same time, a significant positive correlation was found between sFASL and lymphocyte caspase-3 activity. ROC curve analysis showed that sFASL was the most strongly associated with the presence of schizophrenia. We can conclude that the extrinsic apoptotic pathway is dysregulated in schizophrenia and sFASL may be a clinically useful disease predictor. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 26 | PLoS ONE 2012 -1 7: e35511 |
| PMID | 22545112 |
| Title | Gene expression analysis implicates a death receptor pathway in schizophrenia pathology. |
| Abstract | An increase in apoptotic events may underlie neuropathology in schizophrenia. By data-mining approaches, we identified significant expression changes in death receptor signaling pathways in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of patients with schizophrenia, particularly implicating the Tumor Necrosis Factor Superfamily member 6 (FAS) receptor and the Tumor Necrosis Factor [ligand] Superfamily member 13 (TNFSF13) in schizophrenia. We sought to confirm and replicate in an independent tissue collection the noted mRNA changes with quantitative real-time RT-PCR. To test for regional and diagnostic specificity, tissue from orbital frontal cortex (OFC) was examined and a bipolar disorder group included. In schizophrenia, we confirmed and replicated significantly increased expression of TNFSF13 mRNA in the DLPFC. Also, a significantly larger proportion of subjects in the schizophrenia group had elevated FAS receptor expression in the DLPFC relative to unaffected controls. These changes were not observed in the bipolar disorder group. In the OFC, there were no significant differences in TNFSF13 or FAS receptor mRNA expression. Decreases in BH3 interacting domain death agonist (BID) mRNA transcript levels were found in the schizophrenia and bipolar disorder groups affecting both the DLPFC and the OFC. We tested if TNFSF13 mRNA expression correlated with neuronal mRNAs in the DLPFC, and found significant negative correlations with interneuron markers, parvalbumin and somatostatin, and a positive correlation with PPP1R9B (spinophilin), but not DLG4 (PSD-95). The expression of TNFSF13 mRNA in DLPFC correlated negatively with tissue pH, but decreasing pH in cultured cells did not cause increased TNFSF13 mRNA nor did exogenous TNFSF13 decrease pH. We concluded that increased TNFSF13 expression may be one of several cell-death cytokine abnormalities that contribute to the observed brain pathology in schizophrenia, and while increased TNFSF13 may be associated with lower brain pH, the change is not necessarily causally related to brain pH. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 27 | Prostaglandins Leukot. Essent. Fatty Acids 2013 Feb 88: 185-90 |
| PMID | 23219238 |
| Title | The impact of PLA2G4A and PTGS2 gene polymorphisms, and red blood cell PUFAs deficit on niacin skin flush response in schizophrenia patients. |
| Abstract | We investigated the etiology of the attenuated niacin skin flush response in schizophrenia patients. Skin response to topical niacin of 0.1M, 0.01 M, 0.001 M, and 0.0001 M concentrations was rated using method of volumetric niacin response (VNR) and correlated to two functional A/G polymorphisms in genes: phospholipase A2 group IVA (BanI of the PLA2G4A), and rs689466 of the prostaglandin synthase-2 (PTGS2). We further tested the possible correlation between niacin response and fatty acid (FA) content of red blood cells (RBCs). We detected statistically significant but weak impact of both polymorphisms on niacin flush response in schizophrenia patients. The dosage of the G alleles of both polymorphisms was associated with higher VNR values, although each polymorphic variant accounted for only 1% of the overall flush response variability. Regarding FA content, both n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated FAS (PUFAS) were significantly reduced in the patient group, but an association with niacin sensitivity was not detected. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 28 | J Psychiatr Res 2013 Oct 47: 1376-82 |
| PMID | 23806580 |
| Title | Impact of peripheral levels of chemokines, BDNF and oxidative markers on cognition in individuals with schizophrenia. |
