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. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:39:00 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338132&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F428%3Frss%3D1 Individuals with schizophrenia are at increased risk for poor health outcomes and mortality. This may be due to inadequate self-management of co-occurring conditions, such as type 2 diabetes. We compared adherence to oral hypoglycemic medications for diabetes patients with vs without comorbid schizophrenia. Using Veterans Affairs (VA) health system administrative data, we identified all patients with both schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes and with at least one oral hypoglycemic prescription fill in fiscal year 2002 (N = 11 454) and a comparison group of patients with diabetes who were not diagnosed with schizophrenia (N = 10 560). Nonadherence was operationalized as having a medication possession ratio indicating receipt of less than 80% of needed hypoglycemic medications. Poor adherence w... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338132 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:36 +0100 3338132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338131&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F419%3Frss%3D1 Individuals with schizophrenia have consistently been found to exhibit cognitive deficits, which have been identified as critical mediators of psychosocial functional outcomes. Recent reviews of cognitive remediation (CRT) have concluded that these deficits respond to training. This multi-site community study examined 40 individuals with schizophrenia who underwent cognitive remediation using the Neuropsychological Educational Approach to Remediation1 (NEAR). Assessments using the same neuropsychological tests and measures of psychosocial outcome were made at four time points: baseline, before start of active intervention, end of active intervention and 4 months after end of active intervention. Dose of antipsychotic medication remained constant throughout the study period. After participa... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338131 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:36 +0100 3338131 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338130&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F410%3Frss%3D1 Atypical antipsychotic treatment has been associated with serious metabolic adverse events, such as glucose dysregulation and development of type 2 diabetes. As part of our studies on possible underlying mechanisms, we investigated the acute effects of various typical and atypical antipsychotics on plasma glucose and insulin in FVB/N mice, a strain that showed a more pronounced hyperglycemic response to clozapine than C57BL/6 and CD-1 mice. Acute administration of high doses of clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, perphenazine, or chlorpromazine significantly increased plasma glucose by 100%–140% above basal levels without significant effects on insulin levels. In contrast, risperidone reduced plasma glucose (–30%) and markedly enhanced plasma insulin levels. Doses of ziprasidone... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338130 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:36 +0100 3338130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338129&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F400%3Frss%3D1 Studies commonly report poor performance in psychotic patients compared with controls on tasks testing a range of cognitive functions, but, because current IQ is often not matched between these groups, it is difficult to determine whether this represents a generalized deficit or specific abnormalities. Fifty-three first-episode psychosis patients and 53 healthy controls, one-to-one matched for sex, age, and full-scale current IQ, were compared on Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) subtests representing indices of perceptual organization, verbal comprehension, processing speed, and working memory as well as other tests of executive function and episodic memory. The groups showed an equivalent pattern of performance on all WAIS subtests except digit symbol processing speed, on which th... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338129 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:36 +0100 3338129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338128&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F388%3Frss%3D1 Discussion: These findings indicate that "positive" schizotypy is associated with central features of "flow"-type experience, including distinct shift in phenomenological experience, deep absorption, focus on present experience, and sense of pleasure. The neurologically based construct of latent inhibition may be a mechanism that facilitates entry into flow-type states for schizotypal individuals. This may occur by reduced latent inhibition providing a "fresh" awareness and therefore a greater absorption in present experience, thus leading to flow-type states. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338128 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338128 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338127&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F381%3Frss%3D1 Measures of functional competence have been introduced to supplement standard cognitive and neuropsychological evaluations in schizophrenia research and practice. Functional competence comprises skills and abilities that are more relevant to daily life and community adjustment. However, it is unclear whether relevance translates into significantly enhanced prediction of real-world outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the specific contribution of functional competence in predicting a key aspect of real-world outcome in schizophrenia: community independence. Demographic, clinical, cognitive, and functional competence data were obtained from 127 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and used to predict community independence concurrently and longitudinally after 10 ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338127 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338126&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F370%3Frss%3D1 The emotion management subscale of the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) has recently been recommended by the National Institute of Mental Health Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia committee as the sole measure of social cognition for trials of cognitive enhancement in schizophrenia, yet the psychometric properties of this subscale and the larger instrument in schizophrenia patients have not been thoroughly examined. This research presents a psychometric investigation of the MSCEIT in a sample of 64 early course outpatients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or schizophreniform disorder. Results demonstrated that the MSCEIT possesses adequate internal consistency reliability among its branch and total scales and that patients&... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338126 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338125&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F359%3Frss%3D1 The identification of schizophrenia's negative symptoms dates back to the earliest descriptions of Kraepelin and Bleuler, who each highlighted the central role of avolition in the phenomenology and course of this illness. Since, there have been numerous advances in our understanding of schizophrenia, and the present review tracks the changes that have taken place in our understanding of negative symptoms, their description and measurement. That these symptoms represent a distinct domain of the illness is discussed in the context of their ties to other symptoms and functional outcome. The underlying structure of the negative symptom construct is explored, including several lines of investigation that point towards diminished expression and amotivation as key underlying subdomains. We also d... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338125 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338124&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F347%3Frss%3D1 This study was the first one to pool studies on sex differences in these scales. The gender differences in social anhedonia both in nonclinical samples and in schizophrenia may relate to a broader aspect of social and interpersonal deficits. The results should be taken into account in studies using these instruments. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338124 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338123&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F341%3Frss%3D1 It has been recently shown that Catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism strongly influences prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response (ASR) in healthy human volunteers. Given that schizophrenia patients exhibit impairment in PPI and that COMT is a putative susceptibility gene for schizophrenia, we investigated the impact of the COMT Val158Met polymorphisms on PPI in schizophrenic inpatients. We analyzed COMT Val158Met polymorphisms and assessed startle reactivity, habituation, and PPI of ASR in 68 Caucasian schizophrenia inpatients. Clinical symptoms were measured with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Patients carrying the Val158Met Met/Met allele showed elevated PPI levels whereas startle reactivity and habituation did not differ from t... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338123 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338122&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F331%3Frss%3D1 Contemporary researchers have tended to examine dysfunction among the lives of persons with schizophrenia as a matter of the impact of biological and social forces. While this has greatly advanced the knowledge base, any account of schizophrenia without a full consideration of the illness's first-person dimensions risks missing that schizophrenia is a disorder that interrupts the lives of people who must continue to struggle to find and create security and meaning. While literature from a range of sources has explored self-experience in schizophrenia, one barrier to the creation of a larger synthesis and application of this work is that it remains unclear whether, and to what degree, these differing views of self-experience are comparable with one another. To address this issue, this artic... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338122 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338121&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F321%3Frss%3D1 Deluded people differ from nondeluded controls on attributional style questionnaires and probabilistic-reasoning and theory-of-mind (ToM) tasks. No study to date has examined the relations between these 3 reasoning anomalies in the same individuals so as to evaluate their functional independence and potentially inform theories of delusion formation. We did so in 35 schizophrenic patients with a history of delusions, 30 of whom were currently deluded, and 34 healthy controls. Compared with healthy controls, patients showed (a) a jumping-to-conclusions bias and a bias to overadjust when confronted with a change of evidence on probabilistic-reasoning tasks, (b) an excessive externalizing attributional bias, and (c) performance deficits on 3 ToM tasks. Probabilistic-reasoning and ToM measures ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338121 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338121 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338120&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F314%3Frss%3D1 Catatonia is a motor dysregulation syndrome described by Karl Kahlbaum in 1874. He understood catatonia as a disease of its own. Others quickly recognized it among diverse disorders, but Emil Kraepelin made it a linchpin of his concept of dementia praecox. Eugen Bleuler endorsed this singular association. During the 20th century, catatonia has been considered a type of schizophrenia. In the 1970s, American authors identified catatonia in patients with mania and depression, as a toxic response, and in general medical and neurologic illnesses. It was only occasionally found in patients with schizophrenia. When looked for, catatonia is found in 10% or more of acute psychiatric admissions. It is readily diagnosable, verifiable by a lorazepam challenge test, and rapidly treatable. Even in its m... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338120 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338119&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F301%3Frss%3D1 Schizophrenia is a condition that impairs higher brain functions, some of which are specific to humans. After identification of susceptibility genes for schizophrenia, many efforts have been made to generate genetics-based models for the disease. It is under debate whether behavioral deficits observed in rodents are sufficient to characterize these models. Alternatively, anatomical and neuropathological changes identified in brains of patients with schizophrenia may be utilized as translatable characteristics between humans and rodents, which are important for validation of the models. Here, we overview such anatomical and neuropathological changes in humans: enlarged ventricles, dendritic changes in the pyramidal neurons, and alteration of specific subtypes of interneurons. In this review... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338119 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338118&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F289%3Frss%3D1 Cognitive deficits are core features of psychiatric disorders and contribute substantially to functional outcome. It is still unclear, however, how cognitive deficits are related to underlying genetic liability and overt clinical symptoms. Fortunately, animal models of susceptibility genes can illuminate how the products of disease-associated genetic variants affect brain function and ultimately alter behavior. Using as a reference findings from the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia program and the SchizophreniaGene database, we review cognitive data from mutant models of rare and common genetic variants associated with schizophrenia. