bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clonal Pluralization as an Interpretative Delusion after Autoscopic Experience - An Extremely Rare Psychopathological Phenomenon
Authors: Nagy A. , Tenyi T. , Fekete S. , Kovacs A. , Voros V. 
Published: March 2009

Introduction:Delusional misidentification syndromes are widely present in several psychiatric and neurological disorders in the geriatric population. Numerous studies witness growing evidence of organic background in different misidentification syndromes and reduplications.Case report:The authors present a case of a patient with dementia, vascular type where clonal pluralization of the Self appeared as a secondary interpretative delusion after a hallucinatory type of autoscopic experience. the 86-year-old patient was referred to our department because he was talking continuously to his so-called ‘twin’. He considered his experience as a miracle to be investigated by a special medical staff. We discuss the distinctive characteristics of the presented case from other delusional misidentification syndromes and from other psychopathologic and neurological symptoms.Conclusion:In the presented case the linear evolution and the interpretative aspect of the arising delusional misidentification phenomena were predominant. Overviewing the broad spectrum of concepts on delusional misidentification syndromes, we emphasize the importance of those approaches which enhance the disappearance of the classical functional-organic dichotomy on the double phenomenon and which try to clarify the neurocognitive background of delusional misidentifications.
the Risk for Mild Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Patients with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Podea D.M. , Nanu P.D. , Chenderes R.M. , Mila C. 
Published: March 2009

Objective:Recent studies suggest that the metabolic syndrome and inflammation affect cognitive decline in old age due to vascular risk factors that might cause leukoaraiosis. It is not known which components of the metabolic syndrome are mostly involved.Material and method:There were included 60 subjects aged 65-90 years divided in two groups: group A-30 subjects diagnosed with metabolic syndrome according to NCEP-ATP-III criteria; group B-30 subjects used as control for the study group. Inflammation was assessed by measuring the C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma levels. Cognitive assessments included general cognition exam using Mini-Mental State Examination. the subjects underwent head CT-scan in order to observe the presence of the leukoaraiosis. the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was considered when the MMSE score was between 28-21points.Results:In group A 25 of the subjects presented MCI, while in group B only 13. in group A hyperglycemia was most strongly associated with cognitive function being identified in 80% of the subjects, followed by inflammation (CRP levels>1mg/L), present in 76.6% of the subjects. the subjects from group B presented hyperglycemia in 20% of the cases and high CRP levels in only 16.6% of the subjects. Leukoaraiosis was present in 60% of the subjects in group A, and in 23.3% in group B.Conclusions:Subjects with metabolic syndrome had a poorer cognitive performance than subjects without metabolic syndrome at general cognition exam. in those subjects with metabolic syndrome hyperglycemia and inflammatory status were most frequently encountered when considered the association with cognitive impairment and was noticed a higher incidence of leukoaraiosis.Acknowledgment:The work reported in this paper was supported by grant PNCDI2-41-057/2007 from the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research.
Treating Prodromal Psychosis in Slovenia
Authors: Blinc M. , Novak B. , Avgustin B. , Agius M. 
Published: March 2009

This presentation describes an ongoing program in Ljubljana.The program originated with one psychiatrist [MB] who began to offer treatment with antipsychotics- typicals with the earliest patients, and later atypicals, in particular olanzapine, in very low doses [e.g.2.5 mg olanzapine], often combined with group psychotherapy, in patients considered to be at the initial [prodromal or ‘at risk mental state’] phase of developing a psychotic illness. Often, where indicated, antidepressants and occasionally anxiolytics were also added to the treatment. Thus this program differed substantially from other well known studies of treatment in the prodrome [e.g. Melbourne and Yale], and developed independently of them.It has been shown by repeated clinical evaluation of the patients that these patients were indeed originally in the prodromal phase of psychotic illness.Many patients have now been followed over several years as they developed into full first episodes of psychosis and for some years later.The presentation will describe the process of how the patients were treated, and how their illness developed.The presentation will describe results, of a study comparing outcomes of treatment in the prodrome by this method, with treatment of patients who presented with psychotic illness in the usual way, with long DUP. This shows long term advantages in terms of severity of symptoms, reduced relapse and readmission rates, better employment results, and improved relationships among the patients treated in the prodrome.
A Preliminary Study of p200 in First-episode Patients, their Relatives and Healthy Controls: Search of New Endophenotypes [P03-113]
Authors: Silveira C. , Santos F. , Barbosa F. , Pedro A. , Palha A. , Marques-Teixeira J. 
Published: March 2009

