MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'Schizophrenia Bulletin' source. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:36:01 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535605&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F192%3Frss%3D1 This study therefore aimed to investigate prefrontal and striatal volume alterations in schizophrenia and to define the extent to which they are dependent on genetic vulnerability for the condition. We employed structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) in monozygotic (MZ) twins with or without schizophrenia. A sample of 129 twins completed sMRI, consisting of 21 MZ twin pairs concordant for schizophrenia, 17 MZ schizophrenic twins and 18 MZ nonschizophrenic twins drawn from 19 pairs discordant for schizophrenia, and 26 MZ control twin pairs without schizophrenia. Groups did not significantly differ in age, gender, handedness, height, level of education, parental socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Using a region-of-interest approach, we measured the gray matter volumes (in cm3) of supe... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535605 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535605 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535604&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F178%3Frss%3D1 Contemporary sensory gating definitions are generally tied to the perceptual and attentional phenomenology described by McGhie and Chapman, including abnormalities in the quality of sensory input, heightened awareness of background noises, and poor selective attention reported by individuals with schizophrenia. Despite these explicit phenomenological origins, little is known about the experiential phenomena underlying contemporary operationalizations of the sensory gating construct, such as whether the construct is restricted to experiences associated with the modulation of sensory percepts includes selective attention and distractibility or even whether the construct is accessible via self-report. Because clarification of these issues has important implications for the development and tes... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535604 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535603&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F167%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Our meta-analysis demonstrates that there are differences between the SGAs in their ability to induce EPS that clinicians consider warrant treatment with antimuscarinic drugs. Even though the differences were relatively small, they might be important for individual patients and should be taken into account in drug choice. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535603 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535603 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535602&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F153%3Frss%3D1 Patients taking atypical antipsychotics are frequented by serious metabolic (eg, hyperglycemia, obesity, and diabetes) and cardiac effects. Surprisingly, chronic treatment also appears to lower free fatty acids (FFAs). This finding is paradoxical because insulin resistance is typically associated with elevated not lower FFAs. How atypical antipsychotics bring about these converse changes in plasma glucose and FFAs is unknown. Chronic treatment with olanzapine, a prototypical, side effect prone atypical antipsychotic, lowered FFA in Sprague–Dawley rats. Olanzapine also lowered plasma FFA acutely, concomitantly impairing in vivo lipolysis and robustly elevating whole-body lipid oxidation. Increased lipid oxidation was evident from accelerated losses of triglycerides after food deprivat... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535602 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535601&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F144%3Frss%3D1 The goal of the Cognitive Neuroscience Test Reliability and Clinical Applications for Schizophrenia (CNTRACS) Consortium was to develop measures of discrete cognitive processes, allowing for the interpretation of specific deficits that could be linked to specific neural systems. Here we report on the intertask, clinical, and functional correlates of the 4 tasks that were investigated in large groups of patients with schizophrenia (>100) and healthy controls (>73) at 5 sites across the United States. In both healthy and patient groups, the key dependent measures from the CNTRACS tasks were minimally intercorrelated, suggesting that they are measuring discrete abilities. Correlations were examined between CNTRACS tasks and measures of functional capacity, premorbid IQ, symptom severity... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535601 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535600&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F135%3Frss%3D1 The goal of the current project was to further develop a measure of gain control—the Contrast-Contrast Effect (CCE)—for use in clinical studies of schizophrenia. The CCE is based on an illusion in which presenting a medium contrast patch surrounded by a high-contrast patch induces individuals to perceive that center patch as having lower contrast than when the patch is presented in isolation. Thus, in the CCE, impaired gain control should lead to more accurate perceptions of the center patch. We tested 132 individuals with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 130 demographically similar healthy controls. The results indicated that the CCE effect can be obtained with standard equipment, simplified sc... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535600 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535600 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535599&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F125%3Frss%3D1 The Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia initiative highlighted a contour integration test as a promising index of visual integration impairment because of its well-established psychometric properties; its prior validation in healthy adults, patients, and nonhuman primates; and its potential sensitivity to treatment effects. In this multisite study, our goals were to validate the task on the largest subject sample to date, clarify the task conditions and number of trials that best discriminate patients from controls, and determine whether this discrimination can occur in standard clinical trial settings. For our task, subjects briefly observed a field of disconnected, oriented elements and attempted to decide whether a subset of those elements for... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535599 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535598&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F114%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: The RISE is a valid and reliable measure of item-specific and relational memory that is well tolerated, with good psychometric characteristics and equivalent forms to facilitate treatment studies. Results indicate that episodic memory in schizophrenia is most preserved under conditions promoting item-specific encoding that is supported by familiarity-based recognition and is most impaired under relational encoding and recollection-based retrieval conditions. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535598 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535598 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535597&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F104%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: The best compromise between task duration and interpretability occurred on a version with a short ISI and a strong prepotency. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535597 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535596&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F103%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535596 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535595&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F92%3Frss%3D1 We describe the general MONSTER (Manipulation of Orthogonal Neural Systems Together in Electrophysiological Recordings) approach and explain how it can be adapted to investigate a variety of neurocognitive domains, ERP components, and neural processes of interest. We also demonstrate how this approach can be used to assess group differences by providing data from an implementation of the MONSTER approach in younger (18–30 y of age) and older (65–85 y of age) adult samples. This specific implementation of the MONSTER framework assesses 4 separate neural processes in the visual domain: (1) early sensory processing, using the C1 wave; (2) shifts of covert attention, with the N2pc component; (3) categorization, with the P3 component; and (4) self-monitoring, with the error-related ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535595 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535594&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F81%3Frss%3D1 The sixth meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) focused on selecting promising imaging paradigms for each of the cognitive constructs selected in the first CNTRICS meeting. In the domain of perception, the 2 constructs of interest were "gain control" and "visual integration." CNTRICS received 6 task nominations for imaging paradigms for gain control and 3 task nominations for integration. The breakout group for perception evaluated the degree to which each of these tasks met prespecified criteria. For gain control, the breakout group believed that one task (mismatch negativity) was already mature and was being incorporated into multisite clinical trials. The breakout group recommended that 1 visual task (steady-state visual... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535594 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535593&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F73%3Frss%3D1 The Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) initiative has formed with the expressed intent of identifying constructs and paradigms that would identify biomarkers of psychosis. The manipulation of these biomarkers would serve as targets for treatment interventions. The second phase of CNTRICS consisted of critical discussions evaluating brain mapping (functional neuroimaging and brain electrical activity) paradigms as biomarkers to measure specific constructs. Among the constructs identified in, CNTRICS I was socio-emotional processing, specifically focused on affect recognition. Here, we provide a critical appraisal of the ability of candidate socio-emotional tasks to identify putative biomarkers and recommendations for future directions i... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535593 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535592&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F62%3Frss%3D1 Functional imaging paradigms hold great promise as biomarkers for schizophrenia research as they can detect altered neural activity associated with the cognitive and emotional processing deficits that are so disabling to this patient population. In an attempt to identify the most promising functional imaging biomarkers for research on long-term memory (LTM), the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) initiative selected "item encoding and retrieval," "relational encoding and retrieval," and "reinforcement learning" as key LTM constructs to guide the nomination process. This manuscript reports on the outcome of the third CNTRICS biomarkers meeting in which nominated paradigms in each of these domains were discussed by a review panel to arri... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535592 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535591&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F53%3Frss%3D1 Attention is widely believed to be dysfunctional in schizophrenia. The Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) group previously concluded that the processes involved in the top-down control of attention are particularly impaired in schizophrenia and should be the focus of future research. These processes determine which sources of input should be attended, linking goal representations in prefrontal cortex with more posterior regions that implement the actual selection of attended information. A more recent meeting of the CNTRICS group assessed several paradigms that might be useful for identifying biomarkers of attentional control and that could be used for treatment development and assessment. Two types of paradigms were identified as bein... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535591 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535590&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F43%3Frss%3D1 The sixth meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) consortium was focused on selecting promising imaging biomarker measures for each of the cognitive constructs selected in the first CNTRICS meeting. In the domain of working memory (WM), the 2 constructs of interest were "goal maintenance" and "interference control." CNTRICS received 7 task nominations for goal maintenance and 3 task nominations for interference control. For goal maintenance, the breakout group for WM recommended the AX Continuous Performance Test/Dot Pattern Expectancy (DPX) and the Switching Stroop task for translation and further development for use in clinical trial contexts in schizophrenia research. Notably, these same 2 paradigms were recommended for "r... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535590 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535589&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F34%3Frss%3D1 In this article, we describe results of the 5th Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia meeting which identified candidate imaging biomarkers for used in measuring neural activity associated with specific component processes of cognition that are targeted for treatment development in schizophrenia and other disorders. This manuscript describes the process by which measures related to executive control were selected, along with the specific measures recommended for further development. Two paradigms were recommended for measurement of the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying 2 core component processes of executive control, rule generation and selection, and dynamic adjustments of Control. The 2 paradigms are the AX continuous performance task ta... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535589 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535588&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F26%3Frss%3D1 The Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia initiative, funded by an R13 conference grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, has sought to facilitate the translation of measures from the basic science of cognition into practical brain-based tools to measure treatment effects on cognition in schizophrenia. In this overview article, we summarize the process and products of the sixth meeting in this series, which focused on the identification of promising imaging paradigms, based on the measurement of cognitive evoked potentials (event-related potential) of cognition-related time-frequency analyses of the electroencephalography as well as functional magnetic resonance imaging. A total of 23 well-specified paradigms from cognitive neuroscience... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535588 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535588 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535587&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F23%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535587 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535587 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535586&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F15%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Our results need replication but underline the importance of investigating childhood trauma and its interaction with genetic markers when studying cognitive dysfunction in patients with psychotic disorders. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535586 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535586 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535585&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F9%3Frss%3D1 Several genetic, neurodevelopmental, and pharmacological animal models of schizophrenia have been established. This short review examines the validity of one of the most used pharmacological model of the illness, ie, the acute administration of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists in rodents. In some cases, data on chronic or prenatal NMDA receptor antagonist exposure have been introduced for comparison. The face validity of acute NMDA receptor blockade is granted inasmuch as hyperlocomotion and stereotypies induced by phencyclidine, ketamine, and MK-801 are regarded as a surrogate for the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. In addition, the loss of parvalbumin-containing cells (which is one of the most compelling finding in postmortem schizophrenia brain) following NMDA recept... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535585 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535584&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F5%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535584 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535583&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2F1%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535583 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535582&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2FNP-c%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535582 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535582 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535581&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2FNP-b%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535581 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535580&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2FNP-a%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535580 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5535579&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F38%2F1%2FNP%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5535579 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5535579 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332949&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1318%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Large and generalized cognitive deficits in older individuals with schizophrenia represent a robust finding paralleling impairments across the life span, but these deficits do not decline over a 1–6 year period. The importance of considering demographic and clinical moderators in cross-sectional analyses is highlighted. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332949 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332948&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1311%3Frss%3D1 Sensitivity to stress has long been implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. It remains unclear, however, which exact mechanisms underlie the progression from vulnerability to psychotic breakdown. For the present study, we hypothesized that the induction of stress would aggravate cognitive biases in schizophrenia. A total of 20 acute and remitted schizophrenia patients and 15 healthy controls were tested with parallel versions of cognitive biases paradigms under 2 laboratory conditions: stress (loud noise, 75 dB) vs no-stress. In the course of both conditions, participants had to fill out a questionnaire that assessed depressive, obsessive–compulsive, and paranoid symptoms. For the patients with acute psychotic symptoms, paranoid but not other psychiatric symptoms were elevat... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332948 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332947&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1305%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: This study found that sexual victimization significantly increased the likelihood of a diagnosis of psychosis and therefore suggests that there may be a role for traumatic experiences in the etiology of psychosis. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332947 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332946&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1295%3Frss%3D1 Previous studies have typically found that individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) report levels of emotional experience that are similar to controls (CN) when asked to view a single evocative stimulus and make an absolute judgment of stimulus "value." However, value is rarely assigned in absolute terms in real-life situations, where one alternative or experience is often evaluated alongside others, and value judgments are made in relative terms. In the current study, we examined performance on a preference task that requires individuals to differentiate between the relative values of different stimuli. In this task, subjects were presented with many pairs of moderately positive stimuli and asked to indicate which stimulus they preferred in each pair. Resulting data indicated the rank order of... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332946 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332946 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332945&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1281%3Frss%3D1 This study investigated whether temporal lobe structural abnormalities were associated with facial emotion recognition deficits in schizophrenia and related to genetic liability for the disorder. Twenty-seven schizophrenia patients, 23 biological family members, and 36 controls participated. Several temporal lobe regions (fusiform, superior temporal, middle temporal, amygdala, and hippocampus) previously associated with face recognition in normative samples and found to be abnormal in schizophrenia were evaluated using volumetric analyses. Participants completed a facial emotion recognition task and an age recognition control task under time-limited and self-paced conditions. Temporal lobe volumes were tested for associations with task performance. Group status explained 23% of the varianc... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332945 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332944&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1270%3Frss%3D1 The goal of the study is to determine the extent of structural brain abnormalities in a multicenter sample of children and adolescents with a recent-onset first episode of psychosis (FEP), compared with a sample of healthy controls. Total brain and lobar volumes and those of gray matter (GM), white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were measured in 92 patients with a FEP and in 94 controls, matched for age, gender, and years of education. Male patients (n = 64) showed several significant differences when compared with controls (n = 61). GM volume in male patients was reduced in the whole brain and in frontal and parietal lobes compared with controls. Total CSF volume and frontal, temporal, and right parietal CSF volumes were also increased in male patients. Within patients, those with ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332944 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332944 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332943&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1257%3Frss%3D1 Schizophrenia is a disorder of a neurodevelopmental origin manifested symptomatically after puberty. Structural neuroimaging studies show that neuroanatomical aberrations precede onset of symptoms, raising a question of whether schizophrenia can be prevented. Early treatment with atypical antipsychotics may reduce the risk of transition to psychosis, but it remains unknown whether neuroanatomical abnormalities can be prevented. We have recently shown, using in vivo structural magnetic resonance imaging, that treatment with the atypical antipsychotic clozapine during an asymptomatic period of adolescence prevents the emergence of schizophrenia-like brain structural abnormalities in adult rats exposed to prenatal immune challenge, in parallel to preventing behavioral abnormalities. Here we a... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332943 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332943 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332942&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1248%3Frss%3D1 Contemporary theoretical models of paranoia suggest that negative emotions, perceptual anomalies, and recent life events are important predictors of experiencing persecutory ideation. In the current experience sampling study, these factors are examined prospectively for the first time as predictors of the occurrence of persecutory ideation, as well as persecutory belief conviction, and associated distress in real time in the context of daily life. One hundred and forty five community-dwelling participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder completed self-report assessments generated by a personal digital assistant multiple times a day for 1 week. Their responses were time lagged to allow examination of dynamic prospective relationships between variables as they occur within day... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332942 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332941&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1229%3Frss%3D1 Numerous researchers have pointed out over the last decades that there is a loss of the sense of the inner self in schizophrenia. In particular, the illuminating article of Sass et al. gives an underpinning explanation of the disease along these lines in each of its 3 manifestations, with positive, negative, or disordered symptoms. The crucial component of the analysis of these researchers is that of various disturbances in ipseity (the ongoing sense of "being there" accompanying all conscious experience) that can occur for a sufferer, giving a framework with which to understand the disease. Such analyses of schizophrenia in terms of distortions of the self go back much earlier. However, the more recent work has become more precise and embracing in terms of seeing most forms of schizophren... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332941 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332940&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1218%3Frss%3D1 Conclusion: Implications for prevention and genetic mechanisms can be drawn from the observation that VEM and VisEM would show distinct generational trajectories and that the trajectory associated with VisEM may offer a better potential than VEM to predict future risk of developing the disease. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332940 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332940 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332939&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1209%3Frss%3D1 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) clinical trial guidelines for cognitive-enhancing drugs in schizophrenia and the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) were designed to facilitate novel compound development in the treatment of cognitive impairments. Several studies have recently utilized the FDA-NIMH-MATRICS guidelines and MCCB and allow an evaluation of the feasibility of guideline implementation and MCCB performance. In light of the study results, we would recommend the following inclusion criteria revisions—(1) clinical status and symptom inclusion criteria: maximum allowed score for hallucinations and delusions should be increased from moderate ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332939 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332938&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1200%3Frss%3D1 Diminished inhibitory gating of cerebral auditory evoked responses is transmitted in families with psychoses as an endophenotype related to the genetic risk for these illnesses. To assess whether the endophenotype is already expressed in infants of parents with psychotic illness and to assess effects of other known risk factors for schizophrenia, ie, maternal cigarette smoking and depression, inhibitory gating of cerebral auditory evoked responses was evaluated by comparing the P1 evoked responses to the first and second of paired auditory stimuli. Cerebral evoked responses were recorded during active sleep from 22 infants with a parent diagnosed with a psychotic illness and 129 infants with parents with no such history. Of these infants, 25 were prenatally exposed to nicotine (16 from the... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332938 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332937&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1187%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: These results suggest that ERO deficits in gamma to S1 and beta to S2 stimuli and impaired ERO gating are associated with SZ, but are not related to genetic liability for the illness. The components of information processing assessed by gamma- and beta gating appear to be independent from those mediated by P50 suppression. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332937 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332936&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1179%3Frss%3D1 Stable differences in the tendency to attribute meaning and emotional value to experience may represent an indicator of liability to psychosis. A brief task was developed assessing variation in detecting affectively meaningful speech (speech illusion) in neutral random signals (white noise) and the degree to which this was associated with psychometric and familial vulnerability for psychosis. Thirty patients, 28 of their siblings, and 307 controls participated. The rate of speech illusion was compared between cases and controls. In controls, the association between speech illusion and interview-based positive schizotypy was assessed. The hypothesis of a dose-response increase in rate of speech illusion across increasing levels of familial vulnerability for psychosis (controls, siblings of ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332936 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332935&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1168%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: We replicated internalizing and externalizing spectra in a clinical population, identified a schizophrenic spectrum, and provided initial evidence of its validity. These findings suggest that schizotypal personality disorder may be better placed with schizophrenia, antisocial conditions with substance use disorders, and major depression with anxiety disorders. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332935 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332935 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332934&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1157%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Cognitive variables sort into domains consistently in schizophrenia, unaffected siblings, and controls. However, performance in schizophrenia is more generalized and less domain specific. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332934 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332933&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1147%3Frss%3D1 The levels of kynurenic acid (KYNA), an astrocyte-derived metabolite of the branched kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan degradation and antagonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, are elevated in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of individuals with schizophrenia (SZ). Because endogenous KYNA modulates extracellular glutamate and acetylcholine levels in the PFC, these increases may be pathophysiologically significant. Using brain tissue from SZ patients and matched controls, we now measured the activity of several KP enzymes (kynurenine 3-monooxygenase [KMO], kynureninase, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid dioxygenase [3-HAO], quinolinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase [QPRT], and kynurenine aminotransferase II [KAT II]) in the PFC, ie, Brodmann areas (BA) 9 and ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332933 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332933 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332932&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1136%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Disorganization was the main FTD component. Distractibility was a core feature of FTD factors but it was not specifically accounted for by mania-related attentional impairment. The hypothesis of mutual interdependence between mania and attentional disturbance leading to FTDs could not be confirmed. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332932 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332931&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1131%3Frss%3D1 This article reviews the importance of Bleuler’s monograph for the neuroscientific exploration of schizophrenia. While Bleuler assumed that schizophrenia has a neural basis, he remained agnostic on possible mechanisms and skeptical about the value of pathological diagnosis. He preferred psychological understanding over neural explanation. He gave hope by making schizophrenia dimensional and less predictive of course and outcome. To make progress now, we need to redefine schizophrenia at the level of the brain. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332931 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332931 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332930&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1121%3Frss%3D1 This article traces the fundamental descriptive features of schizophrenia described in the European continental literature form Kraepelin and Bleuler, culminating with the creation of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-8 (1974). There was a consensus among the researchers that the specificity and typicality of schizophrenia was anchored to its "fundamental" clinical core (with trait status) and not to positive psychotic features, which were considered as "state", "accessory" phenomena. The clinical core of schizophrenia was, in a diluted form, constitutive of the spectrum conditions ("schizoidia" and "latent schizophrenia"). The fundamental features are manifest across all domains of consciousness: subjective experience, expression, cognition, affectivity, behavior, and wil... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332930 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332929&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1118%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332929 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332928&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1115%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332928 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332928 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332927&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1111%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332927 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332927 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332926&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1104%3Frss%3D1 Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is known to lead to a range of adverse psychiatric sequelae but the question of whether TBI is a risk factor for psychosis and, in particular, schizophrenia remains unclear. Studies examining this issue have yielded conflicting results. We carried out a systematic review of the literature on TBI and psychosis in order to identify all population-based controlled studies which provide estimates of risk for schizophrenia following TBI. Odds ratios (ORs) were combined using random effects meta-analysis. Our literature search yielded 172 studies which were considered to be potentially relevant. From these, we identified 9 studies that could provide estimates of risk in the form of ORs. The pooled analysis revealed a significant association between TBI and schizophre... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332926 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332925&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1101%3Frss%3D1 In 1911, a book was published in Europe by Eugen Bleuler describing in detail asylum patients under his care who met clinical criteria for the psychotic disorder named Dementia Praecox by Emil Kraepelin. Bleuler's voluminous publication, now a classic to world psychiatry, validated Kraepelin's observations and extended them in ways that remain familiar to us a full century later in how we describe, diagnose, treat, and understand psychosis. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332925 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332925 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332924&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1099%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332924 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332923&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2F1095%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332923 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332923 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332922&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2FNP-c%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332922 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332922 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332921&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2FNP-b%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332921 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332921 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332920&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2FNP-a%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332920 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332920 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5332919&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F6%2FNP%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5332919 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5332919 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158404&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F1088%3Frss%3D1 This study investigated the extent to which clinical outcomes of pneumonia were different among patients with schizophrenia. This study used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Of the total of 81 599 patients admitted with a principal diagnosis of pneumonia from 2002 to 2004, 949 had previously been admitted with a principal or secondary diagnosis of schizophrenia within the 2 years of their index pneumonia admission. We randomly selected 2847 pneumonia patients matched with the study group in terms of gender, age, year of admission, length of stay, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score as the comparison cohort. Conditional logistic regression models were used for analysis. Findings indicated a higher prevalence of adverse outcomes among patients with schizophr... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158404 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158404 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158403&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F1077%3Frss%3D1 Until recently, the social cognitive impairment in schizophrenia has been underappreciated and remains essentially untreated. Deficits in emotional processing, social perception and knowledge, theory of mind, and attributional bias may contribute to functional social cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. The amygdala has been implicated as a key component of social cognitive circuitry in both animal and human studies. In addition, structural and functional studies of schizophrenia reproducibly demonstrate abnormalities in the amygdala and dopaminergic signaling. Finally, the neurohormone oxytocin plays an important role in multiple social behaviors in several mammals, including humans. We propose a model of social cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia and discuss its therapeutic implica... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158403 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158402&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F1066%3Frss%3D1 Ventricular enlargement and reduced prefrontal volume are consistent findings in schizophrenia. Both are present in first episode subjects and may be detectable before the onset of clinical disorder. Substance misuse is more common in people with schizophrenia and is associated with similar brain abnormalities. We employ a prospective cohort study with nested case control comparison design to investigate the association between substance misuse, brain abnormality, and subsequent schizophrenia. Substance misuse history, imaging data, and clinical information were collected on 147 subjects at high risk of schizophrenia and 36 controls. Regions exhibiting a significant relationship between level of use of alcohol, cannabis or tobacco, and structure volume were identified. Multivariate regress... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158402 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158401&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F1057%3Frss%3D1 This report details the findings from this meeting, which included the following 4 conclusions. (1) A multisite trial of a cognitive remediation intervention using a network of diverse research sites would be of great scientific value. (2) Various interventions could be employed for this multisite trial. (3) Programs that do not address key motivational and interpersonal aspects of cognitive remediation may benefit from supplementation with "bridging groups" that allows patients to meet with others and to apply their newly acquired cognitive skills to everyday life. (4) Before a multisite efficacy trial is initiated, a pilot study could demonstrate the feasibility of conducting a trial using a cognitive remediation intervention. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158401 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158401 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158400&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F1048%3Frss%3D1 Conclusion: These results suggest that impairments in context processing are related to inferential components of social cognition in schizophrenia but not to the ability to recognition facial or vocal emotion. As such, deficits in context processing may contribute to deficits in both "hot" and "cold" aspects of cognition in schizophrenia. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158400 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158399&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F1039%3Frss%3D1 Discussion: Both APA (≥30) and younger paternal age (<25) increase the risk of schizophrenia; younger paternal age may be associated with an increased risk in males but not females. This risk factor increases the risk of schizophrenia as much as any single candidate gene of risk. The mechanism of these associations is not known and may differ for older and younger fathers. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158399 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158399 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158398&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F1027%3Frss%3D1 Research on emotional processing in schizophrenia suggests relatively intact subjective responses to affective stimuli "in the moment." However, neuroimaging evidence suggests diminished activation in brain regions associated with emotional processing in schizophrenia. We asked whether given a more vulnerable cognitive system in schizophrenia, individuals with this disorder would show increased or decreased modulation of working memory (WM) as a function of the emotional content of stimuli compared with healthy control subjects. In addition, we examined whether higher anhedonia levels were associated with a diminished impact of emotion on behavioral and brain activation responses. In the present study, 38 individuals with schizophrenia and 32 healthy individuals completed blocks of a 2-bac... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158398 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158398 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158397&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F1017%3Frss%3D1 The identification of individuals carrying unexpressed genetic liability to schizophrenia is crucial for both etiological research and clinical risk stratification. Subclinical psychopathological features detectable in the nonpsychotic part of the schizophrenia spectrum could improve the delineation of informative vulnerability phenotypes. Inspired by Meehl's schizotaxia-schizotypy heuristic model, we tested anomalous subjective experiences (self-disorders, SDs) as a candidate vulnerability phenotype in a sample of nonpsychotic, genetically high-risk subjects. A total of 218 unaffected members of 6 extended multiplex families (assessed between 1989 and 1999 during the Copenhagen Schizophrenia Linkage Study) were stratified into 4 groups of increasing psychopathological expressivity: no men... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158397 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158396&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F1009%3Frss%3D1 Conclusion: Strong activation of the inner speech processing network may contribute to the subjective loudness of AVH. However, a relatively increased contribution from right hemisphere language areas may be responsible for the more complex experiential characteristics, such as the nonself source or how real AVH are. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158396 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158395&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F1001%3Frss%3D1 This study investigated the specific aspects of visual information that are critical for schizophrenia patients to recognize emotional expression. Using the Bubbles technique, we probed the use of visual information during a facial emotion discrimination task (fear vs. happy) in 21 schizophrenia patients and 17 healthy controls. Visual information was sampled through randomly located Gaussian apertures (or "bubbles") at 5 spatial frequency scales. Online calibration of the amount of face exposed through bubbles was used to ensure 75% overall accuracy for each subject. Least-square multiple linear regression analyses between sampled information and accuracy were performed to identify critical visual information that was used to identify emotional expression. To accurately identify emotional... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158395 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158395 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158394&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F988%3Frss%3D1 Conclusion: Our data revealed that the transcriptional activation of HERV is associated with the development of schizophrenia in some patients and indicated that HERV-W env regulates the expression of schizophrenia-associated genes. This report is the first to elucidate the signaling pathway responsible for the upregulation of HERV-W env–triggered BDNF. Our study provides new evidence for the involvement of HERV-W in the central nervous system, which will benefit the diagnosis and treatment of the devastating schizophrenia and related disorders. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158394 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158393&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F982%3Frss%3D1 Recent findings suggest that maternal iron deficiency may increase the risk of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder in offspring. We initiated this study to determine whether maternal prepartum anemia influences offspring risk of schizophrenia. We conducted a population-based study with individual record linkage of the Danish Civil Registration System, the Danish Psychiatric Central Register, and the Danish National Hospital Register. In a cohort of 1 115 752 Danish singleton births from 1978 to 1998, cohort members were considered as having a maternal history of anemia if the mother had received a diagnosis of anemia at any time during the pregnancy. Cohort members were followed from their 10th birthday until onset of schizophrenia, death, or December 31, 2008, whichever came first. Adjusted f... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158393 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158392&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F973%3Frss%3D1 We examined this by evaluating the expression of LIrr in an associative learning paradigm in (1) asymptomatic first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients (SZ-relatives) and in (2) individuals exhibiting prodromal signs of psychosis ("ultrahigh risk" [UHR] patients) in each case relative to demographically matched healthy control subjects. There was no evidence for aberrant LIrr in SZ-relatives, but LIrr as well as associative learning were attenuated in UHR patients. It is concluded that LIrr deficiency in conjunction with a learning impairment might be a useful state marker predictive of psychotic state but a relatively weak link to a potential schizophrenia endophenotype. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158392 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158392 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158391&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F958%3Frss%3D1 The concept of expressed emotion (EE) has been extended to the study of staff-patient relationships in schizophrenia. A comprehensive review of the literature identified a total of 27 studies investigating EE in this group published between 1990 and 2008. The article aims to assess whether the concept of EE is a useful and valid measure of the quality of professional caregiver and patient relationships, given that staff may be less emotionally invested in relationships than relatives. In doing so, it summarizes methods of measuring EE, the nature of professional EE compared with familial EE, associations between high EE and patient outcomes, associations between EE and both patient and staff variables, and intervention studies to reduce staff high EE. The available evidence suggests that t... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158391 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158390&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F950%3Frss%3D1 Working memory impairment is considered a core deficit in schizophrenia, but the precise nature of this deficit has not been determined. Multiple lines of evidence implicate deficits at the encoding stage. During encoding, information is held in a precategorical sensory store termed iconic memory, a literal image of the stimulus with high capacity but rapid decay. Pathologically increased iconic decay could reduce the number of items that can be transferred into working memory before the information is lost and could thus contribute to the working memory deficit seen in the illness. The current study used a partial report procedure to test the hypothesis that patients with schizophrenia (n = 37) display faster iconic memory decay than matched healthy control participants (n = 28). Six lett... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158390 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158389&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F946%3Frss%3D1 The author previously described a theoretical cause of schizophrenia based on the effects of estrogenic endocrine disruption. In the current review, the author describes how increased estrogen during pregnancy increases susceptibility to certain viral infections associated with increased risk for schizophrenia. The review further discusses how prenatal estrogen exposure could explain associations of schizophrenia with autoimmune diseases, urban environments, and stress. Based on the association of increased estrogen with schizophrenia risk factors, the author proposes increased prenatal estrogen as a unifying factor, perhaps the primary event, in the etiology of schizophrenia. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158389 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158388&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F937%3Frss%3D1 This study also provides initial evidence for the factorial and discriminant validity of a brief and simple measure of schizotypal personality in children as young as 8 years. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158388 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158387&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F930%3Frss%3D1 This article provides a succinct account of a complex area and offers evidence for available treatments to reduce the occurrence of violent behavior among patients with schizophrenia. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158387 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158386&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F921%3Frss%3D1 Schizophrenia elevates the risk for aggressive behavior and violent crime, and different approaches have been used to manage this problem. The results of such treatments vary. One reason for this variation is that aggressive behavior in schizophrenia is heterogeneous in origin. This heterogeneity has usually not been accounted for in treatment trials nor is it adequately appreciated in routine clinical treatment planning. Here, we review pathways that may lead to the development of aggressive behavior in patients with schizophrenia and discuss their impact on treatment. Elements in these pathways include predisposing factors such as genotype and prenatal toxic effects, development of psychotic symptoms and neurocognitive impairments, substance abuse, nonadherence to treatment, childhood ma... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158386 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158386 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158385&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F913%3Frss%3D1 There is much evidence that schizophrenia patients have an increased risk for aggression and violent behavior, including homicide. The neurobiological basis and correlates of this risk have not been much studied. While genome-wide association studies are lacking, a number of candidate genes have been investigated. By far, the most intensively studied is the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene on chromosome 22. COMT is involved in the metabolism of dopamine, a key neurotransmitter in schizophrenia pathophysiology. Several studies suggest that the Val158Met polymorphism of this gene affects COMT activity. Methionine (Met)/Met homozygote schizophrenia patients show 4- to 5-fold lower COMT activity than valine (Val)/Val homozygotes, and some but not all studies have found an association w... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158385 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158385 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158384&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F899%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: While a number of violence risk assessment tools exist that can be used to predict the likelihood of community violence in psychiatric patients, there is currently little direct evidence for their utility in individuals with schizophrenia. In addition, there is large variation in item content between instruments, and further research is necessary to determine whether the inclusion of alternative factors could improve risk assessment. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158384 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158383&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F897%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158383 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158382&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F892%3Frss%3D1 Stigma against mentally ill persons is a major problem and has increased in incidence. Multiple studies have suggested that the perception of violent behavior by seriously mentally ill individuals is an important cause of stigma. It is also known that treating seriously mentally ill people decreases violent behavior. Therefore, the most effective way to decrease stigma is to make sure that patients receive adequate treatment. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158382 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158381&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F890%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158381 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158380&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F882%3Frss%3D1 It is now well recognized that as well as having a characteristic facial dysmorphology and a range of congenital abnormalities, individuals with chromosome 22q11 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) have a greatly increased risk of developing psychosis, in particular schizophrenia. The majority of deletions span a large 3Mb region at 22q11. However, the presence of affected individuals carrying smaller deletions have not been sufficient to satisfactorily reduce the critical region for the behavioral phenotype beyond a ~1.5Mb region that contains at least 28 genes. By having a shared genetic variant that greatly increases risk to psychosis, individuals with 22q11DS are a relatively homogeneous population to study psychiatric disease. Despite this, the large volume of research performed over the last... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158380 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158379&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F879%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158379 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158378&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F877%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158378 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158377&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2F875%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158377 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158376&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2FNP-c%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158376 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158375&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2FNP-b%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158375 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158375 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158374&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2FNP-a%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158374 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158373&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F5%2FNP%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158373 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5158373 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959903&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F861%3Frss%3D1 Impairments in neuropsychological functioning have been described in subjects clinically at high risk for psychosis, but the specific cognitive deficits in different clinical high-risk groups remain to be elucidated. The German Research Network on Schizophrenia employs a heuristic 2-stage model: a putatively late prodromal state (LPS), characterized by the onset of attenuated positive or brief psychotic symptoms, and an early prodromal state (EPS), mainly characterized by the presence of basic symptoms, which are predictive for psychosis within the next 10 years. A total of 205 subjects met the criteria for either an EPS or an LPS of psychosis and were assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. Neurocognitive profiles of high-risk groups were compared with data of 87 he... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959903 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959903 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959902&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F850%3Frss%3D1 The extended psychosis phenotype, or the expression of nonclinical positive psychotic experiences, is already prevalent in adolescence and has a dose-response risk relationship with later psychotic disorder. In 2 large adolescent general population samples (n = 5422 and n = 2230), prevalence and structure of the extended psychosis phenotype was investigated. Positive psychotic experiences, broadly defined, were reported by the majority of adolescents. Exploratory analysis with Structural Equation Modelling (Exploratory Factor Analysis followed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis [CFA]) in sample 1 suggested that psychotic experiences were best represented by 5 underlying dimensions; CFA in sample 2 provided a replication of this model. Dimensions were labeled Hallucinations, Delusions, Paranoi... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959902 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959902 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959901&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F839%3Frss%3D1 Although schizophrenia is characterized by gray matter (GM) abnormalities, particularly in the prefrontal and temporal cortices, it is unclear whether cerebral cortical GM is abnormal in individuals at ultra-high-risk (UHR) for psychosis. We addressed this issue by studying cortical thickness in this group with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We measured cortical thickness of 29 individuals with no family history of psychosis at UHR, 31 patients with schizophrenia, and 29 healthy matched control subjects using automated surface-based analysis of structural MRI data. Hemispheric mean and regional cortical thickness were significantly different according to the stage of the disease. Significant cortical differences across these 3 groups were found in the distributed area of cerebral cortic... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959901 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959901 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959900&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F832%3Frss%3D1 This study examined effects of cigarette smoking on mortality risk in 1213 persons aged 19–69 years with schizophrenia-related psychotic disorders admitted to State of Maryland Hospitals between 1994 and 2000. Inpatient medical records from 7 hospitals were reviewed to obtain demographic information, diagnosis, medication use, as well as smoking and other substance use. Social Security Death Index data were used to identify deaths in the study group between 1994 and 2004. Death records were reviewed to obtain manner of death and underlying disorders. Of the 1213, 55% were smokers and 71% abused substances. There was an age x smoking interaction (2 = 14.6, df = 1, P = .0001) for mortality, with estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for smokers vs nonsmokers of 2.1 among 35- to 54-year olds an... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959900 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959899&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F822%3Frss%3D1 Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) variations have been shown to modulate schizophrenia candidate endophenotypes related to brain structure and function. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of NRG1 on several oculomotor schizophrenia endophenotypes. The effects of 5 core single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the NRG1 gene to oculomotor parameters in a battery of oculomotor tasks (saccade, antisaccade, smooth eye pursuit, fixation) were investigated in a sample of 2243 young male military conscripts. Additive regression models, bootstrap and permutation techniques, were used as well as structural equation modeling and haplotype analysis. A deficit in global smooth eye pursuit performance measured using the root-mean-square error (RMSE) was related to the risk allele of SNP8NRG243177,... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959899 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959898&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F811%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: AD are highly prevalent in SZ, but important variations in rates are observed between studies. This meta-analysis highlights several factors that affect risk for, or detection of AD in SZ, and could, thus, have an important impact on treatment and outcome of SZ patients. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959898 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959897&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F800%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: The association between psychosis and repeat offending differed depending on the comparison group. Despite this, we found no support for the findings of previous reviews that psychosis is associated with a lower risk of repeat offending. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959897 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959897 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959896&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F788%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Although antipsychotic treatment with ≥50% to <1 DDD may be as effective as standard-dose therapy, there are insufficient clinical trial data to draw firm conclusions on standard- vs low-dose maintenance antipsychotic therapy for schizophrenia. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959896 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959896 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959895&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F778%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Our results support EAGBR measures as putative endophenotypes of schizophrenia, likely reflecting an ubiquitous local cortical circuit deficit. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959895 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959895 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959894&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F768%3Frss%3D1 Comparison of current and estimated premorbid IQ in schizophrenia suggests that there are subgroups with low IQ, deteriorated IQ (DIQ), or preserved IQ and that this is established by psychosis onset. There are no controlled studies examining the trajectory of these IQ subgroups longitudinally or their relationship with clinical and social outcomes. Of 129 individuals with first-episode schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, 25% showed stable low IQ, 31% showed stable IQ in the average/high range, and 44% demonstrated intellectual deterioration by 10 points or more. Patients in the low and deteriorated groups were equally impaired on tests of memory and executive function compared with the preserved average/high-IQ group and controls and showed more negative and disorganization symptom... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959894 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959894 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959893&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F757%3Frss%3D1 Frontal hypoactivation has consistently been demonstrated in schizophrenia patients. We hypothesized that this well-known deficit is asymmetrical, ie, centered over left frontal locations and, in-line with Crow's theory, associated with both loss of linguistic asymmetry and correlated with positive symptoms. Electroencephalography delta band was used as a quantitative index of cortical inhibition in 17 paranoid schizophrenia patients with prevailing positive symptoms and 17 matched control subjects. Delta amplitude was measured by 38 electrodes, while participants performed 3 linguistic tasks, visuoperceptual, rhyming, and semantic judgment. Compared with control subjects, patients did not show overall delta band differences, revealing no detrimental effects of pharmacological treatment. I... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959893 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959892&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F746%3Frss%3D1 Despite robust evidence of hippocampal abnormalities in schizophrenia, it is unclear whether hippocampal dysfunction predates the onset of psychosis. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate hippocampal function in subjects with an at-risk mental state (ARMS). Eighteen subjects meeting criteria for an ARMS and 22 healthy controls, matched for age, gender, and premorbid IQ, were scanned while performing a version of the Deese-Roediger-McDermott false memory task. During an encoding phase, subjects read lists of words aloud. Following a delay, they were presented with 24 target words, 24 semantically related lure words, and 24 novel words and required to indicate if each had been presented before. Behaviorally, the ARMS group made more false alarm responses for novel word... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959892 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959891&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F737%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Efforts are needed to reduce use of force toward individuals with psychotic disorders. These findings suggest that CIT may be an effective approach. In addition to clinical and programmatic implications, such findings demonstrate a role for clinicians, advocates, and schizophrenia researchers in promoting social justice through partnerships with diverse social sectors. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959891 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959890&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F727%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Congruent with prior studies of patients with other disorders, a practical pharmacy-based intervention increased antipsychotic adherence among patients with SMI. However, SMI patients may require additional care management components to improve outcomes. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959890 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959889&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F716%3Frss%3D1 Visual illusions allow for strong tests of perceptual functioning. Perceptual impairments can produce superior task performance on certain tasks (ie, more veridical perception), thereby avoiding generalized deficit confounds while tapping mechanisms that are largely outside of conscious control. Using a task based on the Ebbinghaus illusion, a perceptual phenomenon where the perceived size of a central target object is affected by the size of surrounding inducers, we tested hypotheses related to visual integration in deaf (n = 31) and hearing (n = 34) patients with schizophrenia. In past studies, psychiatrically healthy samples displayed increased visual integration relative to schizophrenia samples and thus were less able to correctly judge target sizes. Deafness, and especially the use o... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959889 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959888&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F709%3Frss%3D1 This article surveys the behavioral and neuroimaging studies that probe into the spatial integration of motion information in schizophrenia. An emerging theme from these studies points to an imbalanced regulation of spatial interaction processes as a potential mechanism mediating different levels of abnormal motion processing in schizophrenia. The synthesis of these mechanism-driven studies suggests that further investigation of the neural basis and functional consequences of this abnormal motion processing are needed in order to render a basic biomarker for assessment and intervention of cognitive dysfunction in this mental disorder. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959888 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959887&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F700%3Frss%3D1 Visual masking provides several key advantages for exploring the earliest stages of visual processing in schizophrenia: it allows for control over timing at the millisecond level, there are several well-supported theories of the underlying neurobiology of visual masking, and it is amenable to examination by electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this paper, we provide an overview of the visual masking impairment schizophrenia, including the relevant theoretical mechanisms for masking impairment. We will discuss its relationship to clinical symptoms, antipsychotic medications, diagnostic specificity, and presence in at-risk populations. As part of this overview, we will cover the neural correlates of visual masking based on recent findings from EEG a... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959887 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959886&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F690%3Frss%3D1 Perceptual organization (PO) refers to the processes by which visual information is structured into coherent patterns such as groups, contours, perceptual wholes, and object representations. Impairments in PO have been demonstrated in schizophrenia since the 1960s and have been linked to several illness-related factors including poor premorbid functioning, poor prognosis, and disorganized symptoms. This literature was last reviewed in 2005. Since then, electrophysiological (electroencephalographic, event-related potential, and magnetoencephalographic) and fMRI studies in both patient and nonpatient samples have clarified brain mechanisms involved in the impairment, and additional behavioral studies in patients and nonpatients have clarified the computational mechanisms. In addition, data n... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959886 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959885&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F681%3Frss%3D1 This theme section on vision science and schizophrenia research demonstrates that our understanding of the disorder could be significantly accelerated by a greater adoption of the methods of vision science. In this introduction, we briefly describe what vision science is, how it has advanced our understanding of schizophrenia, and what challenges and opportunities lay ahead regarding schizophrenia research. We then summarize the articles that follow. These include reviews of abnormal form perception (perceptual organization and backward masking) and motion processing, and an article on reduced size contrast illusions experienced by hearing but not deaf persons with schizophrenia. These articles reveal that the methods of basic vision research can provide insights into a number of aspects o... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959885 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959884&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F674%3Frss%3D1 An increasing number of studies demonstrate the important role of several susceptibility genes for schizophrenia, such as neuregulin-1 and DISC1, in early postnatal and adult neurogenesis. Its significance for the pathophysiology of the disease, including its relation to neurotransmitter systems implicated in schizophrenia (like the dopamine system), remains, however, unknown. Here, we review molecular and cellular components of the dopamine system associated with postnatal neurogenesis and plasticity, both in rodents and in primates, and discuss their possible implication in schizophrenia. We focus mainly on the islands of Calleja, complex aggregations of granule cells in the ventral striatum, generated early postnatally in the subventricular zone. In contrast to the involution of the pri... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959884 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959884 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959883&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F671%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959883 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959883 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959882&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F664%3Frss%3D1 The objective of the current historical prospective study was to examine the relationship between SES, cognitive functioning, and risk of hospitalization for schizophrenia in a population-based sample of Israeli adolescents. Subjects were 811 487 adolescents, assessed by the Israeli military draft board for socio-demographic factors and cognitive functioning. Data on later hospitalization for schizophrenia were obtained from a population-based hospitalization registry. Findings indicated that when simply examining SES and schizophrenia, lower SES was associated with greater risk of hospitalization for schizophrenia (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 1.193, 95% CI = 1.091–1.303). When dividing the cohort into low, average, and high cognitive functioning, SES did not influence the risk for schizophr... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959882 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959881&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F659%3Frss%3D1 There is growing recognition that neural oscillations are important in a wide range of perceptual and cognitive functions. One of the key issues in electrophysiological studies of schizophrenia is whether high or low frequency oscillations, or both, are related to schizophrenia because many brain functions are modulated with frequency specificities. Many recent electrophysiological studies of schizophrenia have focused on high frequency oscillations at gamma band and in general support gamma band dysfunction in schizophrenia. We discuss the concept that gamma oscillation abnormalities in schizophrenia often occur in the background of oscillation abnormalities of lower frequencies. The review discusses the basic neurobiology for the emergence of oscillations of all frequency bands in associ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959881 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959881 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959880&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F656%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959880 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959880 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959879&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2F653%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959879 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959879 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959878&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2FNP-c%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959878 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959877&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2FNP-b%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959877 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959877 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959876&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2FNP-a%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959876 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4959875&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F4%2FNP%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4959875 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4959875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733726&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F652%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733726 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733726 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733725&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F651-a%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733725 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733724&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F651%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733724 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733723&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F640%3Frss%3D1 Discussion: The present study shows convergent fMRI and DTI findings that are consistent with the disconnection hypothesis in schizophrenia, particularly in medial frontal regions, while adding some insight of the relationship between brain disconnectivity and behavior. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733723 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733722&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F631%3Frss%3D1 Conclusion: Cannabis has a deleterious effect, but stopping use after the first psychotic episode contributes to a clear improvement in outcome. The positive effects of stopping cannabis use can be seen more clearly in the long term. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733722 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733721&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F619%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Specialist FEP programs are effective in preventing relapse. Cognitive-based individual and family interventions may need to specifically target relapse to obtain relapse prevention benefits that extend beyond those provided by specialist FEP programs. Overall, the available data suggest that FGAs and SGAs have the potential to reduce relapse rates. Future trials should examine the effectiveness of placebo vs antipsychotics in combination with intensive psychosocial interventions in preventing relapse in the early course of psychosis. Further studies should identify those patients who may not need antipsychotic medication to be able to recover from psychosis. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733721 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733720&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F611%3Frss%3D1 Psychotic symptoms are exacerbated by social stressors in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder patients as a group. More specifically, critical attitudes toward patients on the part of family members and others have been associated with a higher risk of relapse in the patients. Some patients appear to be especially vulnerable in this regard. One variable that could affect the degree of sensitivity to a social stressor such as criticism is the individual’s level of anxiety. The present longitudinal study assessed 27 relatively stable outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and the single "most influential other" (MIO) person for each patient. As hypothesized, (1) patients with high critical MIOs showed increases in psychotic symptoms over time, compared with p... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733720 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733719&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F603%3Frss%3D1 Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly comorbid with schizophrenia and may be associated with higher levels or lower levels of negative symptoms. In the current study, we attempted to clarify the relationship between PTSD and negative symptoms by examining the proportion of patients meeting various negative symptom criteria in a sample of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia alone or schizophrenia and comorbid PTSD. Results indicated that the presence of PTSD in schizophrenia was associated with increased secondary negative symptoms, with the deficit syndrome (DS) and primary negative symptoms associated with lower rates of current and lifetime diagnoses of PTSD. Furthermore, the deficit/nondeficit classification provided greater differentiation of PTSD symptoms than did negative ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733719 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733718&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F587%3Frss%3D1 Social anhedonia has been employed in psychometric high-risk studies to identify putative schizotypes. To date, this research has focused almost exclusively on college samples. The current study sought to examine the validity of social anhedonia as an indicator of risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders within a community sample. Furthermore, we evaluated the role of other individual difference variables in accounting for variable clinical severity within the social anhedonia group including trait affectivity, social support, and family environment. Following the mailed questionnaire screening of 2434 eighteen-year olds, laboratory assessments were conducted with individuals identified as being high in social anhedonia (n = 86) and a comparison sample (n = 89). Compared with the control ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733718 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733717&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F580%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Individuals with schizophrenia and other psychoses have significantly increased risks of an arson conviction. These risk estimates are higher than those reported for other violent crimes and place arson in the same category as homicide as crimes that are most strongly associated with psychotic disorders. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733717 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733717 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733716&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F572%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Stranger homicide in psychosis is extremely rare and is even rarer for a patient who has received treatment with antipsychotic medication. A lack of distinguishing characteristics of stranger homicide offenders and an extremely low base rate of stranger-homicide suggests that risk assessment of patients known to have a psychotic illness will be of little assistance in the prevention of stranger homicides. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733716 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733715&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F561%3Frss%3D1 Evidence from clinical patient populations indicates that affective dysregulation is strongly associated with reality distortion, suggesting that a process of misassignment of emotional salience may underlie this connection. To examine this in more detail without clinical confounds, affective regulation-reality distortion relationships, and their clinical relevance, were examined in a German prospective cohort community study. A cohort of 2524 adolescents and young adults aged 14–24 years at baseline was examined by experienced psychologists. Presence of psychotic experiences and (hypo)manic and depressive symptoms was assessed at 2 time points (3.5 and up to 10 years after baseline) using the Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Associations were tested between level... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733715 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733714&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F554%3Frss%3D1 This study supports the viability of reference failure analysis as a measure of communication disturbance in a language other than English. The findings indicate that schizophrenia and depression both are associated with high levels of referential failures but that affective reactivity of speech is present only in schizophrenia and not in depression. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733714 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733713&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F546%3Frss%3D1 An increasing number of studies are demonstrating an association between childhood abuse and psychosis. However, the majority of these rely on retrospective self-reports in adulthood that may be unduly influenced by current psychopathology. We therefore set out to explore the reliability and comparability of first-presentation psychosis patients’ reports of childhood abuse. Psychosis case subjects were drawn from the Aetiology and Ethnicity of Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses (ÆSOP) epidemiological study and completed the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire to elicit abusive experiences that occurred prior to 16 years of age. High levels of concurrent validity were demonstrated with the Parental Bonding Instrument (antipathy: rs = 0.350–0.737, P < .00... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733713 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733712&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F538%3Frss%3D1 Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia is often severe, enduring, and contributes significantly to chronic disability. But clinicians have difficulty in assessing cognition due to a lack of brief instruments. We evaluated whether a brief battery of cognitive tests derived from larger batteries could generate a summary score representing global cognitive function. Using data from 3 previously published trials, we calculated the corrected item-total correlations (CITCs) or the correlation of each test with the battery total score. We computed the proportion of variance that each test shares with the global score excluding that test (Rt2=CITC2) and the variance explained per minute of administration time for each test (Rt2/min). The 3 tests with the highest Rt2/min were selected for the brief ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733712 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733711&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F531%3Frss%3D1 Conclusion: Childhood trauma is an important variable that can contribute to specific ongoing memory impairments in schizophrenia. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733711 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733710&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F524%3Frss%3D1 There is an urgent need and a global opportunity to rethink not only the dominant research paradigms in etiological research but also to invest in less constrained strategies which cut across the existing diagnostic silos to seek out common risk factors, late as well as early neurodevelopmental processes, pathophysiologies, and novel treatment strategies. The high-quality research presented in this special issue of Schizophrenia Bulletin makes a compelling case for such a rethink. While there is still a genuine disconnect between our understanding of the complex and dramatic brain changes that occur during the transition to adulthood and the concurrent surge in incidence of mental ill-health, there is no doubt that a much more serious focus on the perionset stage of clinical disorders in y... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733710 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733709&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F514%3Frss%3D1 Recent data from developmental cognitive neuroscience highlight the profound changes in the organization and function of cortical networks during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. While previous studies have focused on the development of gray and white matter, recent evidence suggests that brain maturation during adolescence extends to fundamental changes in the properties of cortical circuits that in turn promote the precise temporal coding of neural activity. In the current article, we will highlight modifications in the amplitude and synchrony of neural oscillations during adolescence that may be crucial for the emergence of cognitive deficits and psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia. Specifically, we will suggest that schizophrenia is associated with impaired parameters of s... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733709 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733708&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F504%3Frss%3D1 Many of the major neuropsychiatric illnesses, including schizophrenia, have a typical age of onset in late adolescence. Late adolescence may reflect a critical period in brain development making it particularly vulnerable for the onset of psychopathology. Neuroimaging studies that focus on this age range may provide unique insights into the onset and course of psychosis. In this review, we examine the evidence from 2 unique longitudinal cohorts that span the ages from early childhood through young adulthood; a study of childhood-onset schizophrenia where patients and siblings are followed from ages 6 through to their early twenties, and an ultra-high risk study where subjects (mean age of 19 years) are studied before and after the onset of psychosis. From the available evidence, we make an... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733708 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733707&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F493%3Frss%3D1 Schizophrenia is a disorder of cognitive neurodevelopment with characteristic abnormalities in working memory attributed, at least in part, to alterations in the circuitry of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Various environmental exposures from conception through adolescence increase risk for the illness, possibly by altering the developmental trajectories of prefrontal cortical circuits. Macaque monkeys provide an excellent model system for studying the maturation of prefrontal cortical circuits. Here, we review the development of glutamatergic and -aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic circuits in macaque monkey prefrontal cortex and discuss how these trajectories may help to identify sensitive periods during which environmental exposures, such as those associated with increased risk for sch... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733707 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733707 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733706&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F484%3Frss%3D1 Schizophrenia and related mental disorders are common and devastating conditions for which we have a limited understanding of their origin and mechanisms. Although this apparent lack of progress despite vast research efforts could be due to difficulties in reproducing the disease in animals, animal work is now providing important insight onto possible pathophysiological changes in the brain. Postmortem studies of human brains have provided data indicating altered local inhibitory circuits in the cerebral cortex in schizophrenia and different developmental, pharmacological, and genetic animal models converge in revealing deficits in cortical interneuron function that can be associated with neurophysiological and behavioral alterations resembling aspects of the disease. Schizophrenia pathoph... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733706 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733706 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733705&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F480%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733705 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733704&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F471%3Frss%3D1 On the 100th anniversary of the publication of Eugen Bleuler's Dementia Praecox or the Group of Schizophrenias, his teachings on schizophrenia from that seminal book are reviewed and reassessed, and implications for the current revision of the category of schizophrenia, with its emphasis on psychotic symptoms, drawn. Bleuler's methods are contrasted with Kraepelin's, and 4 myths about his concept of schizophrenia addressed. We demonstrate that (1) Bleuler's concept of schizophrenia has close ties to historical and contemporary concepts of dissociation and as such the public interpretation of schizophrenia as split personality has some historical basis; (2) Bleuler's concept of loosening of associations does not refer narrowly to a disorder of thought but broadly to a core organically based... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733704 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733703&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F469%3Frss%3D1 The names we call each other stir passions, as we see from two recent commentaries on naming in psychiatry. Pamela Hyde, Director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency, urges us to use terms that recognize the many individualized paths to recovery people with mental illnesses follow. Fuller Torrey urges us to call people with schizophrenia "patients." This commentary suggests that, by respecting the preferences of those being named, clinicians may enhance engagement in treatment and demonstrate respect for people as individuals beyond the label of a disease. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733703 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733703 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733702&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F466%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733702 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733702 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733701&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F464%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733701 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733700&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F456%3Frss%3D1 The purpose of this invited review is to summarize the state of genetic research into the etiology of schizophrenia (SCZ) and to consider options for progress. The fundamental uncertainty in SCZ genetics has always been the nature of the beast, the underlying genetic architecture. If this were known, studies using the appropriate technologies and sample sizes could be designed with an excellent chance of producing high-confidence results. Until recently, few pertinent data were available, and the field necessarily relied on speculation. However, for the first time in the complex and frustrating history of inquiry into the genetics of SCZ, we now have empirical data about the genetic basis of SCZ that implicate specific loci and that can be used to plan the next steps forward. (Source: Schi... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733700 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733699&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F451%3Frss%3D1 Aging is not a uniform process. In the general population, there is a paradox of aging: age-associated decline in physical and some cognitive functions stands in contrast to an enhancement of subjective quality of life and psychosocial functioning. This paradox is even more striking in people with schizophrenia. Compared with the overall population, individuals with schizophrenia have accelerated physical aging (with increased and premature medical comorbidity and mortality) but a normal rate of cognitive aging, although with mild cognitive impairment starting from premorbid period and persisting throughout life. Remarkably, psychosocial function improves with age, with diminished psychotic symptoms, reduced psychiatric relapses requiring hospitalization and better self-management. Many ol... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733699 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733698&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F445%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733698 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733697&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2F443%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733697 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4733696&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F37%2F3%2FNP-c%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4733696 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4733696