bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social representations concerning women daily experiences in prison
Authors: Scherer Z. , Scherer E. , Scherer N.P.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Violence is a social and relational problem of humanity. When coming across a feminine jail population, the violence problem can take diverse proportions. Beyond being perpetrators of some sort of violence, these women can also be victims throughout their lives and even during their period of imprisonment.

Objective

Describe the social representations that imprisoned women have concerning daily experiences in prison.

Aims

Knowing the meaning of daily experience in prison to women.

Methods

Qualitative exploratory-descriptive field study, carried through with 15 prisoners of the feminine prison of Ribeirão Preto (SP-Brazil). A semi-structuralized interview was used. Results submitted to the content analysis technique.

Results

“Daily experiences with violence in prison”: they revealed feelings of abandonment and indifference to their health; they denounced suffering physical and psychological violence from employees and other female prisoners; the relation between them is marked by conflicts and aggressions. “Consequences of the arrest in the women's lives”: complained about the loss of contact with their familiars; there were relieves about lack of support and system's indifference for the readjustment in society.

Conclusions

This study contributed as stimulus and reference for the implementation of other researches with populations of prisons, amongst them the ones that aim to establish strategies for the reintegration of these women in society and the shift of paradigms related to them. Moreover, with the intention of supplementing researches with incarcerated women, we suggest studies that also have familiars and professionals (or visitors) as subjects.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Intimate partner violence and cognitive aspects of the perpetrator
Authors: Scherer Z. , Scherer E. , Reis L. , Rodrigues J. , Cavalin L. , Silva D.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Violence against women, committed by an intimate partner, is a serious public health problem. On an international scope it has been researched the relation between intimate partner violence and cognitive aspects of aggressors.

Objective

To investigate if couples use violence to resolve conflicts and if there are differences in cognitive aspects of men in couples where there is intimate partner violence when compared to couples who have a harmonious relationship.

Method

The Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) was used. The cognitive aspects of male partners was investigated by Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III), certain factors such as verbal and executive functions, to compare the testing results of men who have committed violence against their partners with those who did not.

Results

Thirty-one couples with intimate partner violence police reports and 31 couples who, according to their own perceptions, said to maintain harmonious marital relationship. The comparisons between groups allowed observing that even among couples who judge to be in a peaceful relationship, violent behaviors were detected. These behaviors tend to be naturalized and not considered as violence by partners. In regard to men's cognitive aspects, especially those related to WAIS-III verbal skills and impulse control, they possibly exert some influence to intimate partner violence.

Conclusion

The possible influence of cognitive aspects of the perpetrator on violence against women could be reduced through long-term actions, especially those concerned to early education, since this is the appropriate way to culturally change and to develop satisfactory social and cognitive skills of the individual.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
An investigation of Childhood Trauma in Patients with Panic Disorder
Authors: Ölmez S.B. , Ataoğlu A. , Kocagöz Z. Başar
Published: June 2017

Introduction

It is widely known that childhood traumatic life situations are associated with most of the adult life psychiatric disorders such as disassociative disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and so on.

Objectives and aims

The purpose of this study to examine the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and panic disorder development.

Methods

The sample of this study consists of 59 outpatients who applied to the department of psychiatry in addition to 61 healthy individuals serving as the control group. These 59 individuals, located within the range of 18 to 65 years, were selected from outpatients who had been diagnosed with panic disorder based on DSM-V diagnosis criteria who did not have any other mental disorder. The 61 healthy individuals in the control group were selected from hospital attendants who had not received any psychiatric diagnosis. The participants were administered the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) and a socio-demographic form.

Results

The participants in the panic disorder group were found to have significantly high scores in comparison to the control group with respect to CTQ subscales (i.e., the emotional neglect and the emotional abuse subscale) and the total CTQ score. Hence, there exists a strong relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and panic disorder development.

Conclusion

The results revealed that childhood traumatic experiences play an active role in the development of panic disorder. Moreover, it was found that the type and quality of trauma experienced during the childhood period is one of the predictors for the psychiatric disease that can occur in the future years.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Cognitive Functions and Cognitive Styles in Young Euthymic Patients with Bipolar I Disorder
Authors: ElGhonemy S. , Fakhry P.H. , Salem A.
Published: June 2017

Background

Cognitive deficits impair patients working and functioning status and may have negative impact on other aspects of thinking.

Objectives

Assess the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction in patients with bipolar disorder in euthymic state and to explore cognitive style problems.

