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Schizophrenia
Kinds of Schizophrenia Terms modified by Schizophrenia Selected AbstractsHomicide and schizophrenia: maybe treatment does have a preventive effectCRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2001Martin Erb Background Persons with schizophrenia have been found to be at increased risk for homicide as compared with the general population. The increased risk may be associated with the implementation of the policy of deinstitutionalization. Method Persons with schizophrenia who had committed or attempted homicide in the German state of Hessen from 1992 to 1996 and in the Federal Republic of Germany from 1955 to 1964 were compared. Results Schizophrenia increased the risk of homicide 16.6 times (95% CI 11.2,24.5) in the recent cohort and 12.7 times (95% CI 11.2,14.3) in the older cohort. These odds ratios are not statistically different. The lack of appropriate services for chronic high-risk patients and the non-use of mental health services by first episode, acutely psychotic patients were associated with homicide. Conclusion There has been no increase in the risk of homicide among persons with schizophrenia since the implementation of the policy of deinstitutionalization. The examination of the recent period suggests that the provision of specialized long-term care to persons with schizophrenia who are at high risk for violent behaviour and the use of mental health services by acutely psychotic persons may reduce the risk of homicide. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Illicit substance use and its correlates in first episode psychosisACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2010R. Mazzoncini Mazzoncini R, Donoghue K, Hart J, Morgan C, Doody GA, Dazzan P, Jones PB, Morgan K, Murray RM, Fearon P. Illicit substance use and its correlates in first episode psychosis. Objective:, To determine if substance use (particularly cannabis) is more frequent among first episode psychosis patients and associated with a more problematic clinical presentation. Method:, All first episode psychosis (FEP) patients presenting to secondary services were recruited from London and Nottingham, over 2 years, in the Aetiology and Ethnicity of Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses study broad framework. Clinical and sociodemographic variables were assessed using a set of standardized instruments. A schedule was created to retrospectively collate substance use data from patients, relatives and clinicians. Results:, Five hundred and eleven FEP were identified. They used three to five times more substances than general population. Substance use was associated with poorer social adjustment and a more acute mode of onset. Cannabis use did not affect social adjustment, but was associated with a more acute mode of onset. Conclusion:, Cannabis has a different impact on FEP than other substances. Large epidemiological studies are needed to disentangle cannabis effect. [source] Schizophrenia; from structure to function with special focus on the mediodorsal thalamic prefrontal loopACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2009B. Pakkenberg Objective:, To describe structural and biochemical evidence from postmortem brains that implicates the reciprocal connections between the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus and the prefrontal cortex in cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Method:, The estimation of the regional volumes and cell numbers was obtained using stereological methods. The biochemical analyses of molecular expression in postmortem brain involve quantitative measurement of transcripts and proteins by in-situ (RNA) or Western blot/autoradiography in brains from patients with schizophrenia and comparison subjects. Results:, Stereological studies in postmortem brain from patients with schizophrenia have reported divergent and often opposing findings in the total number of neurons and volume of the mediodorsal (MD) thalamic nucleus, and to a lesser degree in its reciprocally associated areas of the prefrontal cortex. Similarly, quantitative molecular postmortem studies have found large inter-subject and between-study variance at both the transcript and protein levels for receptors and their interacting molecules of several neurotransmitter systems in these interconnected anatomical regions. Combined, large variation in stereological and molecular studies indicates a complex and heterogeneous involvement of the MD thalamic-prefrontal loop in schizophrenia. Conclusion:, Based on a considerable heterogeneity in patients suffering from schizophrenia, large variation in postmortem studies, including stereological and molecular postmortem studies of the MD thalamus and frontal cortex, might be expected and may in fact partly help to explain the variable endophenotypic traits associated with this severe psychiatric illness. [source] Subjective quality of life of Nigerian schizophrenia patients: sociodemographic and clinical correlatesACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2 2009A. O. Adewuya Objective:, Subjective quality of life (QOL) is dependent upon culture and its evaluation based on one's particular belief system. This study aimed to examine the subjective QOL of Nigerian out-patients with schizophrenia and its correlates. Method:, Out-patients with Schizophrenia (n = 99) completed the WHOQOL-BREF as a measure of their subjective QOL. Sociodemographic, illness related and medication related