精神分裂症首次发病未用药患者认知功能的改变

目的:探讨精神分裂症首次发病未用药患者认知功能改变的相关性。方法:124例首发未治疗精神分裂症患者为研究组,同期健康体检者60名作为对照组,采用MCCB、Stoop色词测验对两组的认知功能进行评价,采用阳性和阴性症状量表(PANSS)评估症状。结果:研究组患者认知功能各项评分均显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);相关因素分析结果显示,首发未治疗精神病患者MCCB总分、Stroop色词测验与患者受教育年限呈正相关,与PANSS总分及各因子分呈负相关;数字广度测试与教育年限呈正相关;与阳性症状分、PANSS总分成负相关。回归分析表明精神分裂症患者认知功能与受教育年限及PANSS总分相关。结论:首发未治疗精神分裂症患者认知功能明显低于正常人,且患者的认知受损程度和其精神病症状有关。     

加兰他敏改善精神分裂症患者认知功能的研究

目的 探讨加兰他敏是否能改善精神分裂症患者的认知功能.方法 80例精神分裂症患者被随机分为利培酮单药治疗组(单药组,入组40例,完成30例)和利培酮合并加兰他敏治疗组(合并组,入组40例,完成34例),疗程8周.治疗前后采用阳性和阴性综合征量表(PANSS)评定精神症状,个人和社会功能量表(PSP)评定社会功能,视觉空间记忆测验(BVMT-R)、霍普金斯词语学习测验修订版(HVLT-R)、WAIS-Ⅲ数字符号以及连线测试评定患者的认知功能.结果 治疗后,两组患者的PANSS评分显著下降,PSP量表的总分显著上升,单药组阳性症状改善更明显(P＜0.05),两组患者社会功能改善无显著性差异(P＞0.05).治疗后,两组患者在BVMT-R测验中均有显著改善(P＜0.01),单药组在HVLT-R测验中有显著改善(P＜0.05),合并组在WAIS-Ⅲ数字符号测试中有显著改善(P＜0.01),两组患者间各项认知功能项目评定结果比较均无显著性差异(P＞0.05).结论 加兰他敏并不能有效改善精神分裂症患者的认知功能.     

奥氮平与利培酮对精神分裂症认知功能影响的对照研究

目的 比较两种非经典抗精神病药奥氮平、利培酮对精神分裂症病人认知功能的影响.方法 62例急性发病期的精神分裂症患者(包括首发与复发)为研究对象,随机分为两组,分别予以奥氮平、利培酮治疗12周,在基线和12周末分别用阳性与阴性症状量表(PANSS)及副反应量表(TESS)、韦氏智能测验的数字广度和数字符号测验、连线测验A、连线测验B、MMSE依次评价疗效、安全性、认知功能.结果 12周末时两组的PANSS量表总分和各因子分较基线时有显著差异,治疗后两组之间无统计学差异.12周末与基线时比较奥氮平在数字广度顺背数、数字符号、TMT-A连线时间、TMT-A正确数、TMT-B连线时间、MMSE比较差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).利培酮组在数字广度、数字符号、TMT-A连线时间、TMT-B连线时间、MMSE上有统计学的差异(P＜0.05).12周末时,两组之间相比较,显示利培酮在数字广度顺背数、TMT-B连线时间比较差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).两组之间不良反应比较,利培酮组肌强直高于奥氮平组,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论 奥氮平组和利培酮组治疗精神分裂症疗效相当,改善认知功能疗效相当,利培酮可能在改善注意方面优于奥氮平.     

精神分裂症患者及其一级亲属认知功能和阴性症状相关性研究

目的:探讨精神分裂症患者及其一级亲属认知功能和阴性症状的相关性。方法:精神分裂症患者44例及其一级亲属78名完成修订版韦氏成人智力量表的词汇测验(VS)、多维记忆评估量表的数字广度(DS)、汉词广度(WS)和空间广度(SS)测验、威斯康星卡片分类测验(WCST)及持续注意测验(CPT),使用阳性和阴性症状量表(PANSS)的阴性症状分量表对受试者阴性症状进行评估。分析其相关性。结果:患者的VS、WS、SS、大部分WCST和CPT成绩与阴性症状总分相关(P0.05或P0.01);患者亲属的VS、DS、WS、SS、CPT的视觉漏报和视觉反应时间与阴性症状总分相关(P均0.01)。多元逐步回归分析显示,患者的VS、WCST完成分类和正确数、CPT听觉错误和视觉错误进入回归方程,联合预测阴性症状68.8%的变异,患者亲属的VS和CPT视觉漏报联合预测阴性症状63.9%的变异。结论:精神分裂症患者和一级亲属的认知功能与阴性症状有一定的相关性,但不完全重叠。     