Method

Case-control naturalistic study, 60 patients with bipolar I disorder in euthymic state according to DSM-IV were recruited and subdivided into two groups each contains of 30 patients; (Group BPM) euthymic patients with recent manic episode, Group BPD euthymic patients with recent depressive episode. Both groups were further compared with control group (Group C) consisted of 30 frequency matched healthy volunteers. Groups were subjected to the following: (1) clinical psychiatric examination, (2) (HAMD-17) and Bech–Rafaelsen Melancholia Scale (MES) for (BPD), (3) (YMRS) and Bech–Rafaelsen Mania Scale (MAS) for (BPM), (4) assessment of euthymic state of mood included both MAS and MES, (5) MMSE, MTS and CDT were performed to assess cognitive functions, (6) cognitive styles evaluation the Social Dysfunction and Aggression Scale SDAS-9 and Arabic Anger Scale.

Results

Definite cognitive function impairment and different patterns of cognitive style were detected in case groups. MMSE, MTS and CDT scores were statistically significant. Fear of Failure Scale Scores were higher in BPM; 16 (53.33%) reported severe intensity compared to 16 (53.33%) of BPD Group reporting moderate intensity and 30 (100%) of the control group reporting only mild intensity of fear of failure with statistically significant differences.

Conclusions

Patients in euthymic state suffer from cognitive dysfunction and some aspects of cognitive styles that negatively interfere with their performance.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), Developmental Regression and Autism
Authors: Bejerot S. , Hesselmark E.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) is a term used to describe a clinical picture which includes sudden onset of psychiatric symptoms and a possible autoimmune genesis. The sudden decline in neuropsychiatric functioning as well as the multiple combinations of symptoms may lead to a clinical phenotype similar to that in infantile autism (IA) with regressive features. We are conducting a study with the aim to evaluate a diagnostic test for PANS currently marketed by Moleculera Labs. All patients in Sweden who had taken the test (n = 154) were invited to the study.

Objectives

The aim of the study is to characterize a subgroup of patients with IA within the PANS diagnosis study.

Methods

Participants (n = 53) were examined for psychiatric and somatic symptoms and evaluated for PANS caseness by an experienced psychiatrist. Because the criteria for entering the study was having taken the diagnostic test for PANS, the participants in the study comprise a group with mixed symptoms.

Results

Twelve participants had IA. Eleven of these reported a developmental regression with loss of abilities. Two of the IA patients also fulfill criteria for PANS. Eight of the IA patients had been treated with antibiotics for psychiatric symptoms and 4 reported a positive effect of this treatment. Nine of the patients had elevated test results suggesting possible PANS according to Moleculera Labs.

Conclusions

Very early onset on PANS may be phenotypically similar to IA with regressive features. Further analysis of the immunological attributes of patients with autism with regressive features is warranted.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Neuroimaging Findings in ADHD and the Role of Genetics
Authors: Franke B.
Published: June 2017

ADHD is frequently diagnosed in children and adults. The disorder is highly heritable. However, the genetic architecture of ADHD is complex, with multiple genetic variants of individually small effect size contributing to disease in most patients.

In our own studies as well as in the large mega-analyses of the ENIGMA ADHD Working Group, we have investigated the brain substrates of ADHD. We find the disorder to be characterized by delayed sub–cortical and cortical growth of gray matter in childhood, which gradually normalizes in adulthood: sub–cortical volumes as well as cortical thickness and surface area are smaller in children with ADHD, but become indistinguishable from healthy individuals in adulthood. The situation looks different for white matter connectivity: both in childhood and adulthood, widespread differences in the major white matter tracts are found. The pattern of findings suggests that alterations in myelination might lie at the basis of such case-control differences. Since the disorder and many brain structural measures affected in ADHD are highly heritable, we investigated the overlap of genetic risk factors for ADHD with genetic factors involved in brain volume. This resulted in the identification of several genetic variants contributing to disease risk as well as ADHD-related brain phenotype.

In conclusion, we find ADHD to be a disorder of delayed brain maturation in terms of gray matter, but of persistently altered white matter connectivity across the lifespan. Genetic factors influencing both disease risk and brain measures might improve our understanding of disease etiology and persistence.

Disclosure of interest

The author declares that he has no competing interest.
Treated Versus Untreated Mental Health Problems in Adolescents: A Six-year Comparison of Emotional and Behavioral Problem Trajectories
Authors: Jörg F. , Raven D. , Visser E. , Schoevers R. , Oldehinkel T.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Multidisciplinary guidelines in adolescent mental health care are based on RCTs, while treatment efficacy can be different from effectiveness seen in ‘the real world’. Studies in the real world conducted so far suggest that treatment has a negligible effect on follow-up symptomatology. However, these studies did not incorporate the pre-treatment trajectory of symptoms nor investigated a dose-response relationship.

Objectives

To test whether future treatment users and non-users differed in emotional and behavioural problem scores, whether specialist mental health treatment (SMHT) was effective in reducing problem levels while controlling for pre-treatment trajectory, and to seek evidence of a dose-response relationship.