details were also obtained. Results:, Overall, 21 patients (21.2%) were categorised as having ,good' and 36 (36.4%) as having ,poor' subjective QOL. ,Poor' subjective QOL correlated with anxiety/depression symptoms (OR 4.88, 95% CI 2.93,11.48), comorbid medical problems (OR 4.75, 95% CI 1.43,16.33), unemployment (OR 3.75, 95% CI 1.25,11.72) and poor social support (OR 4.60, 95% CI 1.49,14.28). Conclusion:, Efforts to improve the QOL of patients with schizophrenia in this environment should encompass the identified variables. Larger, longitudinal and multi-centred studies are needed to adequately identify factors predicting QOL in this environment. [source] A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of rosiglitazone for clozapine-induced glucose metabolism impairment in patients with SchizophreniaACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2009D. C. Henderson Objective:, The primary purpose of this 8-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of rosiglitazone 4 mg/day was to examine its effect on insulin sensitivity index (SI) and glucose utilization (SG) in clozapine-treated subjects with schizophrenia with insulin resistance. Method:, Eighteen subjects were randomized and accessed with a Frequently Sampled Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test (FSIVGTT) at baseline and at week 8 to estimate SG and SI. Results:, Controlling for the baseline, comparing the rosiglitazone group with placebo group, there was a non-significant improvement in SG (0.016 ± 0.006,0.018 ± 0.008, effect size = 0.23, P = 0.05) with a trend of improvement in SI in the rosiglitazone group (4.6 ± 2.8,7.8 ± 6.7, effect size = 0.18, P = 0.08). There was a significant reduction in small low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) particle number (987 ± 443,694 ± 415, effect size = 0.30, P = 0.04). Conclusion:, Rosiglitazone may have a role in addressing insulin resistance and lipid abnormalities associated with clozapine. [source] Schizophrenia and physical health problemsACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2009Y. Von Hausswolff-Juhlin Objective:, To estimate the prevalence of physical health problems in patients with schizophrenia, and to appraise the impact on mortality rates and quality of life (QoL) in such patients. Method:, A selective review of clinical articles relating to physical health such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and QoL. In addition, current guidelines and recommendations for the monitoring of physical health in schizophrenia were reviewed. Results:, Cardiovascular events contribute most strongly to the excess mortality observed in schizophrenia. Other factors that contribute significantly include obesity, metabolic aberrations, smoking, alcohol, lack of exercise and poor diet , all of which might be targets for health promoting activities. Conclusion:, Physical health problems in patients with schizophrenia are common, and contribute to the excess mortality rate, as well as decreasing QoL. Many adverse physical factors are malleable in such patients, and physical benefit may be gained by following practical guidelines for their monitoring and improvement. [source] Schizophrenia , a practical primerACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 4 2006Jimmi Nielsen No abstract is available for this article. [source] The Canadian National Outcomes Measurement Study in Schizophrenia: overview of the patient sample and methodologyACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2006G. Smith Objective:, The Canadian National Outcomes Measurement Study in Schizophrenia (CNOMSS) is a prospective survey of routine clinical practice. Method:, Patients with schizophrenia or a related disorder were consecutively enrolled from all regions of Canada. Both academic and community psychiatric clinics were included and patients were followed up for 2 years. Clinical and functional status, quality of life, medication and economic costs were assessed at enrollment and monitored throughout the follow-up period. Results:, Patients attending an academic clinic tended to be younger and more severely ill than those from community clinics. Both types of sites prescribed atypical neuroleptics to more than three-quarters of the patients. The majority of those enrolled were unemployed and living in poverty. Poor clinical status was associated with poverty. Conclusion:, The CNOMSS provides demographic, clinical and treatment-related information about a large Canada-wide sample of psychiatric patients. The following three articles in this issue of Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica explore issues related to medication, quality of life and resource utilization. [source] Medication decisions and clinical outcomes in the Canadian National Outcomes Measurement Study in SchizophreniaACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2006R. Williams Objective:, To evaluate over a 2-year period, patients from academic/non-academic centres, from each region of Canada, to determine whether location or other variables such as medication type, gender or income was associated with outcome as defined by non-hospitalization and persistence on original treatment. Method:, A total of 448 patients were recruited from academic and non-academic centres across all provinces of Canada and followed up for 2 years. Results:, Patients from British Columbia had significantly lower rates of hospitalization than patients from other provinces. Male patients showed