| Abstract | To investigate possible differences in peripheral levels of chemokines, BDNF and oxidative markers between patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and matched healthy controls, and investigate the correlation of these biomarkers with cognitive performance. Thirty individuals with SZ and 27 healthy controls were included and the following plasmatic biomarkers' levels were determined according to manufacturers' instructions: BDNF, TBARS, protein carbonyl content (PCC) and the chemokines CXCL-10/IP-10, CXCL-8/IL-8, CCL-11, CCL-24/Eotaxin-2, CCL-2/MCP-1, CCL-3/MIP-1. Selected neuropsychological tasks were administered to assess verbal learning (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test), verbal fluency (FAS test), working memory (Visual Working Memory Task, Keep Track Task, Letter Memory Task), set shifting (Plus-minus task, Number-letter task), inhibition (Computerized Stroop Task, Semantic Generation Task) and complex executive function tasks (Tower of London and the shortened version of the WCST-64). Compared with the healthy control group, individuals with SZ presented significantly higher levels of BDNF and the chemokine CCL-11, and lower levels of TBARS and the chemokine CXCL-10/IP-10. When we examined only the SZ group, BDNF levels were positively correlated with semantic generation tasks. Working memory ability was negatively correlated with PCC. Regarding chemokines, CCL-11 was negatively correlated to performance in working memory test, and positively correlated with cognitive flexibility task. CXCL-8/IL-8 was positively correlated with verbal fluency. CCL-24/Eotaxin-2 was positively correlated with semantic generation ability and letter memory task. Our results indicate that cognitive performance in SZ is associated with mediators of neuroplasticity that can be measured peripherally. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 29 | Psychiatry Res 2014 Dec 220: 846-54 |
| PMID | 25453638 |
| Title | Neuropsychological profile and treatment-related features among patients with comorbidity between schizophrenia spectrum disorder and obsessive?compulsive disorder: is there evidence for a ?schizo-obsessive? subtype? |
| Abstract | Epidemiological studies have found that obsessive?compulsive disorder (OCD) is estimated to occur in 12% of patients with schizophrenia. Whether this ?schizo-obsessive? subgroup may be posited as a clinical entity with a distinct neuropsychological profile and treatment-related features remains unclear. A sample of 30 patients who met DSM-IV criteria for both schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder and OCD was compared with 30 OCD subjects and with 37 patients with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. Neuropsychological domains were measured by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Third Edition (WAIS-III), the Trail Making Test (TMT), and the verbal fluency test (FAS). Treatment-related variables were assessed with the Clinical Global Improvement scale (CGI), the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI), and dosage/type of antipsychotic medications. One-way analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences among the three groups in ?working memory,? ?block design,? ?semantic fluency,? TMT-A, and TMT-B. However, the Bonferroni correction showed no statistical differences between both psychotic groups. In addition, there were no significant differences among the three groups in the CGI and DAI, although ?schizo-obsessive? patients tended to display slightly higher scores on these variables than the other groups. Overall, these findings do not support the hypothesis that comorbidity between schizophrenia spectrum disorders and OCD may reflect a distinct clinical entity. However, further research with larger sample sizes and a more comprehensive clinical assessment are needed. Our findings also underscore the fact that divergences among assessment instruments, as well as confounding variables, may influence results on neuropsychological domains. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 30 | Neuroscience 2014 Sep 277: 541-51 |
| PMID | 25075716 |
| Title | FADD adaptor and PEA-15/ERK1/2 partners in major depression and schizophrenia postmortem brains: basal contents and effects of psychotropic treatments. |
| Abstract | Enhanced brain apoptosis (neurons and glia) may be involved in major depression (MD) and schizophrenia (SZ), mainly through the activation of the intrinsic (mitochondrial) apoptotic pathway. In the extrinsic death pathway, pro-apoptotic FAS-associated death domain (FADD) adaptor and its non-apoptotic p-Ser194 FADD form have critical roles interacting with other death regulators such as phosphoprotein enriched in astrocytes of 15 kDa (PEA-15) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). The basal status of FADD (protein and messenger RNA (mRNA)) and the effects of psychotropic drugs (detected in blood/urine samples) were first assessed in postmortem prefrontal cortex of MD and SZ subjects (including a non-MD/SZ suicide group). In MD, p-FADD, but not total FADD (and