阿立哌唑与氯丙嗪对精神分裂症患者认知功能的影响

目的 探讨阿立哌唑和氯丙嗪对首发精神分裂症患者认知功能的影响.方法 将56例首发精神分裂症患者随机分为阿立哌唑组(n=30)、氯丙嗪组(n=26),分别给予阿立哌唑和氯丙嗪治疗,疗程6周.在治疗前及治疗6周末进行阳性与阴性量表(PANSS)评分、威斯康星卡片分类测验(WCST)﹑连线测验(A和B)﹑韦氏成人智力量表(WAIS)中的数字符号和数字广度(顺﹑逆)测验等神经心理测验.结果 2组治疗6周后PANSS评分均有明显下降,差异无统计学意义.阿立哌唑组各项认知功能指标均有不同程度的改善,而氯丙嗪组只有两项(WCST中持续反应数和数字广度测验)较治疗前显著好转.阿立哌唑组除WCST中持续反应数、完成分类数和数字广度测验外,其余各指标均显著优于氯丙嗪组.结论 阿立哌唑对首发精神分裂症患者认知功能的改善明显,显著优于氯丙嗪.     

吸烟对于精神分裂症患者一级亲属认知功能的影响

目的探讨精神分裂症患者一级亲属吸烟行为对其认知功能及精神症状的影响。方法将符合条件的123例精神分裂症患者一级亲属,分为吸烟组和非吸烟组,使用认知评定量表评估吸烟者的认知功能,使用精神病风险症状量表(SOPS)、阳性和阴性综合征量表(PANSS)、蒙哥马利抑郁量表(MADRS)、功能大体评定量表(GAF)评估总体的精神症状。结果非吸烟组的符号编码、简易视觉记忆测验-修订版(BVMT-R)、STROOP-单词评分明显高于吸烟组(P0.01);连续作业实验(CPT)正确反应数-2D、3D、4D,以及CPT平均反应时-2D、3D、4D的评分非吸烟组明显好于吸烟组(P0.05或P0.01)。SOPS阴性因子分吸烟组较非吸烟组低(P0.05);除了PANSS阳性分数以外,PANSS阴性分、PANSS一般病理分、PANSS总分吸烟组较非吸烟组低(P0.01或P0.05);蒙哥马利抑郁量表非吸烟组较吸烟组的评分高(P0.05);GAF量表评分显示吸烟组的大体功能评分较非吸烟组的大体功能评分高,功能好(P0.05)。结论吸烟对于精神分裂症患者一级亲属的认知功能是有害的。     

奎硫平对首发精神分裂症认知功能的影响

目的:探讨奎硫平对首发精神分裂症患者认知功能的影响。方法:将71例精神分裂症患者随机分为两组,分别给予奎硫平和氯丙嗪治疗8周。于治疗前、治疗8周末分别用阳性与阴性症状量表(PANSS)评定疗效,用威斯康星卡片分类测验(WCST)、数字划消测验(CT)、修订韦氏成人记忆量表(WMS-RC)评定认知功能。结果:两组PANSS分值治疗前后差异均有显著性(P<0.01);但两组之间比较,差异无显著性(P>0.05)。治疗8周末奎硫平组WCST总测验次数、持续错误数、非持续错误数,CT,WMS-RC测验成绩均显著提高(P<0.05~0.01);而氯丙嗪组则无明显变化(P>0.05)。结论:奎硫平与氯丙嗪对首发精神分裂症患者疗效相当,但奎硫平对首发精神分裂症患者认知功能改善明显。     

精神分裂症患者血清性激素水平及其与临床特征的相关性

目的:探讨精神分裂症患者血清性激素水平变化及其与精神症状、认知功能的相关性。方法:检测84例精神分裂症患者(病例组)治疗前后血清泌乳素(PRL)、睾酮(T)及雌二醇(E2)水平,并与42例非精神分裂症患者(对照组)比较;分析病例组血清性激素水平与阳性与阴性症状量表(PANSS)评分、数字符号测验、数字广度、语义流畅性测验评分的相关性。结果:病例组治疗前后血清PRL、T水平明显高于对照组(P均0.05);与治疗前比较,治疗后血清PRL明显升高、T明显降低(P均0.05)。女性病例组治疗前后血清E2浓水平明显低于对照组(P均0.05)。病例组血清PRL、T及E2水平与PANSS总分、及各认知功能测验评分无相关(P均0.05),血清T水平与PANSS中兴奋性、冲动控制障碍评分呈正相关(r=0.26,r=0.33;P均0.05)。结论:精神分裂症患者血清性激素水平异常,但与其病情和认知功能改变不相关;但血清T水平可能适用于其临床兴奋、冲动的风险评估。     