Background/Objective:Despite the well established genetic basis of schizophrenia, the relationship between genes and the disorder itself is still elusive. Individual endophenotypes, which reduce the complexity of genetic analyses, allow statistical approaches with quantitative trait methodologies. P200 abnormalities of event-related potentials have been reported in schizophrenia with conflicting results. the present study aims to characterize the P200 in first-episode patients and to compare it with that of first-degree relatives and controls.Methods:ERPs were recorded at 19 sites with an auditory oddball for 21 first-episode patients with schizophrenia (mean age=25.14; SD=6.20), 41 of their first degree relatives (mean age=47.65; SD=15.53) and 19 healthy controls (mean age=26.32; SD=7.16). Potentials were averaged for frequent stimuli and P200 amplitude and latency measures were obtained.Results:Analysis of midline electrodes revealed significant group effects for P200 peak amplitudes (F(2, 78)=3.315, p=.042), but not for peak latencies. Post-hoc analyses revealed that patients with schizophrenia present significantly lower P200 amplitudes (M=2.466; SD=1.564) than controls (M=5.037; SD=2.500) at Pz (T(38)=3.851, p=.003). No other significant differences were found.Conclusion:The results obtained do not straight-forwardly support the P200 peak amplitude nor peak latency as an endophenotype of schizophrenia. However, the trends of our results may suggest that the P200 amplitudes of relatives may present intermediate values between healthy controls (with higher amplitudes) and patients (with lower amplitudes). Further statistical analyses will be required in order to disentangle the effects of possible confounding variables.
Sons and Daughters Cared by Psychotic Inpatients: How is their Mental Health Status?
Authors: Veríssimo F. , Almeida S. , Teiga R. 
Published: March 2009

Backgroud:Parental pychosis can have a major impact on the household and studies indicate that they increase the risk of children developing behavioural, social, emotional and educational problems (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2004). to our knowledge, there is scarce information available about the mental health status of the sons and daughters cared by psychotic inpatients. Potential interventions that mental health services could adopt by screening this at risk population are missed.Aim:To assess the mental health status of the children cared by the psychotic inpatients admitted to an acute mental health ward in Porto. to determine the number of children that fulfill criteria of mental illness and of those at risk. to refer this population to a specialist clinic.Methods:Prospective study: we will screen the sons and daughters of all the inpatients admitted with psychosis between the 1st September 2008 and the 30th November 2008 to a busy acute inpatient ward at Hospital Megalhães Lemos, Porto. We will use the Robert Goodman Strenghts and Weaknesses Questionnaire for the 18- year old and below and the SCL-90 for the adult population. the population that fulfills criteria for mental health problems and the ones that are identified as at risk will be referred to a specialist clinic and followed-up by an experienced psychiatrist.Conclusions:To identify and quantify a vulnerable population at high risk of developing mental health problems and offering an early intervention may proove to have an important impact in the household wellbeing.
Prevalence of Traumatic Life Events and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the Severe Mental Illness
Authors: Alvarez M.J. , Osés A. , Foguet Q. , Santos J.M. , Roura P. , Arrufat F.X. , Valiente A. , Perez R. , Villalba O. 
Published: March 2009