greater symptomatic improvement at 2 years from initial assessment compared to females. Patients on clozapine, risperidone and olanzapine were least likely to be hospitalized. Conclusion:, There were some regional differences noted in both utilization of types of antipsychotic medications and hospitalization rates. In this sample of stable out-patients over 70% who started on monotherapy with clozapine, risperidone, olanzapine and quetiapine remained on the same medication over the 2-year study period. [source] The gluten connection: the association between schizophrenia and celiac diseaseACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2 2006A. E. Kalaydjian Objective:, Schizophrenia affects roughly 1% of the population and is considered one of the top 10 causes of disability worldwide. Given the immense cost to society, successful treatment options are imperative. Based on initial findings, gluten withdrawal may serve as a safe and economical alternative for the reduction of symptoms in a subset of patients. Method:, A review of the literature relevant to the association between schizophrenia and celiac disease (gluten intolerance) was conducted. Results:, A drastic reduction, if not full remission, of schizophrenic symptoms after initiation of gluten withdrawal has been noted in a variety of studies. However, this occurs only in a subset of schizophrenic patients. Conclusion:, Large-scale epidemiological studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm the association between gluten and schizophrenia, and address the underlying mechanisms by which this association occurs. [source] Schizophrenia: from neuroimaging to neuroscience.ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2005Alice Madsen No abstract is available for this article. [source] Schizophrenia and weight management: a systematic review of interventions to control weightACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2003G. Faulkner Objective: Weight gain is a frequent side effect of antipsychotic medication which has serious implications for a patient's health and well being. This study systematically reviews the literature on the effectiveness of interventions designed to control weight gain in schizophrenia. Method: A systematic search strategy was conducted of major databases in addition to citation searches. Study quality was rated. Results: Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Five of eight pharmacological intervention studies reported small reductions in weight (<5% baseline body weight). All behavioural (including diet and/or exercise) interventions reported small reductions in, or maintenance of, weight. Conclusion: Weight loss may be difficult but it is not impossible. Given the inconsistent results, the widespread use of pharmacological interventions cannot be recommended. Both dietary and exercise counselling set within a behavioural modification programme is necessary for sustained weight control. [source] Effectiveness and tolerability of risperidone in Asian patients with first-episode psychosisACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2002S. Verma Objectives, To evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of risperidone in Asian patients with first-episode psychosis and to examine correlates of response in a naturalistic study. Method, Patients with first-episode psychosis were evaluated at baseline and weekly for 6 weeks with the Positive and Negative Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS), Simpson,Angus Rating Scale (SARS), Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale (BARS), Rating Scale for Side-effects (RSSE), and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). Results, 42 patients with a mean age of 24.85 ± 9.68 years and mean duration of untreated illness of 11.91 ± 22.04 months were recruited. The mean dose of risperidone was 1.82 ± 0.77 mg. The mean reduction in PANSS score was from 67.97 ± 20.02 at baseline to 42.53 ± 14.08 at week 6 (P < 0.005). The incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms was 9.5% and akathisia was 7.1%. 45.2% of patients showed more than or equal 40% reduction in the PANSS score (responders). When responders were compared to nonresponders, the responders had a significantly higher total and positive PANSS score at baseline. Conclusion, Risperidone is an effective and safe antipsychotic in first-episode psychosis. [source] Schizophrenia in homeless persons: a systematic review of the literatureACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2002D. Folsom Objective:,This article systematically reviews studies of prevalence of schizophrenia in homeless persons. Method:,Medline and PsychInfo were searched using the key words: homeless person, mental illness, psychosis, and schizophrenia. The bibliographies of identified articles were also reviewed. Results:,Study designs varied considerably. The rate of schizophrenia in homeless persons reported in the 33 published reports, representing eight different countries, ranged from 2 to 45%. In the 10 methodologically superior studies, the prevalence range was 4,16% and the weighted average prevalence was 11%. In addition, rates were higher in younger persons, women and the chronically homeless. Slightly less than half of the homeless persons with schizophrenia were not currently receiving treatment. Conclusion:,Schizophrenia is much more prevalent among homeless persons than in the population at large. Future research should focus on better ways of meeting the