Methods

Six-year follow up data were used from the Tracking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). We identified adolescents with a clinical level of problem behaviour on the Child Behaviour Checklist or Youth Self Report and first SMHT between the ages 13 and 16. Adolescents with a clinical level of problem behaviour but without SMHT use served as control group. A psychiatric case register provided data on number of treatment contacts. Using regression analysis, we predicted the effect of treatment on post-treatment problem scores.

Results

Treated adolescents more often had a (severe) diagnosis than untreated adolescents. Pre-treatment trajectories barely differed between treated and untreated adolescents. Treatment predicted an increase in follow-up problem scores, regardless of the number of sessions.

Conclusion

The quasi-experimental design calls for modest conclusions. We might however need to take a closer look at real-world service delivery, and invest in developing treatments that can achieve sustainable benefits.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Ecological Momentary Assessment of Bipolar Disorder Episodes with a Smartphone Application: Study Protocol
Authors: Blom M. , Karilampi U. , Carlsen H.K. , Ioannou M. , Sörhag M. , Steingrimsson S.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Subclinical symptoms of depression or mania, present prior to clinical manic or depressive episodes in individuals with bipolar disease. Mobile applications that measure habitual behavioral patterns such as mobility, physical activity level and social engagement present an opportunity to identify state transitions preceding relapse. This could lead to earlier intervention and improved treatment outcome.

Aims

To identify associations between changes in habitual behavioral patterns measured with smartphone usage and psychiatric emergency room visits or admissions for bipolar patients.

Methods

In a case-crossover study, around 70 patients at a specialized outpatient clinic for bipolar disorder will be offered to install MoodMapper®, an application that registers text message and calls (but not communication content or recipients), mobility (but not location), number of steps taken, screen-time, and battery level. A baseline level for each individual will be established. Deviations from baseline habitual behavioral patterns in the time preceding a psychiatric emergency room visits or admissions will be analyzed in order to establish predictor variables. The patients will be followed up to 18 months.

Results

Preliminary results will be presented.

Discussion

Smartphone-collected behavioral data can be used to predict worsening or improvement of a patient's condition. As smartphone ownership becomes more commonplace, mobile apps present a unique opportunity to detect digital real-time signatures of mental illness in a way that is minimally invasive to individual's daily life and privacy.
Mental Health Problems Among Male Offenders and Youths with Conduct Problems
Authors: Halilaj G. , Fanaj N. , Drevinja F.
Published: June 2017

Background

Mental health problems among youth, are frequent especially in offenders and as such is very important to identify as early as possible.

Objectives

To estimate and compare level of some mental health problems between three groups of male youths: juvenile offenders in correctional center, adolescents with conduct problems and university students.

Method

It is cross-sectional quantitative study. The sample consisted of three male groups: 41offenders placed in one correctional center (Mean age = 18.02; SD = 2.20); 41 male students of secondary school with conduct problems (Mean age = 16.97; SD = 61) and 42 male university students randomly selected (Mean age = 19.7; SD = 1.77). They filled questionnaire MAYSI–2. Data processing was done with SPSS 21.0 and Microsoft Excel 2013.

Results

Juvenile offenders in correctional center scored significantly higher than other two groups of youth in alcohol/substance abuse subscale (P = 001), Suicidal ideation subscale (P = 048) and traumatic stress subscale (P = 003) based on Kruskal-Wallis Test. Juvenile offenders in correctional center scored higher but non-significantly in angry/irritable and depression/anxious subscales. Students of secondary school with conduct problems scored higher but non-significantly in thought disturbance and somatic subscales.

Conclusion

Male juvenile offenders have significantly more mental health difficulties. Mental health needs of youths in Kosovo (especially juvenile offenders) seem to be numerous and is important to be addressed properly.
Causes of Institutionalization of Children and Adolescents in a Shelter in Brazil
Authors: Guilherme E. , Dos Santos S.D.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

A growing number of studies investigating the relationship between violence and problems in child psychiatry. Consistent findings have been verified in studies related to aggressive behavior, antisocial and post-traumatic stress disorder with the violence against children. The financial costs associated with child abuse and neglect, including future lost earnings and expenses with mental health treatments were estimated at $ 94 billion US in 2010. The abuse and child neglect can cause permanent changes in the body's response to stress, with profound changes in the brain development.

Methods

Consisted of an exploratory study of character quantitative and qualitative, with document design. Records of children and adolescents who stayed in the shelter from 2011 to 2015 were surveyed. In order to collect data was used input and shutdown records used for shelter.