mRNA), was increased (26%, n=24; all MD subjects) as well as p-FADD/FADD ratio (a pro-survival marker) in antidepressant-free MD subjects (50%, n=10). In contrast, cortical FADD (and mRNA), p-FADD, and p-FADD/FADD were not altered in SZ brains (n=21) regardless of antipsychotic medications (except enhanced mRNA in treated subjects). Similar negative results were quantified in the non-MD/SZ suicide group. In MD, the regulation of multifunctional PEA-15 (i.e., p-Ser116 PEA-15 blocks pro-apoptotic FADD and PEA-15 prevents pro-survival ERK action) and the modulation of p-ERK1/2 were also investigated. Cortical p-PEA-15 was not changed whereas PEA-15 was increased mainly in antidepressant-treated subjects (16-20%). Interestingly, cortical p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 ratio was reduced (33%) in antidepressant-free when compared to antidepressant-treated MD subjects. The neurochemical adaptations of brain FADD (increased p-FADD and pro-survival p-FADD/FADD ratio), as well as its interaction with PEA-15, could play a major role to counteract the known activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in MD. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 31 | Acta Psychiatr Scand 2014 Sep 130: 163-80 |
| PMID | 24649967 |
| Title | Effects of oxidative stress on fatty acid- and one-carbon-metabolism in psychiatric and cardiovascular disease comorbidity. |
| Abstract | Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in severe psychiatric disorders (depression, schizophrenia). Here, we provide evidence of how the effects of oxidative stress on fatty acid (FA) and one-carbon (1-C) cycle metabolism, which may initially represent adaptive responses, might underlie comorbidity between CVD and psychiatric disorders. We conducted a literature search and integrated data in a narrative review. Oxidative stress, mainly generated in mitochondria, is implicated in both psychiatric and cardiovascular pathophysiology. Oxidative stress affects the intrinsically linked FA and 1-C cycle metabolism: FAS decrease in chain length and unsaturation (particularly omega-3 polyunsaturated FAS), and lipid peroxidation products increase; the 1-C cycle shifts from the methylation to transsulfuration pathway (lower folate and higher homocysteine and antioxidant glutathione). Interestingly, corresponding alterations were reported in psychiatric disorders and CVD. Potential mechanisms through which FA and 1-C cycle metabolism may be involved in brain (neurocognition, mood regulation) and cardiovascular system functioning (inflammation, thrombosis) include membrane peroxidizability and fluidity, eicosanoid synthesis, neuroprotection and epigenetics. While oxidative-stress-induced alterations in FA and 1-C metabolism may initially enhance oxidative stress resistance, persisting chronically, they may cause damage possibly underlying (co-occurrence of) psychiatric disorders and CVD. This might have implications for research into diagnosis and (preventive) treatment of (CVD in) psychiatric patients. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 32 | Medicine (Baltimore) 2015 Sep 94: e1596 |
| PMID | 26426640 |
| Title | The Relationship Between Educational Years and Phonemic Verbal Fluency (PVF) and Semantic Verbal Fluency (SVF) Tasks in Spanish Patients Diagnosed With Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Psychotic Bipolar Disorder. |
| Abstract | Semantic and verbal fluency tasks are widely used as a measure of frontal capacities. It has been well described in literature that patients affected by schizophrenic and bipolar disorders present a worse execution in these tasks. Some authors have also noted the importance of educational years. Our objective is to analyze whether the effect of cognitive malfunction caused by apathology is superior to the expected effect of years of education in phonemic verbal fluency (PVF) and semantic verbal fluency (SVF) task execution. A total of 62 individuals took part in this study, out of which 23 were patients with schizophrenic paranoid disorder, 11 suffered from bipolar disorder with psychotic symptomatology, 13 suffered from bipolar disorder without psychotic symptomatology, and 15 participants were nonpathological individuals. All participants were evaluated with the PVF and SVF tests (animals and tools). The performance/execution results were analyzed with a mixed-model ANCOVA, with educational years as a covariable. The effect of education seems to be more determined by PVF FAS tests than by SVF. With PVF FAS tasks, the expected effect of pathology disappears when the covariable EDUCATION is introduced. With SVF tasks, the effect continues to be significant, even though the EDUACTION covariable dims such effect. These results suggest that SVF tests (animals category) are better evaluation tools as they are less dependent on the patients' education than PVF FAS tests. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 33 | Medicine (Baltimore) 2015 Sep 94: e1596 |