mental health care needs of homeless people with schizophrenia. [source] Mental health improvements of substance-dependent clients after 4 months in a Therapeutic CommunityDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 5 2010ANNE-MAREE POLIMENI Abstract Introduction and Aims. Odyssey House Victoria's Therapeutic Community (TC) accepts substance-dependent clients, including those with co-occurring mental health issues. American data suggest that TCs are effective in rehabilitating such clients; however, Australian research is limited. The aim of the study was to examine Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) profiles of Odyssey House TC residents early in their residency and again after 4 months, to chart changes in MMPI-2 profiles and compare them with norms for psychological health. Design and Methods. The sample comprised 351 clients who were part of the residential program between 1997 and 2007, and who remained in treatment at the TC for at least 4 months. They were administered the MMPI-2 after 5 weeks in treatment and again after 4 months. Results. At the first assessment, the validity scales of the MMPI-2 plus the clinical scales Depression, Psychopathic Deviate, Paranoia, Psychasthenia and Schizophrenia were in the clinical range. At the second assessment, mean scores on all clinical scales except Mania were significantly or near significantly lower and, except for Psychopathic Deviate, within the normal range. The validity scales also demonstrated improvement, although two of the three remained in the clinical range. Discussion and Conclusions. Results indicated that treatment within the TC over this time span was associated with improved mental health. The present study suggests that residential rehabilitation's holistic approach provides a suitable treatment model for clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.[Polimeni A-M, Moore SM, Gruenert S. Mental health improvements of substance-dependent clients after 4 months in a Therapeutic Community. Drug Alcohol Rev 2010] [source] The familial aggregation of cannabis use disordersADDICTION, Issue 4 2009Kathleen R. Merikangas ABSTRACT Aims The aim of this paper is to examine the familial aggregation of cannabis use disorders and other psychiatric conditions among first-degree relatives and spouses of probands with a cannabis use disorder. Design Controlled family study methods. Setting Out-patient psychiatric clinics and the local community (same geographic area). Participants Two hundred and sixty-two probands with a life-time history of cannabis use disorder, alcohol dependence, anxiety disorders or no history of any disorder, and their first-degree relatives and spouses. Measurements Cannabis use disorders and other DSM-III-R disorders in the relatives and spouses using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia. Findings Results reveal an elevated risk of life-time history of cannabis use disorders among siblings [odds ratio (OR: 3.6), adult offspring (OR): 6.9], and spouses (OR: 4.4) of probands with cannabis use disorders. There is a latent familial factor underlying cannabis use disorders that was shared partially with alcohol abuse/dependence. Comorbid mood and anxiety disorders aggregated independently from cannabis use disorders in families. Equal elevation in the magnitude of the association among the first-degree adult relatives and spouses of probands with a cannabis use disorder suggests the probable contribution of both environmental and genetic factors. Conclusions These findings support a family-based approach to drug abuse intervention and the importance of future research concerning environmental mediators of familial transmission of drug abuse. [source] Interictal Psychoses in Comparison with Schizophrenia,A Prospective StudyEPILEPSIA, Issue 12 2007Yukari Tadokoro Summary Purpose: To prospectively investigate the incidence of interictal psychoses of epilepsy patients, and make a comparison between those with interictal psychoses and patients with schizophrenia in respect to their responses to antipsychotic drugs, as well as psychotic states. Methods: We undertook a two-part prospective investigation. In Part I, the psychotic episodes of 619 epilepsy patients were investigated, while 182 patients with psychotic syndromes were followed in Part II, of whom 59 were diagnosed with schizophrenia and 13 with epilepsy with interictal psychoses. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale was used for efficacy assessment. Results: The average annual incidence of interictal psychosis was 0.42% during the 56-month study period. A significant difference was found between patients with schizophrenia and epilepsy patients with interictal psychoses in respect to results on the negative subscale of the PANSS at the initial examination (mean scores of 18.1 and 13.2, respectively, p = 0.004). The response rates one year later for these groups were 27.1% and 53.8%, respectively, which showed a trend of better response to the antipsychotic medication by the epilepsy group (p = 0.098). Initial and maximum doses of antipsychotic drugs used for epilepsy patients with interictal psychoses were significantly lower than those used for patients with schizophrenia (p = 0.008 and p = 0.006, respectively). Conclusions: Schizophrenia and epileptic psychosis showed different symptom profiles. On average, epilepsy patients with interictal psychoses achieved higher remission rates with lower doses of antipsychotic drugs as compared to