Conclusions

Unlike Brazil and the rest of the world's data, the leading cause of institutionalization in this work in the town of Mafra, was neglect rather than abuse. Perhaps for the under-reporting of abuse cases. This, coupled with the fact that there are no typically physical findings associated with sexual abuse, made the detection more difficult. This paper alerts the importance to increase our ability to identify all child abuse experiences, for protecting our children. Not only sexual abuse, but also physical abuse could benefit from strategies to enhance detection.
Pathways to Care and Patterns of Care in First Episode Psychosis Patients Treated in Community Based-mental Health Services. A 5-Years Follow-up from the PICOS
Authors: Miglietta E. , Lasalvia A. , Comacchio C. , Cristofalo D. , Bonetto C. , Tosato S. , De Santi K. , Zanatta G. , Petterlini S. , Zoppei S. , Dimitri G. , Cremonese C. , Ramon L. , Ruggeri M.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

International treatment guidelines recommend that key elements to reduce the burden of psychosis are the early identification of people and the adoption of specific evidence based interventions.

Objectives

To investigate the pathway to care and patterns of interventions provided by community based-mental health services (CMHS) to a cohort of first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients over 5-years period, exploring in which degree guidelines are met in routine clinical practice.

Methods

Study conducted in the context of the Psychosis Incident Cohort Outcome Study (PICOS), a multisite naturalistic research conducted in the Veneto Region (Italy) on FEP patients in a 4.6 million inhabitants catchment area. A comprehensive set of standardized measures was used, including ad hoc schedules to collect information on referrals to psychiatric services and on pharmacological and psycho-social treatments according to a multiwave follow-up design (1-, 2- and 5 years).

Results

Three hundred and ninety-seven FEP patients were assessed at BL, 286 at 1 year, 233 at 2 years and 205 at 5 years. 47.4% of patients were helped to seek care by a relative and more than one half entered the treatment route through an emergency access. Regarding the interventions received, 96% of patients had been prescribed neuroleptics and atypical were the most prescribed class (66.9%). Only half received a psychosocial intervention during the first year and this percentage progressively decreased at each FU.

Discussion

Findings highlight discrepancies between interventions provided by CMHS and the best treatment options recommended by guidelines, suggesting the need to implement specific initiatives aiming to close the gap between research and clinical practice.
The Relation Between Socio-environmental Factors and Intellectual Disability: Unraveling the Knot
Authors: Rondini E. , Bertelli M. , Scuticchio D.
Published: June 2017

Background and aim

The current literature indicates that people with intellectual disabilities (ID) present quantitative and qualitative peculiarities of various socio-environmental factors than the general population. Although the identification of such peculiarities would have very important implications for the development of preventive, rehabilitative and inclusive procedures, valuable data are still lacking. The aim of the present paper was to assess the significance of the relationship between socio-environmental variables in person with ID, with particular reference to individual history and life contexts.

Methods

A consecutively recruited sample of 112 participants with ID attending residential or clinic/rehabilitative services across Italy was evaluated by the administration of ISTORIA (Historiographical organized interview for adult intellectual retard), a semi-structured questionnaire designed to investigate clinical and personal history of the person. A considerable percentage of the samples have co-occurent psychiatric disorder. Scores obtained were statistically processed through frequency analysis and calculation of correlation indexes.

Results

Significant correlations were found between the family, the educational/professional environments, and the inclusion in society. Further associations concerned social relationships within and outside the family, the changes of living accommodation, and the level of environmental stimulation received.

Conclusions

Both findings from previous research and the ones of this work confirm the importance of investigating the mechanisms involved in the acquisition of social skills by persons with ID, through family dynamics and participation in community life, as protective factor against the worsening of disabilities and potentially of psychopathological vulnerability that affects this population.
Insight Gained from Genome-wide Interaction and Enrichment Analysis on Weight Gain During Citalopram Treatment
Authors: Corfitsen H. , Drago A.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Weight gain is a side effect of pharmacological antidepressant treatments, causing a poorer compliance, increasing the risk of metabolic syndrome and periods of untreated disease.

Objectives

The ability to precisely prescribe pharmacological treatments based on personal genetic makeups would increase the quality of the current antidepressant treatments.

Aims

The molecular pathways enriched during citalopram induced weight gain are identified.

Methods

643 depressed citalopram treated individuals with available clinical and genome-wide genetic information were investigated in the present contribution in order to identify the molecular pathways that holds the key to weight gain. Statistics were conducted in R environment (Bioconductor and Reactome packages), ANOVA and MANCOVA served when appropriate. Plink was used for genetic analysis in a linux environment.

Results

One hundred and eleven individuals had their weight increased after treatment with citalopram. The axon guidance (P. adjust = 0.005) and the developmental biology pathway (P. adjust = 0.01) were found to be enriched in genetic variations associated with weight gain.