Aims:In some different studies, a high prevalence of interpersonal trauma especially childhood abuse as well as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been found in patients with several mental illness (SMI): schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar disorder.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the traumatic life events and PTSD in a sample with SMI.Methods:We enrolled adults patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar I disorder. We excluded patients who score 3 or more in conceptual disorganization, hallucinations and/or unusual contents of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and 4 or more in another item of this scale. Interventions: sociodemographic date and Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire and Distressing Event Questionnaire.Results:78 patients (52.6% men) with a mean age of 40 years. Diagnostic of the sample: 47.5% schizophrenia, 41% bipolar disorder and 11.5% schizoaffective disorder. Traumatic life events in the childhood: physical abuse, 22.1% (22.5% males and 21.8% females); psychological abuse, 26.9% (14.6% males and 40.5% females, p< 0.05); sexual abuse, 28.2% (21.9% males and 35.1% females).Some abuse in childhood, 48.0% (38.1% males and 62.2% women, p< 0.05).Sexual abuse in adulthood: 25.6% (43.24% females and 9.7% men, p=0'05).PTSD, 12.9% (8.3% males and 20.7% females).Conclusions:Almost the half of the patients have biographical history of traumatic life events in the childhood. These traumatic events are significantly more prevalent in females. in adulthood, almost half of women had suffered sexual abuse.A fifth part of the women with SMI have comorbidity with PTSD.
Cognitive Functioning in Schizophrenia Patients with Suicidal Behavior
Authors: Cozman D. , Manea M. , Nica S. , Coman H. , Nemes B. 
Published: March 2009

Introduction:Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for schizophrenia patients: 9-13% of these patients eventually commit suicide, at least 20-40% make suicide attempts and 1-2% go on to complete in their attempt within the next 12 months. Therefore, suicide in schizophrenia has long been a major area of concern and research efforts. Although neurocognitive deficits are seen as core to schizophrenia, the association between suicidality and neurocognition has received little attention. People with schizophrenia often have impaired working memory and lower IQ. in particular, deficits in long-term memory, working verbal memory, executive functioning, and vigilance have been consistently associated with poor functional outcome in this patient population.Aim:To evaluate the effect of depression in schizophrenia suicidal patients from the point of view of neuropsychological functions.Methodology:A clinical sample of 60 patients with schizophrenia was assessed. among them, 30 patients presented a life long history of deliberate self-harm. We performed the assessment of schizophrenia (PANSS, GAS), depression (MADRS), suicidal risk (SIS, BHS), and neuropsychological markers with CogTest battery.Results:Suicidal behaviour in schizophrenia patients was significantly correlated with negative symptoms (anhedonia) accompanied by poor global functioning and positive symptoms (delusions). Some neuropsychological markers (abstract thinking, reduced capacity to maintain information on-line, working memory, facial emotions discrimination) were significantly correlated with hopelessness.Conclusion:The most significant neuropsychological dysfunction is represented by working memory impairment which is present in schizophrenia patients with self-harm behaviour even if they have an intact IQ.
Metaglossotherapy in Treatment of Schizophrenia
Authors: Maciulis V. , Marceniene S. , Dapsys K. , Banaitis V. , Utkuviene J. 
Published: March 2009

Metaglossotherapy (MGT) is the method of treating schizophrenic patients by teaching them a new foreign language. Training of brain and establishing new associations during the course of MGT treatment has a positive influence on schizophrenic patients.Aim:To evaluate the efficacy of MGT in treating schizophrenic patients.Methods:7 long-stay male schizophrenic patients took part in the program, which lasted 5 months, 5 sessions of MGT a week. Patients were learning English. Evoked potential N400 was registered at baseline and after MGT in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy. Dynamics of mental state was evaluated with help of PANSS.Results:During MGT significant changes in motivation, behavior, non-verbal expressions and emotional state of patients were observed. PANSS: negative and positive symptoms became milder, changes are statistically significant. N400 responses of schizophrenic patient do not depend on the congruity of sentence endings. Compared with healthy subjects patients generate N400 with smaller amplitude and larger latency.Conclusions:Application of MGT can create possibilities for schizophrenic patients for better relationships with the environment, to help them overcome social and emotional isolation. It is very important that activities would be led by the persons who have practical experience to work with schizophrenic patients. MGT may affect patient's response to semantic congruent sentences.
Does the Degree of Smoking Effect the Severity of Tardive Dyskinesia?
Authors: Diehl A. 
Published: March 2009