patients with schizophrenia in the present 1-year follow-up study. [source] PDE10A inhibition reverses subchronic PCP-induced deficits in attentional set-shifting in ratsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 4 2005Joshua S. Rodefer Abstract Persistent suppression of N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptor function produces enduring structural changes in neocortical and limbic regions in a pattern similar to changes reported in schizophrenia. This similarity suggests that chronic NMDA receptor antagonism in animals may represent a useful model of neurobiological and related cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is associated with impairments in frontal lobe-dependent cognitive functions, including working memory and attentional shifting. Deficits in attention and executive function have not been well characterized in animal models of schizophrenia using chronic NMDA receptor antagonist administration. We investigated whether subchronic systemic administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist phencyclidine (PCP) to rats followed by a drug washout period would produce enduring cognitive deficits on an attentional set-shifting task. The task is functionally analogous to a sensitive test of frontal function in humans and non-human primates. Subchronic PCP administration selectively impaired extradimensional shift learning without affecting other discrimination or reversal tasks. Moreover, acute treatment with the PDE10A inhibitor papaverine immediately prior to testing attenuated the PCP-induced deficits in extradimensional shift learning across a range of doses. These data suggest that subchronic PCP administration may model effectively some of the cognitive deficits that are observed in schizophrenia, and that PDE10A inhibition may be an effective therapeutic route to improve executive function deficits associated with schizophrenia. [source] Couples with Schizophrenia "Becoming like Others" in South Korea: Marriage as Part of a Recovery ProcessFAMILY PROCESS, Issue 3 2009MYUNG-YEE YU PH.D. Very little is known about the married life of couples with schizophrenia. In this paper, authors report perceptions and experiences of 5 married couples with schizophrenia on their strategies in forming and maintaining healthy marriage. Our data reveal that participants had realistic expectations of marriage, and recognized benefits as well as obstacles in their marriages with respect to their recovery. This paper examines the importance of extended family members, mental health professionals, and the larger society's attitudes toward marriage as a factor in the recovery process for persons with schizophrenia. The authors identify implications for mental health professionals regarding the respect of client dignity and the applicability of a strengths perspective when working with couples with schizophrenia. The authors argue that mental health professionals' decisions regarding the balance between respecting a client's self-determination and protecting a client from risks associated with cohabitation and marriage should no longer be a dilemma for those working with people with mental illness. RESUMEN Se sabe muy poco de la vida matrimonial de las parejas que padecen esquizofrenia. En este trabajo, los autores informan sobre las percepciones y las experiencias de 5 parejas casadas que padecen esquizofrenia y sus estrategias para constituir y mantener un matrimonio sano. Nuestros datos revelan que los participantes tuvieron expectativas realistas en relación con el matrimonio, y reconocieron los beneficios y los obstáculos de sus matrimonios con respecto a su recuperación. Este artículo analiza la importancia de los familiares, de las actitudes de los profesionales de la salud mental y de la sociedad en general hacia el matrimonio como factor en el proceso de recuperación para las personas con esquizofrenia. Los autores identifican las implicancias para los profesionales de la salud mental con respecto a la dignidad del paciente y la aplicabilidad de una perspectiva de énfasis en las virtudes cuando se trabaja con parejas que padecen esquizofrenia. Los autores sostienen que las decisiones de los profesionales de la salud mental con respecto al equilibrio entre respetar la autodeterminación de un paciente y proteger a un paciente de los riesgos asociados con la convivencia y el matrimonio ya no debería ser un dilema para aquellos que trabajan con personas que tienen enfermedades mentales. Palabras clave: preservación del matrimonio, esquizofrenia, coreano, recuperación, dignidad del paciente, perspectiva de énfasis en las virtudes [source] TATA Box-Binding Protein gene is associated with risk for schizophrenia, age at onset and prefrontal functionGENES, BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, Issue 4 2009K. Ohi Schizophrenia is a common polygenic disease in distinct populations, while spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17) is a rare autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder. Both diseases involve psychotic symptoms. SCA17 is caused by an expanded polyglutamine tract in the TATA box-binding protein (TBP) gene. In the present study, we investigated the association between schizophrenia and CAG repeat length in common TBP alleles with fewer than 42 CAG repeats in a Japanese population (326 patients with schizophrenia and 116 healthy controls). We found that higher frequency of alleles with greater than 35 CAG repeats in patients with schizophrenia