Conclusions

The development biology pathway includes molecular cascades involved in the regulation of beta-cell development, and the transcriptional regulation of white adipocyte differentiation. A number of variations were harboured by genes whose products are involved in the synthesis of collagen (COL4A3, COL5A1 and ITGA1), activity of the thyroid-hormones (NCOR1 and NCOR2), energy metabolism (ADIPOQ, PPARGC1A) and myogenic differentiation (CDON). A molecular pathway analysis conducted in a sample of depressed patients identifies new candidate genes whose future investigation may grant relevant insights in the molecular events that drive weight gain during antidepressant treatment.
Cognitive Dysfunctions in the Psychoses and their Impact on Patients’ Social Functioning
Authors: Mucci A. , Galderisi S.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Impairment of neurocognitive functions, such as attention, memory or executive functions, as well as of social cognition, particularly of affect recognition and theory of mind, are frequently observed in people with Schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. These dysfunctions are associated with poor real-life functioning. Social cognition deficits mediate in part the impact of neurocognitive dysfunction on functional outcome.

Aims

To review literature findings on prevalence, severity and association with functional outcome of neurocognitive and social cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.

Methods

We searched PubMed for English/Italian or French full-text publications with the keywords.

schizophr*/psychosis/psychot*/AND neurocognitive/cognitive/neuropsychological/memory/attention/”executive function”/learning/”social cognition”/”theory of mind”/”affect recognition”/”acial emotion recognition”/”emotional intelligence”/”emot* recognition”. Furthermore, we manually searched the reference lists of relevant papers, systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Results

In people with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder with psychotic features, neurocognitive and social cognition deficits were observed in all phases of the disorders, even after symptom remission. Some of these deficits were observed in subjects at high-risk to develop schizophrenia before psychotic onset. In all these subjects, cognitive deficits are associated with worse psychosocial functioning and poor quality of life. Pharmacological treatments do not alleviate cognitive deficits, which can also limit the benefit of other psychological or psychosocial interventions.

Conclusions

Neurocognitive and social cognition deficits need to be targeted by specific interventions to improve real-life functioning and quality of life of people with schizophrenia or psychotic disorders.

Disclosure of interest

AM received honoraria or advisory board/consulting fees from the following companies: Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Otsuka, Pfizer and Pierre Fabre.

SG received honoraria or advisory board/consulting fees from the following companies: Lundbeck, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Hoffman-La Roche, Angelini-Acraf, Otsuka, Pierre Fabre and Gedeon-Richter.
Electrodermal Reactivity and Suicide
Authors: Sarchiapone M.
Published: June 2017

Electrodermal Activity (EDA) refers to changes in electrical conductance of the skin. Electrodermal hyporeactive individuals are those who show an unusual rapid habituation to identical non-significant stimuli. Previous findings suggested that electrodermal hyporeactivity has a high sensitivity and a high negative predictive value for suicide. The aim of the present study is to test the effectiveness and the usefulness of the EDOR® (ElectroDermal Orienting Reactivity) Test as a support in the suicide risk assessment of depressed patients.

One thousand five hundred and seventy three patients with a primary diagnosis of depression, whether currently depressed or in remission, have been recruited at 15 centres in 9 different European countries. Depressive symptomatology was evaluated through the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Scale. Previous suicide attempts were registered and the suicide intent of the worst attempt was rated according to the first eight items of the Beck Suicide Intent Scale. The suicide risk was also assessed. During the EDOR® Test two fingers are put on gold electrodes and a moderately strong tone is presented through headphones now and then during the test. The EDOR® Test is able to register the electrodermal responses to those tones, along with the blood volume in the fingers. Each patient is followed up for one year in order to assess the occurrence of suicidal behaviors.

Expected results would be that patients realizing a suicide attempt with a strong intent or committing suicide should be electrodermally hyporeactive in most cases and non-hyporeactive patients should show only few indications of death intent or suicides. Preliminary findings will be presented.

Disclosure of interest

The participating centres received funding for this study by EMOTRA AB, Sweden.
Predictors of satisfaction with life among older adults
Authors: Von Humboldt S. , Leal I.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Increasing longevity brings challenges for older adults’ satisfaction with life (SWL).

Aims

This study aims at exploring a structural model of predictors of SWL in a cross-national sample of older adults.

Methods

A community-dwelling sample of 1234 older adults was assessed regarding SWL, sense of coherence (SOC) and socio-demographic, lifestyle and health-related characteristics. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate a structural model of the self-reported SWL, comprising SOC, socio-demographic characteristics (age, sex, education, marital and professional status, household, adult children, income, living setting and religion), lifestyle and health-related characteristics (physical activity, recent disease and medication).

Results

Significant predictors are SOC (β = .733; P < .001), religion (β = .725; P < .001), income (β = .551; P < .001), adult children (β = .546; P < .001), education (β = –.403; P < .001), living setting (β = –.292; P < .001) and medication (β = –.197; P < .001). The variables accounted for 24.8% of the variability of SWL. Moreover, differences between the four nationality groups (F(3, 671) = 3.671, P = .066) were not found concerning SWL.