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338118 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338117&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F271%3Frss%3D1 Negative symptoms encompass diminution in emotional expression and motivation, some of which relate to human attributes that may not be accessible readily in animals. Additionally, their refractoriness to treatment precludes therapeutic validation of putative models. This review considers critically the application of mutant mouse models to the study of the pathobiology of negative symptoms. It focuses on 4 main approaches: genes related to the pathobiology of schizophrenia, genes associated with risk for schizophrenia, neurodevelopmental-synaptic genes, and variant approaches from other areas of neurobiology. Despite rapid advances over the past several years, it is clear that we continue to face substantive challenges in applying mutant models to better understand the pathobiology of neg... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338117 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338116&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F246%3Frss%3D1 In recent years, there have been huge advances in the use of genetically modified mice to study pathophysiological mechanisms involved in schizophrenia. This has allowed rapid progress in our understanding of the role of several proposed gene mechanisms in schizophrenia, and yet this research has also revealed how much still remains unresolved. Behavioral studies in genetically modified mice are reviewed with special emphasis on modeling psychotic-like behavior. I will particularly focus on observations on locomotor hyperactivity and disruptions of prepulse inhibition (PPI). Recommendations are included to address pharmacological and methodological aspects in future studies. Mouse models of dopaminergic and glutamatergic dysfunction are then discussed, reflecting the most important and wid... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338116 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338115&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F243%3Frss%3D1 The present series of review articles seeks to elaborate how current findings in mutant mice may inform on the relationship between candidate genes and individual psychopathological and pathobiological aspects of schizophrenia. Each of the authors focuses on an overlapping selection of both well-characterized and emergent candidate genes, as identified through association and linkage studies and/or via their involvement in putative pathophysiological mechanisms, particularly those relating to dopaminergic and glutamatergic processes. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338115 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338114&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F239%3Frss%3D1 Psychiatric diagnoses are currently categorized on a syndromic basis. The syndrome of catatonia, however, remains in a diagnostic limbo, acknowledged predominantly as a subtype of schizophrenia. Yet, catatonia is present in about 10% of acutely ill psychiatry patients, only a minority of whom have schizophrenia. Among those with comorbid affective disorders, who comprise the largest subgroup of catatonic patients, the catatonic signs typically resolve dramatically and completely with benzodiazepine therapy. Those with schizophrenia respond less reliably, suggesting that the underlying processes causing the catatonia may be different in this group. The majority of patients with catatonia have concurrent psychosis. Failure to treat the catatonia before institution of antipsychotic medication... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338114 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338113&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F231%3Frss%3D1 To provide a rational basis for reconceptualizing catatonia in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition), we briefly review historical sources, the psychopathology of catatonia, and the relevance of catatonic schizophrenia in contemporary practice and research. In contrast to Kahlbaum, Kraepelin and others (Jaspers, Kleist, and Schneider) recognized the prevalence of motor symptoms in diverse psychiatric disorders but concluded that the unique pattern and persistence of certain psychomotor phenomena defined a "catatonic" subtype of schizophrenia, based on intensive long-term studies. The enduring controversy and confusion that ensued underscores the fact that the main problem with catatonia is not just its place in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Dis... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338113 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338112&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F229%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338112 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338111&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F219%3Frss%3D1 Maternal influenza during pregnancy is a controversial risk factor for schizophrenia in the child. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine whether birth during the 9-month period after the pandemic of 1957 was a risk factor for schizophrenia. Studies that compared the risk of schizophrenia among subjects born after the pandemic with that among those born in corresponding time periods in surrounding years were divided into those conducted in the United States, Europe, or Australia (type A studies, n = 8) and those from Japan, where the epidemic came in 2 waves (type B studies, n = 3). Other studies examined the risk among subjects born to mothers who were pregnant during the pandemic and reported having had influenza (type C studies, n = 2). Relative risks (RRs) were extracted or calculated... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338111 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338110&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F211%3Frss%3D1 The brain concentration of kynurenic acid (KYNA), a metabolite of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation and antagonist at both the glycine coagonist site of the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) and the 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (7nAChR), is elevated in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of individuals with schizophrenia. This increase may be clinically relevant because hypofunction of both the NMDAR and the 7nAChR are implicated in the pathophysiology, and especially in the cognitive deficits associated with the disease. In rat PFC, fluctuations in endogenous KYNA levels bidirectionally modulate extracellular levels of 3 neurotransmitters closely related to cognitive function (glutamate, dopamine, and acetylcholine). Moreover, behavioral studies in rats have demonstra... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338110 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338110 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338109&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F208%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338109 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338108&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2F205%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338108 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338107&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2FNP-c%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338107 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338107 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338106&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2FNP-b%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338106 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338105&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2FNP-a%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338105 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338104&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F2%2FNP%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338104 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:18:35 +0100 3338104 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133504&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F192%3Frss%3D1 In conclusion, slightly over half of modern-day schizophrenia patients are vulnerable to frequent or "chronic" delusional activity after the acute phase. Schizophreniform patients and other types of psychotic disorders are vulnerable to posthospital delusional activity, but less frequently, less severely, and more episodically. Delusional activity is associated with work disability. Internal factors such as good premorbid developmental achievements and favorable prognostic factors are protective factors that reduce the probability of chronic multiyear, delusional activity in schizophrenia (P < .01). (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133504 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:42 +0100 3133504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133503&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F182%3Frss%3D1 Symptom development during the prodromal phase of psychosis was explored retrospectively in first-episode psychosis patients with special emphasis on the assumed time-related syndromic sequence of "unspecific symptoms (UN)–predictive basic symptoms (BS)–attenuated psychotic symptoms (APS)–(transient) psychotic symptoms (PS)." Onset of syndromes was defined by first occurrence of any of their respective symptoms. Group means were inspected for time differences between syndromes and influence of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on the recalled sequence. The sequence of "UN–BS/APS–PS" was clearly supported, and both BS and, though slightly less, APS were highly sensitive. However, onset of BS and APS did not show significant time difference in the wh... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133503 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:42 +0100 3133503 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133502&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F173%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Rates of smoking were elevated in subjects with schizophrenia but were just as high with other psychotic disorders. Smoking was not associated with psychotic symptoms, but cigarette consumption covaried with depression over time. Given the devastating health consequences of cigarette use, smoking cessation interventions are urgently needed in this population and should specifically address depression. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133502 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:42 +0100 3133502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133501&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F165%3Frss%3D1 Conclusion: Our retrospective chart review suggests that patients with SCHZ complete and respond to antiviral therapy for HCV at rates comparable with those without SCHZ. Based on these data, SCHZ should not be considered a contraindication to antiviral therapy for HCV. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133501 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133500&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F157%3Frss%3D1 The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme catabolizes dopamine. The val158met single nucleotide polymorphism (rs4680) in the COMT gene has received considerable attention as a candidate gene for schizophrenia as well as for frontally mediated cognitive functions. Antisaccade performance is a good measure of frontal lobe integrity. Deficits on the task are considered a trait marker for schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of COMT val158met polymorphism with antisaccade eye movements in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. Schizophrenia patients (N = 105) and healthy controls (N = 95) underwent infrared oculographic assessment of antisaccades. Subjects were genotyped for COMT val158met and divided into 3 groups according to genotype (val/val, v... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133500 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133499&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F151%3Frss%3D1 Recently, it has been proposed that exaggerated top-down processing may generate spontaneous perceptual output, and that this may constitute a cognitive predisposition toward hallucinations. In this experiment, we investigated whether hallucination proneness would be associated with increased auditory-verbal perceptual expectations, and at which processing level this occurs. From 351 undergraduate students screened for hallucination proneness, using the Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale (LSHS), 42 subjects were recruited for participation. Two word recognition tasks were administered, in which top-down influences on perception were manipulated through sentence context (semantic task) or auditory imagery (phonological task). Results revealed that LSHS scores were correlated with the number o... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133499 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133498&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F143%3Frss%3D1 Our understanding of the emotion deficits in schizophrenia is limited. Findings from studies employing trait emotion instruments suggest that patients have attenuated levels of positive emotion (ie, anhedonia) and increased levels of negative emotion. Conversely, patients and controls have not statistically differed in their subjective reactions to positive or negative valenced stimuli in most laboratory studies to date. Further obfuscating this issue is the fact that many of these laboratory studies are underpowered and a handful of emotion induction studies have found evidence of anhedonia. We conducted a meta-analysis of 26 published studies employing laboratory emotion induction procedures in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Patients did not differ from controls when s... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133498 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133497&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F136%3Frss%3D1 This study uses the Delphi method to try to establish what a group of experts in CBT for psychosis view as important. Experts were invited to participate in 3 rounds of producing and rating statements that addressed areas such as principles, assessment, models, formulation, change strategies, homework, and therapists’ assumptions in order to consolidate consensus of opinion. Seventy-seven items were endorsed as important or essential for CBT for psychosis by >80% of the panel. These recommendations should ensure greater fidelity in clinical practice, allow greater evaluation of adherence within clinical trials, facilitate the development of competency frameworks, and be of value in relation to training and dissemination of CBT for psychosis. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133497 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133496&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F126%3Frss%3D1 This study presents the development and psychometric properties of a new outcome measure (CHoice of Outcome In Cbt for psychosEs [CHOICE]), which reflects more strongly the aims of CBTp and the priorities of service users. Service users who had received CBTp participated in focus groups to discuss their outcome priorities, using a topic guide generated by a panel of experts in CBTp. A qualitative thematic analysis was undertaken to reach consensus on themes and generate items. Response scales were constructed for 3 dimensions: severity, satisfaction, and importance. The resulting questionnaire was piloted with service users who had not received CBTp, stratified by service type, ethnicity, and first language to ensure that it was user friendly and applicable prior to CBTp. The psychometric ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133496 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133495&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F112%3Frss%3D1 It has recently been suggested that cognitive impairment should be included in the diagnostic criteria of schizophrenia. One of the main arguments in support of this suggestion has been the hope that cognitive impairment can help distinguish schizophrenia from bipolar disorder (BD). However, recent evidence shows that cognitive deficits occur in BD and persist beyond euthymia. Further, mood disorders with psychotic features might be expected to manifest greater cognitive impairment, which further complicates the potential to differentiate these disorders. The goal of the current meta-analysis was to examine the magnitude and characteristics of cognitive impairments in affective psychoses (AP). A systematic search of the existing literature sourced 27 studies that met the inclusion criteria... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133495 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133495 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133494&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F109%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133494 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133494 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133493&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F107%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133493 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133492&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F104%3Frss%3D1 This commentary on the updated Patient Outcomes Research Team recommendation from a policy perspective notes that the quality of research recommendations is improved but that there has been only limited impact and utility for providers. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133492 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133491&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F94%3Frss%3D1 The Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) project has played a significant role in the development and dissemination of evidence-based practices for schizophrenia. In contrast to other clinical guidelines, the Schizophrenia PORT Treatment Recommendations, initially published in 1998 and first revised in 2003, are based primarily on empirical data. Over the last 5 years, research on psychopharmacologic and psychosocial treatments for schizophrenia has continued to evolve, warranting an update of the PORT recommendations. In consultation with expert advisors, 2 Evidence Review Groups (ERGs) identified 41 treatment areas for review and conducted electronic literature searches to identify all clinical studies published since the last PORT literature review. The ERGs also reviewed... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133491 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133490&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F71%3Frss%3D1 In light of the large number of studies published since the 2004 update of Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team psychopharmacological treatment recommendations, we conducted an extensive literature review to determine whether the current psychopharmacological treatment recommendations required revision and whether there was sufficient evidence to warrant new treatment recommendations for prespecified outcomes of interest. We reviewed over 400 articles, which resulted in 16 treatment recommendations: the revision of 11 previous treatment recommendations and 5 new treatment recommendations. Three previous treatment recommendations were eliminated. There were 13 interventions and/or outcomes for which there was insufficient evidence for a treatment recommendation, and a statement was ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133490 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133489&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F48%3Frss%3D1 This article reports the third set of PORT recommendations that includes updated reviews in 7 areas as well as adding 5 new areas of review. Members of the psychosocial Evidence Review Group conducted reviews of the literature in each intervention area and drafted the recommendation or summary statement with supporting discussion. A Psychosocial Advisory Committee was consulted in all aspects of the review, and an expert panel commented on draft recommendations and summary statements. Our review process produced 8 treatment recommendations in the following areas: assertive community treatment, supported employment, cognitive behavioral therapy, family-based services, token economy, skills training, psychosocial interventions for alcohol and substance use disorders, and psychosocial interve... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133489 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133488&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F43%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133488 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133488 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133487&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F36%3Frss%3D1 It has recently been suggested that the diagnostic criteria of schizophrenia should include specific reference to cognitive impairments characterizing the disorder. Arguments in support of this assertion contend that such inclusion would not only serve to increase the awareness of cognitive deficits in affected patients, among both clinicians and researchers alike, but also increase the "point of rarity" between schizophrenia and mood disorders. The aim of the current article is to examine this latter assertion in light of the recent opinion piece provided by Keefe and Fenton (Keefe RSE, Fenton WS. How should DSM-V criteria for schizophrenia include cognitive impairment? Schizophr Bull. 2007;33:912–920). Through literature review, we explore the issue of whether cognitive deficits do... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133487 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133487 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133486&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F33%3Frss%3D1 The use of psychiatry for political purposes has been a major subject of debate within the world psychiatric community during the second half of the 20th century. The issue became prominent in the 1970s and 1980s due to the systematic political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union, where approximately one-third of the political prisoners were locked up in psychiatric hospitals. The issue caused a major rift within the World Psychiatric Association, from which the Soviets were forced to withdraw in 1983. They returned conditionally in 1989. Political abuse of psychiatry took also place in other socialist countries and on a systematic scale in Romania, and during the first decade of the 21st century, it became clear that systematic political abuse of psychiatry is also happening in the Pe... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133486 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:41 +0100 3133486 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133485&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F26%3Frss%3D1 Although the Nazi genocide of Jews during World War II is well known, the concurrent Nazi genocide of psychiatric patients is much less widely known. An attempt was made to estimate the number of individuals with schizophrenia who were sterilized and murdered by the Nazis and to assess the effect on the subsequent prevalence and incidence of this disease. It is estimated that between 220 000 and 269 500 individuals with schizophrenia were sterilized or killed. This total represents between 73% and 100% of all individuals with schizophrenia living in Germany between 1939 and 1945. Postwar studies of the prevalence of schizophrenia in Germany reported low rates, as expected. However, postwar rates of the incidence of schizophrenia in Germany were unexpectedly high. The Nazi genocide of psych... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133485 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:40 +0100 3133485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133484&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F24%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133484 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:40 +0100 3133484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133483&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F14%3Frss%3D1 Genetic architecture of a disease comprises the number, frequency, and effect sizes of genetic risk alleles and the way in which they combine together. Before the genomic revolution, the only clue to underlying genetic architecture of schizophrenia came from the recurrence risks to relatives and the segregation patterns within families. From these clues, very simple genetic architectures could be rejected, but many architectures were consistent with the observed family data. The new era of genome-wide association studies can provide further clues to the genetic architecture of schizophrenia. We explore models of genetic architecture by description rather than the mathematics that underpins them. We conclude that the new genome-wide data allow us to narrow the boundaries on the models of ge... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133483 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:40 +0100 3133483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133482&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F9%3Frss%3D1 Klaus Conrad’s major contribution to the phenomenology of psychosis focused on the patient’s experiences during the prodromal and early psychotic phases of schizophrenia. The literature in English concerning his work is sparse, in part because Conrad’s work contains complex concepts that lose much in translation. This communication attempts to clarify Conrad’s thought, especially as it pertains to the role of mood and delusions in beginning psychosis and its underlying neurobiology. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133482 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:40 +0100 3133482 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133481&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F3%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133481 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:40 +0100 3133481 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133480&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2F1%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133480 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:40 +0100 3133480 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133479&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2FNP-c%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133479 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:40 +0100 3133479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133478&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2FNP-b%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133478 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:40 +0100 3133478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133477&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2FNP-a%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133477 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:40 +0100 3133477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133476&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F36%2F1%2FNP%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133476 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:43:40 +0100 3133476 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898757&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1197-a%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898757 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898756&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1197%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898756 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898755&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1183%3Frss%3D1 This article introduces a specific, restrictive, operationalized definition of the "experiential substrate" of schizophrenia, defined by the "self-giving" "passive experiences" of the disorder that break into the consciousness of the affected individual, and are distinguished from the "active" acts of judgment formulation and conviction/belief attainment. The experiential substrate of schizophrenia may be considered similar to the experiential substrate of pain. The operationalization of the definition of passive experiences can enable the experiential substrate of schizophrenia to be acknowledged as an independent domain with a specific role in the assessment of the disorder, a role that is substantially omitted or ignored by current research and practice. The term "descriptive micropsych... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898755 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898755 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898754&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1163%3Frss%3D1 Many genes implicated in schizophrenia can be related to glutamatergic transmission and neuroplasticity, oligodendrocyte function, and other families clearly related to neurobiology and schizophrenia phenotypes. Others appear rather to be involved in the life cycles of the pathogens implicated in the disease. For example, aspartylglucosaminidase (AGA), PLA2, SIAT8B, GALNT7, or B3GAT1 metabolize chemical ligands to which the influenza virus, herpes simplex, cytomegalovirus (CMV), rubella, or Toxoplasma gondii bind. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGR/EGFR) is used by the CMV to gain entry to cells, and a CMV gene codes for an interleukin (IL-10) mimic that binds the host cognate receptor, IL10R. The fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR1) is used by herpes simplex. KPNA3 and RANBP5 ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898754 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898753&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1142%3Frss%3D1 There is a growing literature on brain activity in the nonpsychotic first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia as measured using functional imaging. This systematic review examined 20 studies in 4 domains of cognition, including cognitive control (7 samples), working memory (5 samples), long-term memory (4 samples), and language (4 samples). While the literature was widely divergent, these studies did consistently find activation differences between patients’ relatives and controls. The most consistent increases in activation within hemisphere were found in right ventral prefrontal cortex (PFC) and right parietal cortex. Abnormal activity, defined as significant increases or decreases in activation relative to controls irrespective of hemisphere, was found in about two-thi... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898753 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898753 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898752&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1132%3Frss%3D1 A critical research priority for our field is to develop treatments that enhance cognitive functioning in schizophrenia and thereby attenuate the functional losses associated with the illness. In this article, we describe such a treatment method that is grounded in emerging research on the widespread sensory processing impairments of schizophrenia, as described elsewhere in this special issue. We first present the rationale for this treatment approach, which consists of cognitive training exercises that make use of principles derived from the past 2 decades of basic science research in learning-induced neuroplasticity; these exercises explicitly target not only the higher order or "top-down" processes of cognition but also the content building blocks of accurate and efficient sensory repre... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898752 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898752 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898751&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1117%3Frss%3D1 Among the sensory modalities, olfaction is most closely associated with the frontal and temporal brain regions that are implicated in schizophrenia and most intimately related to the affective and mnemonic functions that these regions subserve. Olfactory probes may therefore be ideal tools through which to assess the structural and functional integrity of the neural substrates that underlie disease-related cognitive and emotional disturbances. Perhaps more importantly, to the extent that early sensory afferents are also disrupted in schizophrenia, the olfactory system—owing to its strategic anatomic location—may be especially vulnerable to such disruption. Olfactory dysfunction may therefore be a sensitive indicator of schizophrenia pathology and may even serve as an "early war... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898751 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898750&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1108%3Frss%3D1 In this study, we used a version of the global-local task specifically designed to examine lateralized hemispheric processing and attention shifting in 30 schizophrenia patients and 24 normal controls. Global-local stimuli were presented in couplets (consecutive pairs). Reaction time for the second target in a couplet was compared under conditions in which the target remained at the same level (global-global, local-local) and when the target changed levels (global-local, local-global). Level-specific priming (ie, global to global and local to local) and the local-to-global level shift were similar in both groups. Schizophrenia patients were significantly slower, however, shifting attention from the global to the local level. These results implicate an impairment in shifting attentional res... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898750 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898749&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1095%3Frss%3D1 This study examined the contribution to emotion-processing deficits of magnocellular and parvocellular visual pathway function, based on stimulus properties and shape of contrast response functions. Experiment 1 examined the relationship between contrast sensitivity to magnocellular- and parvocellular-biased stimuli and emotion recognition using the Penn Emotion Recognition (ER-40) and Emotion Differentiation (EMODIFF) tests. Experiment 2 altered the contrast levels of the faces themselves to determine whether emotion detection curves would show a pattern characteristic of magnocellular neurons and whether patients would show a deficit in performance related to early sensory processing stages. Results for experiment 1 showed that patients had impaired emotion processing and a preferential ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898749 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898748&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1085%3Frss%3D1 This study replicates and expands upon previous findings with visual illusions. Our results offer a unifying explanation for disparate studies and suggest that deficits in early sensory gain affect subsequent integrative processes. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898748 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898747&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1078%3Frss%3D1 Visual perception of a stimulus is a function of the visual context in which it is displayed. Surround suppression is a specific form of contextual modulation whereby the perceived contrast of a center stimulus is decreased by a high-contrast surround. Recent studies have demonstrated that individuals with schizophrenia are less prone to visual contextual effects, suggesting impairments in cortical lateral connectivity. We tested whether altered contextual modulation in schizophrenia is stimulus orientation selective. Participants viewed an annulus consisting of contrast-reversing sinusoidal gratings and determined if any one segment of the annulus had lower contrast relative to the other segments. Three stimulus configurations were tested: no surround (NS), parallel surround (PS), and ort... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898747 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898747 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898746&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1065%3Frss%3D1 Persons with schizophrenia experience subjective sensory anomalies and objective deficits on assessment of sensory function. Such deficits could be produced by abnormal signaling in the sensory pathways and sensory cortex or later stage disturbances in cognitive processing of such inputs. Steady state responses (SSRs) provide a noninvasive method to test the integrity of sensory pathways and oscillatory responses in schizophrenia with minimal task demands. SSRs are electrophysiological responses entrained to the frequency and phase of a periodic stimulus. Patients with schizophrenia exhibit pronounced auditory SSR deficits within the gamma frequency range (35–50 Hz) in response to click trains and amplitude-modulated tones. Visual SSR deficits are also observed, most prominently in t... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898746 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898745&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1059%3Frss%3D1 This special issue focuses on the theme of sensory processing dysfunction in schizophrenia. For more than 50 years, from approximately the time of Bleuler until the early 1960s, sensory function was considered one of the few preserved functions in schizophrenia (Javitt1). Fortunately, the last several decades have brought a renewed and accelerating interest in this topic. The articles included in the issue range from those addressing fundamental bases of sensory dysfunction (Brenner, Yoon, and Turetsky) to those that examine how elementary deficits in sensory processing affect the sensory experience of individuals with schizophrenia (Butler, Kantrowitz, and Coleman) to the question of how sensory-based treatments may lead to improvement in remediation strategies (Adcock). Although addressi... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898745 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898745 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898744&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1057%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898744 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:11 +0100 2898744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898743&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1045%3Frss%3D1 The major psychotic disorders schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are etiologically complex involving both heritable and nonheritable factors. The absence of consistently replicated major genetic effects, together with evidence for lasting changes in gene expression after environmental exposures, is consistent with the concept that the biologic underpinnings of these disorders are epigenetic in form rather than DNA sequence based. Psychosis-associated environmental exposures, particularly at key developmental stages, may result in long-lasting epigenetic alterations that impact on the neurobiological processes involved in pathology. Although direct evidence for epigenetic dysfunction in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is still limited, methodological technologies in epigenomic profi... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898743 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:10 +0100 2898743 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898742&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1037%3Frss%3D1 We describe here a coordinated brain imaging and animal models approach in which we have shown that the hippocampal CA1 region is a principal node in schizophrenia pathogenesis and have identified a novel treatment approach to the disorder based on inhibition of glutamate release. To identify biomarkers, we have focused on the putative prodromal period, typically lasting a few years, preceding the first onset of psychosis. About one-third of a high-risk cohort followed prospectively for 2.5 years will progress to threshold psychosis, making it possible to perform a relatively short prospective study. We have utilized a technological development in functional imaging techniques in which we measure cerebral blood volume (CBV), which allows for interrogation of subregions of the brain in the ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898742 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:10 +0100 2898742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898741&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1034%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898741 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:10 +0100 2898741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898740&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F6%2F1031%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898740 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:19:10 +0100 2898740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711969&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F1030%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711969 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711969 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711968&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F1022%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Evidence suggests that differences in NP performance between schizophrenia and psychotic affective disorders are largely quantitative. NP impairment is also common in psychotic affective disorders. A significant minority of schizophrenia patients are NP normal. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711968 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711967&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F1012%3Frss%3D1 In this study, the proportion of patients in first episode of psychosis (FEP) was assessed using the results of a systematic review of published case reports. Histories of patients who had removed an eye or a testicle, severed their penis, or amputated a portion of a limb and were diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum psychosis were included. A psychotic illness was documented in 143 of 189 cases (75.6%) of MSM, of whom 119 of 143 (83.2%) were diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum psychosis. The treatment status of a schizophrenia spectrum psychosis could be ascertained in 101 of the case reports, of which 54 were in the FEP (53.5%, 95% confidence interval = 43.7%–63.2%). Patients who inflict MSM in FEP exhibited similar symptoms to those who inflict MSM later in their illness. A... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711967 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711966&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F1003%3Frss%3D1 Two approaches dominate research on the lack of awareness of illness that characterizes schizophrenia. The "deficit" approach uses standardized neuropsychological batteries to identify the neural underpinnings of intact insight; the "nondeficit" approach investigates the psychological defense mechanisms that motivate denial of illness. We adopt, instead, a cognitive neuropsychological approach to model the cognitive processes which underpin insight and which might be either damaged (because of neuropathology) or not used (because of motivational forces). We conceive of these processes in terms of a metacognitive capacity "to see ourselves as others see us." We predict that a general difficulty with adopting other mental perspectives (with "seeing the world as others do"), indexed by perfor... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711966 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711966 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711965&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F994%3Frss%3D1 Many studies have found that people experiencing persecutory delusions have a marked tendency to use external-personal attributions when establishing the causes of negative events. Although nonclinical populations also tend to attribute negative events to external causes, those causes are typically believed to be universal in nature, rather than personal. The central goal of the present study was to investigate whether individuals with remitted persecutory delusions would display this external-personal bias regarding negative events, in comparison to remitted patients whose delusions were not paranoid in nature and to nonpsychiatric controls. Results indicate that currently paranoid patients were significantly more likely than all other groups, including the remitted paranoid group, to use... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711965 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711965 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711964&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F973%3Frss%3D1 The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a functionally heterogeneous region involved in diverse cognitive and emotional processes that support goal-directed behaviour. Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neuropathological findings over the past two decades have converged to suggest abnormalities in the region may represent a neurobiological basis for many of the clinical manifestations of schizophrenia. However, while each approach offers complimentary information that can provide clues regarding underlying patholophysiological processes, the findings from these 2 fields are seldom integrated. In this article, we review structural neuroimaging and neuropathological studies of the ACC, focusing on the unique information they provide. The available imaging data suggest grey matter... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711964 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711963&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F959%3Frss%3D1 Maternal infection during pregnancy increases the risk of schizophrenia and other brain disorders of neurodevelopmental origin in the offspring. A multitude of infectious agents seem to be involved in this association. Therefore, it has been proposed that factors common to the immune response to a wide variety of bacterial and viral pathogens may be the critical link between prenatal infection and postnatal brain and behavioral pathology. More specifically, it has been suggested that the maternal induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines may mediate the neurodevelopmental effects of maternal infections. Here, we review recent findings from in vitro and in vivo investigations supporting this hypothesis and further emphasize the influence of enhanced anti-inflammatory cytokine signaling on ear... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711963 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711963 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711962&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F949%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Concerns among clinicians about possible detrimental effects of working and supported employment have been misplaced. Although some of the associations found may have been selection effects, there is sufficient evidence of work having beneficial effects on clinical and social functioning to merit further exploration. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711962 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711962 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711961&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F937%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Clinicians need to be aware of the differential harm that women (and their offspring) can incur from the side effects of antipsychotics. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711961 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711961 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711960&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F931%3Frss%3D1 We present our policy statement, in which we provide a succinct background, articulate general principles, and describe a set of 4 broad recommendations. We then summarize our understanding of the current state of knowledge about comparative antipsychotic effectiveness, best antipsychotic practice, and considerations for state policy that represent the basis of our position statement. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711960 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711960 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711959&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F919%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: HRSZ and HRBP shared several aspects of their cognitive impairment. Our data suggest that the extremely high genetic and familial loading of these HRs may have contributed to a quantitatively increased magnitude of the cognitive impairments in both HR subgroups, especially in memory. These offspring at heightened risk present difficulties in processing information that warrant preventive research. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711959 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711958&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F909%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Specialized early psychosis programs can deliver a higher recovery rate at one-third the cost of standard public mental health services. Residual methodological limitations and limited sample size indicate that further research is required to verify this finding. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711958 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711957&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F894%3Frss%3D1 This study evaluated the diagnostic validity of the prospective "prodromal risk syndrome" construct. Patients assessed by the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes as meeting criteria of prodromal syndromes (n = 377) from the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study were compared with normal comparison (NC, n = 196), help-seeking comparison (HSC, n = 198), familial high-risk (FHR, n = 40), and schizotypal personality disorder (SPD, n = 49) groups. Comparisons were made on variables from cross-sectional demographic, symptom, functional, comorbid diagnostic, and family history domains of assessment as well as on follow-up outcome. Prodromal risk syndrome patients as a group were robustly distinguished from NC subjects across all domains and distinguished from HSC subjects and from F... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711957 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711956&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F884%3Frss%3D1 The process of recovery in schizophrenia involves resolving persistent symptoms, addressing cognitive impairments, and improving functional outcomes. Our research group has demonstrated the efficacy of cognitive adaptation training (CAT)—a home-based psychosocial treatment utilizing environmental supports such as medication containers, signs, checklists, and the organization of belongings to bypass deficits in cognitive functioning and cue and sequence adaptive behavior) for improving adherence to medications and functional outcomes in schizophrenia. Early CAT pilot studies utilizing some therapists with training in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) techniques for psychosis found significant improvements in positive symptoms. More recent larger scale randomized clinical trials failed ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711956 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711955&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F874%3Frss%3D1 In this report, 18 clinical trials of CBT for schizophrenia that included measures of psychosocial functioning were reviewed, and two-thirds showed improvements in functioning in CBT. The cognitive model of functional outcome was also tested by examining the relationship between social disinterest attitudes and functional outcome in 79 people with schizophrenia randomized to either group cognitive-behavioral social skills training or a goal-focused supportive contact intervention. Consistent with the cognitive model, lower social disinterest attitudes at baseline and greater reduction in social disinterest during group therapy predicted better functional outcome at end of treatment for both groups. However, the groups did not differ significantly with regard to overall change in social dis... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711955 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711954&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F865%3Frss%3D1 This article will describe the key elements of CBT for schizophrenia and the current evidence of its efficacy and effectiveness. We conclude with a description of recent concepts that extend the theoretical basis of practice and expand the range of CBT strategies for use in schizophrenia. Mindfulness, meta-cognitive approaches, compassionate mind training, and method of levels are postulated as useful adjuncts for CBT with psychotic patients. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711954 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711953&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F859%3Frss%3D1 This study tested which antipsychotic-resistant patients were most likely to respond to brief CBT delivered by psychiatric nurses. Staff were trained over 10 consecutive days with ongoing weekly supervision. Training for carers in the basic principles of CBT was also provided. This article represents the secondary analyses of completer data from a previously published randomized controlled trial (Turkington D, Kingdon D, Turner T. Effectiveness of a brief cognitive-behavioural therapy intervention in the treatment of schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry. 2002;180:523–527) (n = 354) to determine whether a number of a priori variables were predictive of a good outcome with CBT and treatment as usual. Logistic regression was employed to determine whether any of these variables were able to pr... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711953 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711952&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F857%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711952 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711951&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F855%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711951 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711950&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F851%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711950 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711949&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F847%3Frss%3D1 Accurate assessment of the individual risk for psychotic disorders has great value. We need to determine the reliability and rate of conversion to a psychotic disorder in clinical samples before we can recommend a risk syndrome diagnosis for general practice. The assessment of risk carries its own risks, including stigmatization and inappropriate treatment, potentially leading to adverse outcomes. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711949 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711948&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F844%3Frss%3D1 This first person account describes recovery as discovery of new meanings and opportunities in life. It travels through a journey from illness to wellness, from darkness and despair to light and hope, from futility to fruitfulness, as well as, from a state of death and loss to new life. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711948 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2711947&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F5%2F841%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2711947 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2711947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509337&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F826%3Frss%3D1 We evaluated whether abnormal frequency composition of the resting state electroencephalogram (EEG) in schizophrenia was associated with genetic liability for the disorder by studying first-degree biological relatives of schizophrenia patients. The study included a data-driven method for defining EEG frequency components and determined the specificity of resting state EEG frequency abnormalities by assessing schizophrenia patients, bipolar disorder patients, and relatives of both patient groups. Schizophrenia patients and their relatives, but not bipolar patients or their relatives, exhibited increased high-frequency activity (beta) providing evidence for disturbances in resting state brain activity being specific to genetic liability for schizophrenia. Schizophrenia patients exhibited aug... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509337 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509336&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F816%3Frss%3D1 We examined the subjective evaluation of temporal structure using an experimental approach involving judgments of simultaneity of simple, visually presented stimuli. We included a priming procedure, ie, a subthreshold presentation of simultaneous or asynchronous stimuli. This allowed us to evaluate the effects of subthreshold synchrony and to check for bias effects, ie, changes in the criteria used by the subjects to rate the stimuli. Primes were adapted to the responses of the subjects. Bias effects were thus expected to yield a change in the efficiency of the prime and to induce a change in the amplitude of the priming effect. Nineteen outpatients with schizophrenia and their individually matched controls participated in the study. In all tests, patients required longer delays between st... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509336 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509335&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F807%3Frss%3D1 The effects of errorless learning (EL) on work performance, tenure, and personal well-being were compared with conventional job training in a community mental health fellowship club offering 12-week time-limited work experience. Participants were 40 clinically stable schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder outpatients randomly assigned to EL vs conventional instruction (CI) at a thrift-type clothing store. EL participants received training on how to perform their assigned job tasks based on principles of EL, such as error reduction and automation of task performance. CI participants received training common to other community-based entry-level jobs that included verbal instruction, a visual demonstration, independent practice, and corrective feedback. Participants were scheduled to work... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509335 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509335 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509334&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F798%3Frss%3D1 Poor social and vocational outcomes have long been observed in schizophrenia. Two of the most consistent predictors are negative symptoms and cognitive impairment. We investigate the hypothesis that cognitive content—defeatist beliefs regarding performance—provides a link between cognitive impairment, negative symptoms, and poor functioning in schizophrenia. A total of 77 individuals (55 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 22 healthy controls) participated in a cross-sectional study of psychopathology. Tests of memory, abstraction, attention, and processing speed, as well as current psychopathology, functioning, and endorsement of defeatist beliefs, were employed. Greater neurocognitive impairment was associated with elevated defeatist belief e... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509334 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509334 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509333&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F789%3Frss%3D1 Subject numbers in neuroreceptor imaging studies of antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia are generally insufficient to directly test the relationship of regional D2/D3 and 5HT2A receptor binding to clinical efficacy. We selected positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) studies of antipsychotic dose vs occupancy at both temporal cortex and striatal D2/D3 receptors. We selected corresponding SPECT and PET studies of 5HT2A receptor occupancy. We also selected randomized double-blind clinical trials of antipsychotics, where patients were treated with randomly assigned fixed doses. For each antipsychotic drug, we compared the optimum effective antipsychotic dose with the dose inducing maximal occupancy of D2/D3 receptors in striatum and in te... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509333 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509333 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509332&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F775%3Frss%3D1 Dropout is often used as an outcome measure in clinical trials of antipsychotic medication. Previous research is inconclusive regarding (a) differences in dropout rates between first- and second-generation antipsychotic medications and (b) how trial design features reduce dropout. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of antipsychotic medication was conducted to compare dropout rates for first- and second-generation antipsychotic drugs and to examine how a broad range of design features effect dropout. Ninety-three RCTs that met inclusion criteria were located (n = 26 686). Meta-analytic random effects models showed that dropout was higher for first- than second-generation drugs (odds ratio = 1.49, 95% confidence interval: 1.31–1.66). This advantage persisted after rem... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509332 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509332 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509331&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F766%3Frss%3D1 Conclusion: Proneness to subjective cognitive failure possibly contributes to the development or persistence of negative symptoms and can be seen as potential risk factor for negative symptoms of psychosis. This overlap is due to individual effects rather than familial liability. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509331 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509330&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F760%3Frss%3D1 This study aims to identify the risk factors for suicide among schizophrenia patients in the 3-month postdischarge period. The study cohort comprised all patients with a principal diagnosis of schizophrenia discharged from psychiatric inpatient care from 2002 to 2004 who committed suicide within 90 days of discharge. The control cohort consisted of all surviving schizophrenia patients discharged from psychiatric inpatient care in the same period and were matched to cases for age, gender, and date of discharge. There were 87 and 348 cases in the study and control cohorts, respectively. For suicide cases, death most frequently occurred on the first day after leaving the hospital (16.1%). The adjusted hazard ratios for committing suicide during the 90-day postdischarge period were 2.639 times... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509330 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509330 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509329&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F748%3Frss%3D1 Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) present abnormalities in emotion processing. A previous study showed that the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), a putative animal model of ADHD, present reduced contextual fear conditioning (CFC). The aim of the present study was to characterize the deficit in CFC presented by SHR. Adult male normotensive Wistar rats and SHR were submitted to the CFC task. Sensitivity of the animals to the shock and the CFC performance after repeated exposure to the task were investigated. Pharmacological characterization consisted in the evaluation of the effects of the following drugs administered previously to the acquisition of the CFC: pentylenetetrazole (anxiogenic) and chlordiazepoxide (anxiolytic); methylpheni... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509329 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509329 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509328&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F738%3Frss%3D1 Social cognition has been suggested to be an important mediating variable in the relationship between neurocognition and functional outcome. The present study tested this model in relation to work rehabilitation outcome and added self-reported social discomfort as a possible mediator. One hundred fifty-one participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder participated in a 26-week work therapy program. Neurocognition was constructed as a latent construct comprised of selected variables from our intake test battery representing executive functioning, verbal memory, attention and working memory, processing speed, and thought disorder. Social cognition at intake was the other latent construct comprised of variables representing affect recognition, theory of mind, self-reported egoce... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509328 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509328 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509327&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F730%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: Determining whether incentives impede voluntarism remains an important task for empirical ethics research. Assessing potential research participants’ understanding and perceptions of risks, benefits, and alternatives to participation will help ensure that informed consent fulfills its mission—embodying the ethical principle of respect for persons. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509327 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509327 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509326&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F719%3Frss%3D1 Limitations of printed, text-based, consent forms have long been documented and may be particularly problematic for persons at risk for impaired decision-making capacity, such as those with schizophrenia. We conducted a randomized controlled comparison of the effectiveness of a multimedia vs routine consent procedure (augmented with a 10-minute control video presentation) as a means of enhancing comprehension among 128 middle-aged and older persons with schizophrenia and 60 healthy comparison subjects. The primary outcome measure was manifest decisional capacity (understanding, appreciation, reasoning, and expression of choice) for participation in a (hypothetical) clinical drug trial, as measured with the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Clinical Research (MacCAT-CR) and the Unive... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509326 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509326 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509325&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F714%3Frss%3D1 The perspective of the medical director of a large public mental health agency is provided regarding how to close the gap between what we know and what we do in mental health care. Tools for change, actions required, and key actors are identified. The author believes the moment is propitious for improving care systemically. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509325 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509325 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509324&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F704%3Frss%3D1 Over the last decade, a consensus has emerged regarding a set of evidence-based practices for schizophrenia that address symptom management and psychosocial functioning. Yet, surveys suggest that the great majority of the population of individuals with schizophrenia do not receive evidence-based care. In this article, we review the empirical literature on implementation of evidence-based practices for schizophrenia patients. We first examine lessons learned from implementation studies in general medicine. We then summarize the implementation literature specific to schizophrenia, including medication practices, psychosocial interventions, information technology, and state- and federal-level interventions. We conclude with recommendations for future directions. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulleti... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509324 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509324 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509323&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F696%3Frss%3D1 Disengagement from mental health services can lead to devastating consequences for individuals with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses who require ongoing treatment. We review the extent and correlates of dropping out of mental health treatment for individuals with schizophrenia and suggest strategies for facilitating treatment engagement. Although rates vary across studies, reviews of the literature suggest that up to one-third of individuals with serious mental illnesses who have had some contact with the mental health service system disengage from care. Younger age, male gender, ethnic minority background, and low social functioning have been consistently associated with disengagement from mental health treatment. Individuals with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509323 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509322&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F679%3Frss%3D1 In conclusion, we found a substantial level of unmet need for care among individuals with schizophrenia both at community level and in treatment settings. More than half of the individuals with this often chronic and disabling condition receive either no treatment or suboptimal treatment. Recovery in this patient population cannot be fully achieved without enhancing access to services and improving the quality of available services. The recent expansion of managed care has made this goal more difficult to achieve. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509322 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509322 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509321&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F677%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509321 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509320&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F675%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509320 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509320 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509319&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F668%3Frss%3D1 The earliest stages of delusion are characterized by an overabundance of meaningful coincidences impinging on the sufferer's existing worldview. Successive events are seen by him as pointing to, and then confirming, a fundamentally new reality that takes him over and engulfs his everyday life. Research over the last 4 decades has revealed the importance of dopamine (DA), D2 receptors, and the basal ganglia in psychotic thinking. Recent work has implicated the aberrant reward learning initiated by the excess release of striatal DA in the attribution of excessive importance or "salience" to insignificant stimuli and events. But our knowledge of what is happening beyond D2 receptors has remained scant. The gap is especially apparent at the cellular and microcircuit levels, encompassing the pl... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509319 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509318&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F664%3Frss%3D1 Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects about 1.1% of the adult US population annually. Hallucinations, delusions, and impaired reality testing are prominent symptoms of the disorder. Modeling these symptoms is difficult because it is unclear how to assess impaired reality testing in animals. Animals cannot discuss their beliefs; however, a century of learning experiments has shown us that they, like us, construct complex internal representations of their world. Presumably, these representations can become confused with reality for animals in much the same way that they do for schizophrenic patients. Indeed, there is evidence from studies of Pavlovian conditioning that this happens even in normal animals. For example, early in training a cue that has been paired with reward ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509318 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509318 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509317&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F661%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509317 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2509316&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F4%2F659%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2509316 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2509316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330610&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F658%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330610 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330609&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F655%3Frss%3D1 In this report based on census data, we highlight substantially greater mortality observed among the mentally ill than among the general population during famines in India in the 19th century. A possible selection against the most severe forms of schizophrenia could account for greater occurrence of better-outcome phenotypes. Population histories and environmental influences, including epigenetics, need to be considered to further investigate differences between schizophrenia phenotypes. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330609 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330609 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330608&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F646%3Frss%3D1 In this report, we describe the clinical outcome of schizophrenia among a predominantly treatment-naive cohort in a rural community setting in Ethiopia. The cohort was identified in a 2-stage sampling design using key informants and measurement-based assessment. Follow-up assessments were conducted monthly for a mean duration of 3.4 years (range 1–6 years). After screening 68 378 adults, ages 15–49 years, 321 cases with schizophrenia (82.7% men and 89.6% treatment naive) were identified. During follow-up, about a third (30.8%) of cases were continuously ill while most of the remaining cohort experienced an episodic course. Only 5.7% of the cases enjoyed a near-continuous complete remission. In the final year of follow-up, over half of the cases (54%) were in psychotic episode, ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330608 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330608 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330607&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F638%3Frss%3D1 This study tested whether schizophrenia patients are highly emotionally reactive compared with controls and whether the level of trait emotional reactivity in patients influences the degree to which they respond to life stressors with exacerbations of psychosis. Schizophrenic outpatients and nonpsychiatric controls were assessed for levels of trait emotional reactivity, arousability, and trait anxiety. Severity of symptoms was also rated in the patients. Patients were then followed up 9 months later, assessed for independent stressful life events occurring during the month before the follow-up session, and reassessed for symptom levels. The patients scored higher than the control subjects on all 3 measures of reactivity at the initial assessment. At follow-up, the occurrence of potentially... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330607 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330606&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F631%3Frss%3D1 Recent research suggests that prenatal exposure to nonviral infection may be associated with increased risk of schizophrenia, and we hypothesized an association between maternal bacterial infection during pregnancy and elevated offspring risk of schizophrenia. Data on maternal infections from the Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort were linked with the Danish National Psychiatric Register. Offspring cases of narrowly defined schizophrenia (International Classification of Diseases, Eighth Revision [ICD-8]) and more broadly defined schizophrenia (ICD-8 and ICD-10) were identified before the ages of 32–34 and 45–47 years, respectively. The effect of prenatal exposure to bacterial infections was adjusted for prenatal exposure to analgesics and parental social status. In a risk set of 7941 ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330606 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330605&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F624%3Frss%3D1 This study linked the 2001 Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Dataset with Taiwan's birth and death certificate registries. In total, 220 465 singleton live births were included. The key dependent variable was whether or not an infant's father was diagnosed with schizophrenia, while the independent variable of interest was whether an infant had LBW. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the relationship between paternal schizophrenia and the risk of LBW, after adjusting for the infant and parents’ characteristics. The results show that infants whose fathers had schizophrenia were more likely to have LBW than those whose fathers did not (12.6% vs 8.0%). Infants whose fathers had schizophrenia were found to be 1.58 (95% confidence interval = 1.10&nda... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330605 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330605 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330604&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F603%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: BC studies have provided important, convergent insights into how the developmental trajectory of individuals who develop schizophrenia differs from their peers. The combination of new paradigms and larger cohorts, with the tools of modern epidemiology and biomedical science, is advancing our understanding of the developmental pathways to schizophrenia. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330604 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330603&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F596%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: The difference in risk of schizophrenia among second-generation immigrants in Europe and in this Israeli birth cohort suggests that the nature of the immigration experience may be relevant to risk, including reasons for migration, the nature of entry, and subsequent position in the host country for immigrants and their offspring. Minority status may be of importance as, in later studies, immigrants to Israel from Ethiopia had increased risk of schizophrenia. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330603 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330603 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330602&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F582%3Frss%3D1 Previous surveys found a large (>10-fold) variation in schizophrenia prevalence at different geographic sites and a tendency for prevalence to increase with latitude. We conducted meta-analyses of prevalence studies to investigate whether these findings pointed to underlying etiologic factors in schizophrenia or were the result of methodological artifacts or the confounding of sites’ latitude with level of healthcare at those sites. We found that these patterns were still present after controlling for an index of healthcare—infant mortality—and focusing on 49 studies that used similar diagnostic and ascertainment methods. The tendencies for schizophrenia prevalence to increase with both latitude and colder climate were still large and significant and present on several... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330602 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330601&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F577%3Frss%3D1 Schizophrenia epidemiology can provide us with valuable information to guide research directions. However, while epidemiology is useful for generating candidate risk factors, it can not always deliver studies that prove causality. We argue that the field needs more translational research that links schizophrenia epidemiology with molecular, cellular, and behavioral neuroscience. Cross-disciplinary projects related to candidate genetic or nongenetic risk factors not only can address the biological plausibility of these factors, but they can serve as catalysts for discovery in neuroscience. This type of cross disciplinary research is likely to be more efficient compared to clinically dislocated basic neuroscience. Examples of this type of translational research are provided based on (a) the ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330601 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330600&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F568%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: We observe a 2-fold increased risk of schizophrenia among those conceived or in early gestation at the height of famine with risk related to severity of famine conditions. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330600 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330600 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330599&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F563%3Frss%3D1 As an epilogue to the themed papers on "Theories of Schizophrenia" in this issue of Schizophrenia Bulletin, this article reviews some basic philosophy of science principles in regard to the role of theories in the evolving state of a natural science discipline. While in early phases inductive and abductive logic are the primary vehicles for organizing observations and developing models, when a critical set of "facts" have been elucidated which can be explained by competing theoretical perspectives, hypothetico-deductive logic provides a more robust and efficient approach to scientific progress. The key principle is to determine where two or more theories predict different observations and then to devise studies that collect critical observations—correlations or experimental outcomes ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330599 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330598&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F549%3Frss%3D1 The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia has been one of the most enduring ideas in psychiatry. Initially, the emphasis was on a role of hyperdopaminergia in the etiology of schizophrenia (version I), but it was subsequently reconceptualized to specify subcortical hyperdopaminergia with prefrontal hypodopaminergia (version II). However, these hypotheses focused too narrowly on dopamine itself, conflated psychosis and schizophrenia, and predated advances in the genetics, molecular biology, and imaging research in schizophrenia. Since version II, there have been over 6700 articles about dopamine and schizophrenia. We selectively review these data to provide an overview of the 5 critical streams of new evidence: neurochemical imaging studies, genetic evidence, findings on environmental risk f... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330598 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330598 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330597&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F528%3Frss%3D1 In this report, we examine the evidence from brain pathology (enlargement of the cerebroventricular system, changes in gray and white matters, and abnormal laminar organization), genetics (changes in the normal expression of proteins that are involved in early migration of neurons and glia, cell proliferation, axonal outgrowth, synaptogenesis, and apoptosis), environmental factors (increased frequency of obstetric complications and increased rates of schizophrenic births due to prenatal viral or bacterial infections), and gene-environmental interactions (a disproportionate number of schizophrenia candidate genes are regulated by hypoxia, microdeletions and microduplications, the overrepresentation of pathogen-related genes among schizophrenia candidate genes) in support of the neurodevelop... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330597 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330596&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F509%3Frss%3D1 This article addresses these 3 issues in the framework of the dysconnection hypothesis. This theory postulates that the core pathology in schizophrenia resides in aberrant N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)–mediated synaptic plasticity due to abnormal regulation of NMDARs by neuromodulatory transmitters like dopamine, serotonin, or acetylcholine. We argue that this neurobiological mechanism can explain failures of self-monitoring, leading to a mechanistic explanation for first-rank symptoms as pathognomonic features of schizophrenia, and may provide a basis for future diagnostic classifications with physiologically defined patient subgroups. Finally, we test the explanatory power of our theory against a list of empirical facts about schizophrenia. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330596 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330595&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F493%3Frss%3D1 The article summarizes the process used to distill schizophrenia science into 22 facts. These facts consist of 6 basic facts, 3 etiological facts, 6 pharmacological and treatment facts, 5 pathology facts, and 2 behavioral facts that were critically reviewed by the scholarly community through a special initiative in cooperation with the Schizophrenia Research Forum. A subset of 10 of these facts was selected to form a common set of findings to be explained from the different theoretical perspectives included in this special section of Schizophrenia Bulletin. The rationale for this exercise is to distinguish more precisely the areas of agreement and disagreement between theories of schizophrenia and to highlight where more thought and data can make the greatest impact for understanding this ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330595 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330594&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F491%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330594 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330593&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F482%3Frss%3D1 As a result of improving technologies and greatly increased sample sizes, the last 2 years has seen unprecedented advances in identification of specific genetic risk factors for psychiatric phenotypes. Strong genetic associations have been reported at common polymorphisms within ANK3 and CACNA1C in bipolar disorder and ZNF804A in schizophrenia and a relatively specific association between common variation in GABAA receptor genes and cases with features of both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Further, the occurrence of rare copy number variants (CNVs) has been shown to be increased in schizophrenia compared with controls. These emerging data provide a powerful resource for exploring the relationship between psychiatric phenotypes and can, and should, be used to inform conceptualization,... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330593 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330592&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F476%3Frss%3D1 Approximately 100 years ago, a prominent German public figure name Daniel Schreber wrote memoirs of his experiences in asylums. His case was diagnosed Dementia Praecox at times and Paranoia at others by his treaters. Freud analyzed Schreber's memoirs from the perspective of his "libido" theory of developmentally organized mental "cathexes" or ideational/emotional investments in self and others. Revisiting Freud's analysis of the Schreber case suggests that it may represent the first theoretical articulation that the pathophysiologic core of psychosis is one of deficit, i.e., of diminished (organic) cathectic capacity for normal mental and affective investments in life. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330592 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330591&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F473%3Frss%3D1 In 1989, my psychiatrist convinced me to present to a small group of parents of people with mental health challenges. I had terrible stage fright, but I coped well. It was such a success that I was invited to present to other groups. Thus, I started presenting to groups and other audiences. In this article, I want to share my experience using metaphorical stories when presenting. The more I presented to different audiences, the more I found I was trying to explain complicated matters. It is not enough to want to communicate with someone, and it is not enough that he or she wants to communicate with oneself. Suitable conditions are required for communication. Because I was captivated in my childhood by the fables of Aesop, La-Fontaine, and Krilov, I used in my presentations various fables a... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330591 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2330590&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F3%2F469%3Frss%3D1 Nearly half of the people suffering from schizophrenia also present with a lifetime history of substance use disorders (SUD), a rate that is much higher than the one seen among unaffected individuals. This phenomenon suggests that the factors influencing SUD risk in schizophrenia may be more numerous and/or complex than those modulating SUD risk in the general population. It is critically important to address this comorbidity because SUD in schizophrenic patients is associated with poorer clinical outcomes and contributes significantly to their morbidity and mortality. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2330590 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2330590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2285634&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F2%2F458%3Frss%3D1 In patients with schizophrenia who do not have an optimal response to clozapine, it remains unclear if there is an evidence base to support a second antipsychotic in combination with clozapine. The present systematic review was therefore carried out to determine the efficacy of various clozapine combination strategies with antipsychotics. Relevant studies were located by searching the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group Trials Register, Medline, and Embase (up to November 2007). Only studies randomly allocating patients to clozapine plus another antipsychotic vs clozapine monotherapy were included. The search yielded 21 studies suitable for reanalysis. In 3 trials, clozapine was combined with a phenothiazine, in 8 trials with a benzamide, and in the remaining trials with risperidone. While the ma... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2285634 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2285634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2285633&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F2%2F443%3Frss%3D1 Conclusions: In certain clinical situations, antipsychotic cotreatment may be superior to monotherapy. However, the database is subject to possible publication bias and too heterogeneous to derive firm clinical recommendations, underscoring the need for future research. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2285633 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2285633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2285632&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F2%2F437%3Frss%3D1 Discussion: These results suggest that prior to antipsychotic use, nonaffective psychosis is associated with reduced telomere content and increased PP, indices that have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes and hypertension. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2285632 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2285632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2285631&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F2%2F425%3Frss%3D1 The well-documented excess of minor physical anomalies (MPAs) among individuals with schizophrenia generally supports the neurodevelopmental model, which posits that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to structural and functional brain changes in the intrauterine and perinatal periods that predispose one to developing schizophrenia. This review synthesizes select areas of research findings on MPAs to address the question, Are MPAs part of the syndrome of schizophrenia? Although MPAs are not specific to schizophrenia, their presence in some patients indicates that aberrations in the development of the nervous system contribute to risk for the disorder. The broadly defined, heterogeneous MPA construct may be of limited value in further elucidating the specific pathophysiology ... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2285631 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2285631 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2285630&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F2%2F415%3Frss%3D1 While it has long been considered whether the pathobiology of schizophrenia extends beyond its defining symptoms to involve diverse domains of abnormality, in the manner of a systemic disease, studies of neuromotor dysfunction have been confounded by treatment with antipsychotic drugs. This challenge has been illuminated by a new generation of studies on first-episode schizophrenia before initiation of antipsychotic treatment and by opportunities in developing countries to study chronically ill patients who have remained antipsychotic naive due to limitations in provision of psychiatric care. Building from studies in antipsychotic-naive patients, this article reviews 2 domains of neuromotor dysfunction in schizophrenia: neurological signs and involuntary movements. The presence and charact... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2285630 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2285630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2285629&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F2%2F403%3Frss%3D1 The schizophrenia research community, including government, industry, and academia, has made development of procognitive treatment strategies a priority. Much current research is directed at dividing broad impairments in cognition into more delineated components that might correspond to relatively specific neural systems and serve as targets for intervention. Sometimes overlooked in this ambitious agenda is the substantial neuropsychological literature that signals a more broadly generalized dysfunction in higher order cognitive functions in this illness. In this article, we argue that a generalized cognitive deficit is at the core of the disorder, is not a methodological artifact, and deserves more focused consideration from cognitive specialists in the field. Further, we weigh evidence t... Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2285629 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2285629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2285628&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F2%2F383%3Frss%3D1 This article chronicles these associations, examining whether these comorbidities are "more than chance" and might represent (distinct) phenotypes of schizophrenia. Among the anxiety disorders, the evidence at present is most abundant for an association with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Additional studies in newly diagnosed antipsychotic-naive patients and their first-degree relatives and searches for genetic and environmental risk factors are needed to replicate preliminary findings and further investigate these associations. (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2285628 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2285628 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2285627&cid=s_27164_172_f&fid=27164&url=http%3A%2F%2Fschizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org%2Fcgi%2Fcontent%2Fshort%2F35%2F2%2F381%3Frss%3D1 (Source: Schizophrenia Bulletin) Schizophrenia Bulletin journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2285627 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2285627