compared with that in controls (p = 0.042). We also examined the correlation between CAG repeats length and age at onset of schizophrenia. We observed a negative correlation between the number of CAG repeats in the chromosome with longer CAG repeats out of two chromosomes and age at onset of schizophrenia (p = 0.020). We further provided evidence that TBP genotypes with greater than 35 CAG repeats, which were enriched in patients with schizophrenia, were significantly associated with hypoactivation of the prefrontal cortex measured by near-infrared spectroscopy during the tower of Hanoi, a task of executive function (right PFC; p = 0.015, left PFC; p = 0.010). These findings suggest possible associations of the genetic variations of the TBP gene with risk for schizophrenia, age at onset and prefrontal function. [source] Genetic study of the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) gene in schizophreniaGENES, BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, Issue 1 2005G. Zai Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a neuropsychiatric disorder that affects approximately 1% of the general population. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system has been implicated in several genetic studies of SCZ. The myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) gene, which is located close to the HLA region, is considered a candidate for SCZ due to its association with white matter abnormalities and its importance in mediating the complement cascade. Four polymorphisms in the MOG gene (CA)n (TAAA)n, and two intronic polymorphisms, C1334T and C10991T, were investigated for the possibility of association with SCZ using 111 SCZ proband and their families. We examined the transmission of the alleles of each of these polymorphisms with the transmission disequilibrium test. We did not observe significant evidence for biased transmission of alleles at the (CA)n (,2 = 2.430, 6 df, P = 0.876) (TAAA)n (,2 = 3.550, 5 df, P = 0.616), C1334T (,2 = 0.040, 1 df, P = 0.841) and C10991T (,2 = 0.154, 1 df, P = 0.695) polymorphisms. Overall haplotype analysis using the TRANSMIT program was also not significant (,2 = 7.954, 9 df, P = 0.539). Furthermore, our results comparing mean age at onset in the genotype groups using the Kruskal,Wallis Test were not significant. Our case-control analyses (182 cases age-, sex- and ethnicity-matched with healthy controls) and combined z -score [(CA)n: z -score =,1.126, P = 0.130; (TAAA)n: z -score = ,0.233, P = 0.408; C1334T: z -score = 0.703, P = 0.241; C10991T: z -score = 0.551, P = 0.291] were also not significant. Although our data are negative, the intriguing hypothesis for MOG in SCZ may warrant further investigation of this gene. [source] Detection of SNP-SNP interactions in trios of parents with schizophrenic childrenGENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Qing Li Abstract Schizophrenia (SZ) is a heritable and complex psychiatric disorder with an estimated worldwide prevalence of about 1%. Research on the risk factors for SZ has thus far yielded few clues to causes, but has pointed to a heterogeneous etiology that likely involves multiple genes and gene-environment interactions. In this manuscript, we apply a novel method (trio logic regression, Li et al., 2009) to case-parent trio data from a SZ candidate gene study conducted on families of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, and demonstrate the method's ability to detect multi-gene models for SZ risk in the family-based design. In particular, we demonstrate how this method revealed a genotype-phenotype association that includes an allele without marginal effect. Genet. Epidemiol. 34: 396,406, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A single application of MK801 causes symptoms of acute psychosis, deficits in spatial memory, and impairment of synaptic plasticity in ratsHIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 2 2008Denise Manahan-Vaughan Abstract Schizophrenia is mostly a progressive psychiatric illness. Although cognitive changes in chronic schizophrenia have been investigated, little is known about the consequences of a single psychotic episode on memory mechanisms and formation. We investigated changes in hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and spatial memory in a rat model of an acute psychotic episode. Application of NMDA receptor antagonists, such as MK801 (dizolcilpine) in rats, have been shown to give rise to an acute and short-lasting behavioral state, which mirrors many symptoms of schizophrenia. Furthermore, NMDA antagonist-intake in humans elicits symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations, delusions, and affective blunting. We therefore treated animals with a single systemic injection of MK801 (5 mg/kg). Increased stereotypy, locomotion, and ataxia were evident immediately after MK801-treatment, with effects disappearing within 24 h. MK801-treatment caused a disruption of prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex, 1 day but not 7 or 28 days after treatment. These effects were consistent with the occurrence of an acute psychotic episode. LTP was profoundly impaired in freely moving rats 7 days after MK801 application. Four weeks after treatment, a slight recovery of LTP was seen, however marked deficits in long-term spatial memory were evident. These data suggest that treatment with MK801 to generate an acute psychotic episode in rats, gives rise to grave disturbances in synaptic plasticity and is associated with lasting impairments with the ability to form spatial memory. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] VSD: A database for schizophrenia candidate genes focusing on variations,HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 1 2004Min Zhou Abstract Schizophrenia is a common mental disease characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and formal thought disorder. It has been demonstrated with genetic evidence that the disease is a polygenic disorder. Pharmacological, neurochemical, and clinical studies have suggested a number of schizophrenia susceptibility loci. In order to systematically search for genes with small effect in the development of schizophrenia, a database called VSD was established to provide variation data for publicly available candidate genes. Most of the genes encode neurotransmitter receptors, neurotransmitter transporters, and the enzymes involved in their metabolism. Other candidate genes extracted from published literature are also included. The variation information has been collected from publicly available mutation and polymorphism databases such as dbSNP, HGVbase, and OMIM, with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) being the most abundant form of collected variations. Reference sequences from NCBI's RefSeq database are used as references when positioning variation at transcript and protein levels. The nonsynonymous SNPs (nsSNPs) that lead to amino acid changes in the functional sites or domains of proteins are distinguished since they are more likely to affect protein function and would be target SNPs for association studies. In addition to variation data, gene descriptions, enzyme information, and other biological information for each gene locus are also included. The latest version of VSD contains 23,648 variations assigned to a total of 186 genes. Five-hundred eighty-eight domains and sites annotated in the SWISS-PROT and InterPro databases are found to contain nsSNPs. VSD may be accessed via the World Wide Web (www.chgb.org.cn/vsd.htm) and will be developed as an up-to-date and comprehensive locus-specific resource for identifying susceptibility genes for schizophrenia. Hum Mutat 23:1,7, 2004. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Augmentation of atypical antipsychotics with valproic acid.HUMAN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL, Issue 8 2009An open-label study for most difficult patients with schizophrenia Abstract Objective Most difficult inpatients with schizophrenia are in serious needs but obviously underrepresented in clinical trials. Methods Very challenging patients received open-label treatment with atypical antipsychotics concurrently augmented with valproic acid. The primary outcome was the newly developed Functional Assessment for Comprehensive Treatment of Schizophrenia (FACT-Sz). Patients improving more than 20 points were classified as responders. Results Mean age and illness duration of 28 participants (22male) were 42 y.o. and 20 years, respectively. They had spent a half of their life admitted after the onset. The average Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) were very severe at 79 and 6.1, respectively, with the baseline Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) of as low as 21. As a result of augmentation, there were nine responders, 12 partial responders, and seven non-responders including only two patients who got worse. The main antipsychotics were mostly either risperidone or olanzapine. Mean maximum oral dose and blood level of valproic acid were 1907,mg and 91.7,µg/ml, respectively. Overall significant improvements whilst to an inadequate degree were noted in clinical parameters. Valproate augmentation was generally well tolerated but serious adverse effects included thrombocytopenia, anaemia and sedation/falls. Conclusions While these preliminary results need to be tested against tenacious monotherapy or polypharmacy involving clozapine, augmenting atypical antipsychotics with valproic acid can be useful for very severe schizophrenia. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Schizophrenia, Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) and number needed to treat: how can CATIE inform clinicians?INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 8 2006L. CITROME Summary The schizophrenia medication study conducted as part of the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) provided a large quantity of data. However, placing these data into a clinically meaningful context for the individual practitioner has been challenging. Effectiveness and safety outcome data were extracted from the three principal publications that documented the results of phases 1 and 2 of the CATIE schizophrenia study. Number needed to treat (NNT) and number needed to harm (NNH) were calculated from the categorical results, together with their confidence intervals. Olanzapine and clozapine demonstrated advantages over comparators in terms of all-cause discontinuation, largely driven by efficacy advantages. NNT for olanzapine compared with perphenazine, quetiapine, risperidone and ziprasidone ranged from 5.5 to 10.1 in phase 1. NNT for clozapine compared with risperidone or quetiapine was approximately 3 in phase 2. There were marked differences in association with weight gain and metabolic effects, with olanzapine demonstrating a NNH ranging from 12.4 to 17.7 in terms of discontinuation of treatment in phase 1 because of these effects. Results from phase 