Conclusions

Sense of coherence is the strongest predictor of self-reported SWL. Other predictors are religion, income, adult children, education, living setting and medication. The four nationalities did not present significant differences, concerning SWL. This study highlights the factors that influence older adults’ SWL, namely, SOC, religion and income, as promoters of aging well, within a salutogenic model of health for older populations.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Formal thought disorder in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Alptekin K. , Yalincetin B. , Bora E. , Berna A.
Published: June 2017

Historically, formal thought disorder has been considered as one of the distinctive symptoms of schizophrenia. However, research in last few decades suggested that there is a considerable clinical and neurobiological overlap between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (BP). We conducted a meta-analysis of studies comparing positive (PTD) and negative formal thought disorder (NTD) in schizophrenia and BP. We included 19 studies comparing 715 schizophrenia and 474 BP patients. In the acute inpatient samples, there was no significant difference in the severity of PTD (d = –0.07, CI = –0.22–0.09) between schizophrenia and BP. In stable patients, schizophrenia was associated with increased PTD compared to BP (d = 1.02, CI = 0.35–1.70). NTD was significantly more severe (d = 0.80, CI = 0.52–0.1.08) in schizophrenia compared to BP. Our findings suggest that PTD is a shared feature of both schizophrenia and BP but persistent PTD or NTD can distinguish subgroups of schizophrenia from BP and schizophrenia patients with better clinical outcomes.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Effect of Clozapine on Psychiatric Comorbidities in Patients with Schizophrenia
Authors: Gürcan G. , Hun Şenol Ş. , Anıl Yağcıoğlu A.E. , Ertuğrul A.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Clozapine has superior efficacy in treatment-resistant schizophrenia, and has various effects on psychiatric comorbidities, which may affect the illness course.

Aims

We aimed to assess the past and current psychiatric comorbidities in schizophrenia patients treated with clozapine, and study their relationship with clinical variables.

Methods

Consecutive 122 outpatients who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia receiving clozapine were included. Information about past and current clinical status were gathered through a clinical interview and review of the medical records, along with laboratory test results. Patients were assessed with structured clinical interview for Axis-I Disorders for DSM-IV, Clinical Global Impression Scale, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Calgary Depression Scale, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS), WHO-Disability Assessment Schedule-II.

Results

There was a significant decrease in the diagnosis of depression, alcohol and substance use disorder, number of suicide attempts, and an increase in the diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) after clozapine initiation. Clozapine related de novo OCD appeared in 48.4% of the patients, and there was a positive correlation between Y-BOCS total scores and clozapine dose and plasma levels. In the de novo OCD group, compulsion scores were higher than obsession scores with checking most prevalent among compulsions. Total PANSS, Y-BOCS, PASscores were positively correlated withtotal disability score.

Conclusions

Clozapine seems to decrease comorbid depression, alcohol and substance use and number of suicide attempts and increase OCD. Assessment and treatment of psychiatric comorbidities in clozapine using schizophrenia patients is vital to decrease disability.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Effect of Two Long-acting Treatments, The Paliperidone Palmitate 1-month and 3-month Formulations on Caregiver Burden in European patients with Schizophrenia
Authors: Hargarter L. , Gopal S. , Xu H. , McQuarrie K. , Savitz A. , Nuamah I. , Woodruff K. , Mathews M.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Schizophrenia puts a significant burden on caregivers.

Objectives

To explore the effects of two long-acting treatments (LAT), paliperidone palmitate 1-month and 3-month formulations on caregiver burden (CGB) in European patients with schizophrenia using the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire (IEQ)

Aims

To conduct a subgroup analysis of two randomized, double-blind studies (NCT01515423 and NCT01529515).

Methods

Caregivers (≥ 1 h of contact/week with the patients) were offered to complete the IEQ (31 items, each scoring: 0–4; total score: sum of 27 items [0–108]).

Results

Among 756 European caregivers (53% parents, 18% spouse/partner or girl/boyfriend, 10% sister/brother), 60% reported a CGB of ≥ 32 hours/week at open-label baseline (BL-OL). CGB reduced significantly for patients with both BL-OL and at least one double-blind IEQ sum-score (n = 433): mean improvement [SD] (9.9 [12.66], P < 0.001) from BL-OL (mean [SD] 26.0 [13.30]) to study end (16.0 [10.47]); (reduction in burden associated with worrying [2.9 points] and urging [4.3 points]). CGB significantly improved in patients on prior oral antipsychotics post-switching to LAT with less leisure days impacted and less hours spent in caregiving (P < 0.001). There was significant relationship between improvements and relapse status, patient age (P < 0.001), age at diagnosis (P < 0.002), and number of prior psychiatric hospitalizations in the last 24 months (P < 0.05). Prior use of long-acting antipsychotics other than paliperidone palmitate 1-month or 3-month formulations at BL-OL and duration of prior psychiatric hospitalizations in the last 24 months did not show significant effect on improvements.