Background:Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a movement disorder observed in a chronic neuroleptic treatment. Smoking is presumed to increase the prevalence of TD. the question of a cause-effect-relationship between smoking and TD, however, remains to be answered. Purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between the degree of smoking and the severity of TD with respect to differences caused by medication.Methods:We examined 60 patients suffering from schizophrenia and TD. We compared a clozapine-treated group with a group treated with typical neuroleptics. Movement disorders were assessed using the Abnormal-Involuntary-Movement-Scale and the technical device Digital-Image-Processing providing rater independent information on perioral movements.Results:We found a strong correlation (.80< r< .90, always p< .0001) between degree of smoking and severity of TD. Repeated measurements revealed a positive correlation between changes in cigarette consumption and changes of the severity of TD (p< .0001). Analyses of covariance indicated a significant group-effect with a lower severity of TD in the clozapine-group compared to the typical-neuroleptics-group (p=.010). Interaction-analyses indicated a higher impact of smoking on the severity of TD in the typical-neuroleptics-group compared to the clozapine-group (p=.033) (Diehl et al., 2008).Conclusion:Concerning a possible cause-effect-relationship between smoking and TD, smoking is more of a general health-hazard than neuroleptic exposure in terms of TD.
Epidemiological Study for the Evaluation of Metabolic Disorders in Patients with Schizophrenia: The Meteor Study
Authors: de Hert M. , Falissard B. , Mauri M. , Shaw K. , Wetterling T. 
Published: March 2009

A large, observational, multinational cross-sectional pharmacoepidemiological study was performed to determine the prevalence of diabetes and other metabolic disorders in patients with schizophrenia receiving atypical antipsychotic drugs in Europe.The study included adult outpatients with schizophrenia (DSM-IV-TR) treated for at least three months by an antipsychotic drug. Patients treated with classical or atypical antipsychotic drugs were recruited into two parallel strata (ratio of 1:3). A fasting blood sample was taken and height, weight, waist and hip circumference and blood pressure measured during a single visit. Biochemical parameters assessed included glucose, insulin, HbA1c, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B.2463 patients (median age: 41.0 years; 54.6% male) were included in twelve countries. among these, 10.9% of patients were treated for hypertension, 7.1% for a lipid disorder, 0.3% for type I diabetes and 3.5% for type II diabetes. in addition, 26% of untreated patients had dysglycaemia, 67.7% dyslipidemia and 38% had hypertension. 34% of the patients presented a metabolic syndrome. No overall difference was observed in the proportion of patients with glycaemic and lipid disorders between the two treatment strata. Values for weight-related variables were slightly higher in the atypical stratum, whereas hypertension was more frequent in the classical stratum (47.3%) than in the atypical stratum (42.2%).The results of this study emphasise the need for careful follow-up of patients with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotic drugs to detect the occurrence of metabolic disorders. the proportion of patients with glycaemic or lipid disorders was very high and largely underdiagnosed.This study was funded by sanofi-aventis.
Psychosis Related to TBI
Authors: Euba O. , Zallo E. , Sanchez N. , Torreblanca M. , Arroita A. , Barreiro A. 
Published: March 2009