2 reflect phase 1 in this regard, and demonstrated an advantage for ziprasidone in terms of discontinuation because of weight gain or metabolic effects, with NNT ranging from 10.6 to 20.8. However, these notable differences in association with weight gain and metabolic effects did not seem to drive the differences in overall time to all-cause discontinuation. NNT and NNH can help place the wide array of CATIE results into clinical context, and permits quantification of the differences observed between the antipsychotics that were tested. [source] Schizophrenia into Later Life: Treatment, Research and Policy.INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 8 2005Carl I. Cohen. No abstract is available for this article. [source] Contribution of PTSD/POW history to behavioral disturbances in dementiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 4 2001Swapna Verma Abstract As many World War II and Korean Conflict veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) grow older, increasing numbers will be diagnosed with dementia. We retrospectively analyzed patients with dementia, comparing the behavioral disturbances of those with PTSD to those without PTSD. We hypothesized that due to the additive effect of the neurobiological and behavioral changes associated with PTSD and dementia, the dementia with PTSD group would show more agitation and disinhibition than the dementia without PTSD group. Sixteen patients with diagnoses of dementia and PTSD were matched on age and Mini-Mental States Examination (MMSE) scores to 16 patients with dementia without PTSD. Demographic characteristics, co-morbid diagnoses, global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI), and paranoid items of Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS) were assessed. The patients with diagnoses of dementia with PTSD did not differ significantly in their clinical presentation, hospital course, and condition at discharge from patients with dementia without PTSD. Chi-square analysis showed that significantly more subjects in the PTSD group were prescribed anti-depressants compared to the non-PTSD group. Interestingly, within the PTSD group, the subgroup of patients who were former prisoners of war had a significantly higher mean score for paranoia and significantly less verbal agitation. This pilot study reveals that a diagnosis of PTSD alone is not sufficient to influence behavior in veterans with dementia; however, we also present provocative results that patients with more severe trauma (POW) do have changes in their behavior. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Schizophrenia housing and supportive relationshipsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2007Graeme Browne ABSTRACT:, Schizophrenia can be a very disabling illness that affects between 0.5% and 1% of the population. This illness has a great personal impact on the individual sufferer, their family and friends. In addition, it makes significant demands on health services and the community in general. This paper reviews the literature on housing and supportive relationships for people with schizophrenia. The literature reports that people's experience of their schizophrenia is that it not only causes symptoms, but often impacts on their ability to maintain the basic resources in life. These resources include the ability to maintain reasonable quality housing, which seems to further impact negatively on their illness and their ability to maintain supportive social relationships. People with schizophrenia (and people in general) rely on their social relationships and family to maintain their mental health. The loss of social relationships and inability to maintain quality housing seem to be related , if people cannot maintain quality housing, they find it difficult to maintain supportive social relationships. [source] Critical evaluation of the use of research tools in evaluating quality of life for people with schizophreniaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 1 2007Jeanette Hewitt ABSTRACT:, Schizophrenia may lead to impairments in many aspects of life, including physical, cognitive, and role functioning. The subjective quality of life of people with schizophrenia has been shown to be lower than in the general population and appropriate patient-assessed health outcome measures are necessary to capture the distress and disability experienced by people living with a serious mental illness. Although psychiatry has been slow to become involved in quality of life measurement, the use of quality of life instruments has now been recognized as a means of evaluating the outcome of care interventions, in terms of symptoms and functioning. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of two widely used instruments: The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and The Lancashire Quality of Life Profile (LQoLP) in terms of reliability and validity in measuring the quality of life of people with schizophrenia. The LQoLP appeared to be best suited for evaluation of care programmes, whereas the SF-36 was more appropriate for medical trials, comparisons between patient groups, and assessment of the direct consequences of treatment on health and function. Subjective quality of life should, however, be considered to be distinct from clinical status and quality of life assessment should include the broadest range of indicators, to reflect the holistic ethos of mental health nursing. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||