Conclusion

Switching from an oral antipsychotic to an LAT can provide a meaningful and significant improvement in caregiver burden.

Disclosure of interest

All authors are employees of Janssen Research & Development, LLC and hold stocks in the company.
The Impact of the Lifetime Depression History on Alcohol Consumption in Male and Female Alcoholics
Authors: Karpyak V. , Geske J. , Hall-Flavin D. , Loukianova L. , Schneekloth T. , Skime M. , Frye M. , Choi D.S. , Biernacka J.
Published: June 2017

Background

Psychiatric comorbidities and alcohol craving are known contributors to differences in alcohol consumption patterns.

Methods

Univariate and multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association and interactions between the Inventory of Drug Taking Situations (IDTS) negative, positive and temptation sub-scale scores, sex, as well as co-morbid depression and anxiety determined by Psychiatric Research Interview of Substance and Mood Disorders (PRISM) with alcohol consumption measured by Time Line Follow Back (TLFB) during preceding 90 days in 287 males and 156 females meeting DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence.

Results

IDTS positive, negative and temptation scores were strongly associated with increased alcohol consumption measures including the number of drinks per day and number of drinking days per week (P < 0.0001). Male sex was associated with higher amount of alcohol consumption per drinking day (P < 0.001), but not with the number of drinking days per week (P > 0.05). In men, lifetime history of depression was associated with fewer drinking days (P = 0.0084) and fewer hazardous drinking days (P = 0.0214) but not with differences in daily alcohol consumption. In women, depression history was not significantly associated with alcohol consumption measures. Post-hoc sex-stratified analyses suggested that the association of the negative IDTS score with total amount of alcohol consumed by men may be modified (decreased) by lifetime depression history. We found no associations of alcohol consumption measures with anxiety or substance-induced depression.

Discussion

Decreased frequency of drinking in male alcoholics with lifetime depression history is unexpected. This finding emphasizes the complex relationships between alcoholism and depression, which require further investigation.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
FKBP5 Modulates the Effects of Nicotine on Hpa Axis Activity in Females
Authors: Koopmann A. , Kiefer F.
Published: June 2017

Background

FK506 binding protein 51 is a modulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. Its function is modulated by the single nucleotide polymorphism rs 1360780. Females often use smoking to cope with stress. The aim of this study was to investigate if the influence of nicotine consumption on cortisol plasma levels is modified by the polymorphism of rs 1360780 in females.

Methods

Two hundred and ninety-six female smokers were genotyped for the SNP rs1360780 of FKBP5 protein. Cortisol plasma concentrations were measured in blood plasma drawn three hours after smoking. Severity of tobacco addiction was assessed based on the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND).

Results

Thirty-six participants were TT-homozygotes and 260 were C allele carriers. In TT homozygotes, we found a significant negative correlation between the FTND sum score and the cortisol plasma concentrations. In a linear regression analysis, the FTND sum score accounts for 12.4% of the variance of cortisol plasma levels. By contrast, we could not find such an association in C allele carriers.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that nicotine is an important confounder in the modulation of HPA axis activity by FKBP5. In the light of these findings, future studies on FKBP5 should include nicotine consumption as a confounder.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Influence of Impulsivity During Decision-making in Regular Cannabis Users
Authors: Laprevote V. , Devin A.L. , Blanc B. , Schwan R.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Regular cannabis use is associated with cognitive impairments, including impaired decision making measured by the Iowa Gambling Task. The question remains whether the impulsivity measured in regular cannabis users may participate to impaired decision making. Interestingly, the Cambridge Gambling Task (CGT) is a computerized gambling task allows to differentiate risk taking and impulsivity when making a decision.

Aims

This study aims at separately exploring the impact of regular cannabis use on risk taking and impulsivity during decision making process.

Objectives

To do so, we compared the performance of regular cannabis users and healthy controls during the CGT.

Methods

Forty-three regular cannabis users (> 7 units/week) with a cannabis use disorder (CUD), 8 non-CUD regular cannabis users and 30 healthy controls were recruited. Decision-making was assessed using the CGT. The following outcomes were considered: Delay aversion score, Overall proportion bet, quality of decision making, risk taking and risk adjustment.

Results

The analysis on delay aversion score showed a group effect (F = 3.839, P = 0.026) but no effect on other CGT variables. This effect was explained by the fact that cannabis CUD users had a higher delay aversion score than healthy controls and non-CUD cannabis users.