Aims:Traumatic brain injury (TBI) cause a wide range of serious consequences, including psychiatric disorders. Psychosis although uncommon is a very serious consequences with important functional, therapeutical and legal implications.Methods:Our work is based on a systemic review of the articles published related to TBI and psychosis.Results and conlusions:Three different features about TBI and their relation with the development of psychotic symptoms are analyzed.1.Severity: Serious TBI are more related to psychosis. Moderate and minor TBI can develop mental disorders is there is a previous neurological lesions.2.Localization: Temporal lobe appears affected in most of the patients.3.Lateralization: Left hemisphere is usually affected.Left hemisphere traumas appear to cause schizophrenia-like psychosis. Right hemisphere traumas are related to delirious and special types of psychosis.
Spiritual Beliefs and Therapeuticall Adhesion
Authors: Fonseca L. 
Published: March 2009

Introduction:Personal and familiar spiritual and religious beliefs are important factors to be considered when prescribing an antipsychotic drug to a schizophrenic patient.Description:A case report of a 29 years old male patient with a schizoaffective disorder is presented. in this case the border between what was delusion and what was the result of the patient personal and familiar spiritual beliefs was impossible to made. Only after the medication precribed has produced its effect this distinction has become clearer.Method:A literature revision about this issue was made.Discussion/conclusion:Spiritual beliefs are important factors that influence therapeuticall adhesion. A clear distinction between them and delusion symptomatology is very difficult to made, mainly in an acute psychotic state. after medication, the delusion symptomatology disappears and personal spiritual beliefs persist.
Evaluation of 2 Years’ Residential Care Treatment for Adolescents and Young Adults with Schizophrenia [P03-146]
Authors: Hemmerle M. , Röpcke B. , Eggers C. , Oades R.D. 
Published: March 2009

Aims:In 2002 the Professor Eggers Foundation started a 2-year-programme for patients suffering from early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) following discharge from a clinic (outpatient care). the aim is with intense residential care and treatment to support recovery and independence. Interactive and psychoeducational family care, coping with persistent symptoms, development of social and emotional competence, independent house keeping, and support of school and vocational training are the main features.Methods:Psychopathology, social and neuropsychological function were assessed with a set of questionnaires and tests at the start, after 1 year and after 2 years on completion of the programme for 12 participants. Living and working situation were monitored. the results were compared with the progress of 12 EOS patients treated as usual (comparison group).Results:Positive and negative symptoms showed a significantly greater decrease with respect to the comparison group. Social function improved considerably stronger in the participants. Working memory, attention and some executive functions also improved in the participants, while there was a deterioration of speed and selective attention (trend) in the comparison group. Neither group showed changes in measures of intelligence or the subjective quality of life with the exception of increased contentedness with family relations in the participants.Conclusions:We show the benefits of an early intensive residential training programme for EOS patients. Further research may be able to show if these improvements can be maintained and whether the costs of the programme are economical avoiding continued residential care.
Developmental Risk Factors in Patients with Schizophrenia and Severe Neurocognitive Dysfunction
Authors: Herta D.-C. , Nemes B. , Nica S. , Cozman D. 
Published: March 2009

Introduction:Recent data suggest that schizophrenia is a complex disorder with intricate patterns of neurocognitive impairment supported by specific neurobiological systems, present in schizophrenia patients, regardless of individual or clinical variables. the neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia states that early insults (pre-, perinatal), late environmental, early and late genetic factors interact in various developmental stages, leading to various individual expressions of the disorder.Aim:To assess specific developmental risk factors in connection with the level of neurocognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia.Material and methods:Issues concerning family history, parenting style, attachment and early life stress were investigated in correlation with general intellectual functioning, working memory and executive functions in a set of young schizophrenia patients and a control group.Results:The authors found that certain prenatal insults, complications of delivery and early development, along with the quality of attachment and parenting style, were strongly correlated with the patterns of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia patients.Conclusions:Cognitive impairment might be a trait-like feature, stable throughout the lifetime, occurring years before the onset of the illness. Extending the concept of development to the entire life span could entail that factors with limited timeframe of action may play a role in the epigenetic regulation of certain genes and proteins expressed in specific areas of the brain, in specific developmental stages, which in turn may lead to overt and definitive changes much later in life.