| PMID | 26426640 |
| Title | The Relationship Between Educational Years and Phonemic Verbal Fluency (PVF) and Semantic Verbal Fluency (SVF) Tasks in Spanish Patients Diagnosed With Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Psychotic Bipolar Disorder. |
| Abstract | Semantic and verbal fluency tasks are widely used as a measure of frontal capacities. It has been well described in literature that patients affected by schizophrenic and bipolar disorders present a worse execution in these tasks. Some authors have also noted the importance of educational years. Our objective is to analyze whether the effect of cognitive malfunction caused by apathology is superior to the expected effect of years of education in phonemic verbal fluency (PVF) and semantic verbal fluency (SVF) task execution. A total of 62 individuals took part in this study, out of which 23 were patients with schizophrenic paranoid disorder, 11 suffered from bipolar disorder with psychotic symptomatology, 13 suffered from bipolar disorder without psychotic symptomatology, and 15 participants were nonpathological individuals. All participants were evaluated with the PVF and SVF tests (animals and tools). The performance/execution results were analyzed with a mixed-model ANCOVA, with educational years as a covariable. The effect of education seems to be more determined by PVF FAS tests than by SVF. With PVF FAS tasks, the expected effect of pathology disappears when the covariable EDUCATION is introduced. With SVF tasks, the effect continues to be significant, even though the EDUACTION covariable dims such effect. These results suggest that SVF tests (animals category) are better evaluation tools as they are less dependent on the patients' education than PVF FAS tests. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 34 | PLoS ONE 2016 -1 11: e0151417 |
| PMID | 26963912 |
| Title | Relationship between Erythrocyte Fatty Acid Composition and Psychopathology in the Vienna Omega-3 Study. |
| Abstract | This study investigated the relationship between erythrocyte membrane fatty acid (FA) levels and the severity of symptoms of individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis. Subjects of the present study consisted of 80 neuroleptic-naïve UHR patients. Partial correlation coefficients were calculated between baseline erythrocyte membrane FA levels, measured by gas chromatography, and scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Global Assessment of Functioning Scale, and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) after controlling for age, sex, smoking and cannabis use. Subjects were divided into three groups according to the predominance of positive or negative symptoms based on PANSS subscale scores; membrane FA levels in the three groups were then compared. More severe negative symptoms measured by PANSS were negatively correlated with two saturated FAS (myristic and margaric acids), one ?-9 monounsaturated FA (MUFA; nervonic acid), and one ?-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA; docosapentaenoic acid), and were positively correlated with two ?-9 MUFAS (eicosenoic and erucic acids) and two ?-6 PUFAS (?-linolenic and docosadienoic acids). More severe positive symptoms measured by PANSS were correlated only with nervonic acid. No associations were observed between FAS and MADRS scores. In subjects with predominant negative symptoms, the sum of the ?-9 MUFAS and the ?-6:?-3 FA ratio were both significantly higher than in those with predominant positive symptoms, whereas the sum of ?-3 PUFAS was significantly lower. In conclusion, abnormalities in FA metabolism may contribute to the neurobiology of psychopathology in UHR individuals. In particular, membrane FA alterations may play a role in negative symptoms, which are primary psychopathological manifestations of schizophrenia-related disability. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 35 | Case Rep Psychiatry 2016 -1 2016: 8073572 |
| PMID | 26925283 |
| Title | Foreign Accent Syndrome, a Rare Presentation of Schizophrenia in a 34-Year-Old African American Female: A Case Report and Literature Review. |