Conclusions

In this study, CUD cannabis users had an increased impulsivity but no increase of risk taking and quality of decision-making. Future work should include the CGT with a clinical scale to evaluate impulsivity and a motor inhibition task to understand if the impairment observed relates to cognitive or motor abilities.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Evaluation of Cognitive Dysfunction in a Sample of Patients Affected by Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Stella E. , La Montagna M. , Borraccino L. , Ricci F. , Triggiani A.I. , Panza F. , Seripa D. , Miscio G. , Bellomo A. , Lozupone M.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Cognitive dysfunctions concerning working memory, attention, psychomotor speed, and verbal memory are a disabling feature of the bipolar disorder (BD). According to scientific literature, cognitive disturbances are present not only in depressive and manic phases of BD, but also during the euthymic period, without regard to whether or not drugs are assumed.

Objective

To determine the presence of one or more dysfunctions in cognitive domains in a sample of subjects suffering from BD, in euthymic phase, compared with healthy controls.

Aims

Evaluation of the following cognitive performances in subjects affected by BD: speed of processing, attention/vigilance, working memory, verbal learning, visual learning, reasoning and problem solving, and social cognition.

Methods

Forty-six patients affected by BD in the euthymic phase (mean age: 43.17 years old; 39.13% male), and 58 healthy controls (mean age: 39.21 years old; 51.72% male) were enrolled in the psychiatric unit of Azienda Sanitaria Locale, Foggia. The neuropsychological battery MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) was administered by trained psychiatrists.

Results

We found the presence of cognitive impairment, affecting six out of seven of cognitive functions assessed (P < 0.001): speed of processing, attention/vigilance, working memory, verbal learning, visual learning, reasoning and problem solving.

Conclusions

These preliminary results from our case-control study show that cognitive deficits are clearly present also during the euthymic phases of subjects with bipolar disorder (mainly pertaining attention/vigilance domain). These cognitive abnormalities may represent a biomarker of bipolar disorder.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Patterns of Impairment in Executive Functions within Unipolar and Bipolar Depression
Authors: Suciu B. , Paunescu R. , Miclutia I.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

The majority of studies revealed that cognitive deficits are an important aspect in many psychiatric illnesses, such as bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. In the past, cognitive impairment was considered part of depression and it was expected to diminish as other mood symptoms improved with treatment.

Method

This study is based on the review of recent literature, performed in order to understand the dimension of executive impairment in unipolar and bipolar depression.

Results

Both unipolar and bipolar depressed patients display cognitive deficits in several cognitive domains within executive functions. Different subcomponents of executive functions are altered in both types of patients, but impairments in sustained attention appear specific in bipolar depression while dysfunctional divided attention is reported in unipolar disorder. Studies describe deficits in planning strategies and monitoring processes that are characteristically impaired in unipolar depressed patients. Also these subjects tend to make more perseverative responses suggesting set shifting deficits and moreover they require longer time and more cognitive effort in order to accomplish tasks involving inhibitory control or cognitive flexibility. Other findings suggest that bipolar I depressed patients perform worse than bipolar II depressed patients and unipolar depressed patients across all executive functions especially in the decision making process that is considered to be a trait marker for bipolar disorder with no differences between the two types of bipolar subjects.

Conclusions

Executive functions represent a term that includes a higher order of cognitive abilities with deficits that are present in both disorders but display slightly different patterns of impairment.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Objective Quantification of Psychomotor Dynamics During Pharmacological Treatment of Bipolar Depression
Authors: Terziivanova P. , Haralanov S. , Haralanova E. , Dzhupanov G.
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Psychomotor disturbances are among the core symptoms of endogenous depression. They reflect the underlying pathophysiology of the depressive episode and are sensitive to the neurobiological effects of its pharmacological treatment. Being objectively manifested, the psychomotor functions and dysfunctions are technically recordable and measurable by the available motion analysis systems.

Aims

To objectively record and measure the psychomotor dysfunctions in bipolar depression and their dynamics during pharmacological treatment.

Methods

We introduced an original (internationally patented) equilibriometric method for objective and quantitative recording of psychomotor dysfunctions during stepping locomotion in 37 hospitalized patients with bipolar depression and 30 well-matched healthy controls. Two separable psychomotor functions were analyzed in parallel: conscious (voluntary) activity and subconscious (automatic) reactivity. Both patients and controls were examined twice in order to quantify their psychomotor dynamics. Patients were examined at the first day of their hospitalisation and the day before their discharge. The two consecutive examinations of the controls were with equivalent time intervals.

Results

There was no significant psychomotor dynamics (P > 0.05) in the healthy controls between their first and second equilibriometric recording. Psychomotor activity and/or reactivity of the patients were relatively slower at their first recording and significantly accelerated (P < 0.05) at their second recording after effective pharmacological treatment.

Conclusions

Objective recording and quantitative assessment of psychomotor dynamics in patients with bipolar depression during the pharmacological treatment of their current episode could be a sensitive measure of their improvement and might be used as a surrogate pharmacodynamic biomarker for objective treatment monitoring.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.