| Abstract | Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS) is a rare phenomenon where speech is characterized by a new accent to the patient's native language. More than 100 cases with the syndrome have been published, the majority of which were associated with observed insults of the speech center. Some other cases have been described without identifiable organic brain injury, especially in patients with psychiatric illness. This paper presents a patient with schizophrenia and FAS, without any evidence of organic brain injury. FAS recurred during psychotic exacerbation and did not reverse before transfer to a long-term psychiatric facility. The case is discussed in the context of a brief review of the syndrome. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 36 | Psychiatry Res 2016 Jan 235: 133-8 |
| PMID | 26706131 |
| Title | Profiling cognitive impairment in treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients. |
| Abstract | The aim of this study was to compare cognitive performance between schizophrenia patients with and without treatment resistance (TRS and non-TRS patients) taking into account psychopathological symptoms and antipsychotic treatment. The following cognitive tests were administered to 53 TRS patients and 32 non-TRS subjects: Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Trail Making Tests (TMT-A and TMT-B), verbal fluency tests (FAS test and Supermarket), as well as selected Wechsler Adults Intelligence Scale (WAIS-R-PI) subtests: Digit Symbol Coding Test, Digit Span Forward and Backward and Similarities. TRS patients performed significantly worse in comparison with non-TRS patients on the measures of processing speed (TMT-A, Stroop test, FAS test, Supermarket test, Digit Symbol Coding test), verbal fluency (FAS test, Supermarket test), cognitive flexibility and executive functions (Stroop test) after controlling for age, illness duration, clinical symptoms severity, the number of years of completed education and antipsychotics' dose. Cognitive performance was associated with negative and general symptomatology. Anticholinergic activity of antipsychotics had debilitating effect on cognitive functioning in non-TRS patients (FAS test) and in TRS patients (TMT-B test, Stroop test, RAVLT subtests, Digit Coding test and Similarities test), while low anticholinergic activity of antipsychotics was associated with better cognitive performance in non-TRS patients (Backward Digit Span test) and in TRS patients (Similarities test). Results of this study indicate that cognitive deficits are more robust in TRS patients than in non-TRS subjects, and are associated with clinical symptoms as well as the treatment with antipsychotics that exert high anticholinergic activity. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |
| 37 | Nutrition 2016 Feb 32: 174-8 |
| PMID | 26706021 |
| Title | Beneficial action of resveratrol: How and why? |
| Abstract | Flavonoid resveratrol modulates the transcription factor NF-?B; inhibits the cytochrome P450 isoenzyme CYP1 A1; suppresses the expression and activity of cyclooxygenase enzymes; and modulates FAS/FAS-ligand-mediated apoptosis, p53, mammalian target of rapamycin, and cyclins and various phosphodiesterases. This increases the cytosolic cAMP that activates Epac1/CaMKK?/AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1? pathway, which in turn facilitates increased oxidation of fatty acids, mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial respiration, and gluconeogenesis. Resveratrol triggers apoptosis of activated T cells and suppresses tumor necrosis factor-?, interluekin-17 (IL-17), and other proinflammatory molecules, and thus is of benefit in autoimmune diseases. In addition, resveratrol inhibits expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1? and vascular endothelial growth factor, explaining its effective action against cancer. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that is involved in the pathogenesis of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome is also altered in depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism. We noted that BDNF protects against cytotoxic actions of alloxan, streptozotocin, and benzo(a)pyrene. Resveratrol prevents bisphenol A-induced autism, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome, suggesting that it may augment BDNF synthesis and action. We also observed that BDNF levels are low in type 2 diabetes mellitus and that BDNF enhances production of antiinflammatory lipid, lipoxin A4, whose levels are low in diabetes mellitus. Thus, resveratrol may augment production of lipoxin A4. Resveratrol alters gut microbiota and influences stem cell proliferation and differentiation. These pleiotropic actions of resveratrol may explain the multitude of its actions and benefits. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia, schizophrenic, schizophrenics, schizotypy, schizotypal |