精神分裂症伴与不伴糖尿病患者认知功能和生活质量比较

目的比较伴与不伴糖尿病的精神分裂患者认知功能和生活质量的差别。方法对我院诊治的128例精神分裂症患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析,其中单纯精神分裂症未合并糖代谢紊乱68例,伴2型糖尿病的精神分裂症60例。采用阳性与阴性症状量表(PANSS)、精神分裂症认知功能成套测验共识版(MCCB)及健康状况问卷(SF-36)评估患者病情、认知功能及生活质量。结果伴糖尿病精神分裂症组PANSS阴性症状评分及总分显著高于单纯精神分裂症组(P<0.05);2组言语记忆、语义流畅、视觉记忆、迷宫、持续操作、数字序列及符号编码评分比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);伴糖尿病精神分裂症组SF-36表中躯体疼痛、生理功能、一般健康和精神健康评分显著低于单纯精神分裂症组(P<0.05)。结论伴糖尿病的精神分裂患者认知功能和生活质量损害更为严重。     

慢性精神分裂症伴代谢综合征的认知功能研究

目的 探讨慢性精神分裂症伴发代谢综合征患者的认知功能缺损特征.方法 选择符合中国精神障碍分类与诊断标准第3版(CCMD-3)诊断标准的慢性精神分裂症住院患者205例,其中伴代谢综合征者(MS组)92例,无代谢综合征者(非MS组)113例.收集临床资料,采用阳性和阴性症状量表(PANSS)及治疗中出现的症状量表(TESS)评定临床症状和不良反应;重复性成套神经心理状态测验(RBANS)评定认知功能.结果 MS组与非MS组的PANSS及TESS评分均无显著性差异(P均＞0.05).MS组的RBANS总分、即刻记忆因子分及延时记忆因子分均显著低于非MS组(P＜0.05);两组在注意、视觉广度及言语功能因子分上无显著性差异(P均＞0.05).结论 代谢综合征会加重慢性精神分裂症患者的认知功能缺损,在即刻记忆和延时记忆方面损害更明显.     

Saccadic disinhibition in patients with acute and remitted schizophrenia and their first-degree biological relatives

OBJECTIVE: Performance on measures of saccadic inhibition and control was investigated in a large family study of schizophrenia to evaluate the utility of using antisaccade task performance as an endophenotypic marker of genetic liability for schizophrenia. METHOD: Ninety-five patients with acute schizophrenia and 116 of their first-degree biological relatives, 13 schizophrenia patients whose illness was in full remission, 35 patients with acute psychotic affective disorder, and 109 nonpsychiatric comparison subjects were administered antisaccade and prosaccade tasks. RESULTS: Both schizophrenia patient groups had a greater number of errors on the antisaccade task than did the first-degree relatives and the affective disorder group, which both had more errors than the comparison subjects. Among the first-degree relatives of the probands with acute schizophrenia, relatives of poor-performing patients performed worse on the antisaccade task than relatives of patients with good performance. Reflexive errors were not likely the result of interfering psychotic symptoms, medication, or medication side effects. Although the schizophrenia patients demonstrated other signs of saccadic abnormalities, these problems, which were not observed in their relatives even though they had high antisaccade error rates, seem unlikely to account for the higher antisaccade error rate of the schizophrenia patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that saccadic disinhibition is strongly associated with the genetic liability for schizophrenia.     

Temperament and character dimensions of the relatives of schizophrenia patients and controls: the relationship between schizotypal features and personality.

PURPOSE: Previous findings indicated that schizophrenia patients might have a different personality structure from the general population on several dimensions of temperament and character. Some authors proposed that HA might be a marker of underlying genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia. Studies on high-risk subjects and first degree relatives of patients is essential to test the value of a measure as a marker of genetic vulnerability to a disease. Few studies tested the biopsychosocial model of personality on unaffected relatives of schizophrenia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We compared the Temperament and Character (TCI) profiles of 94 first degree relatives of schizophrenia and 75 controls. We also investigated the relationship between schizotypy and TCI dimensions in the study sample. RESULTS: The harm avoidance scores of the relatives of schizophrenia patients with schizotypal features were significantly higher. Self transcendence scores were also significantly higher among relatives with schizotypal features. In contrast, the relatives of the patients with schizophrenia who did not have schizotypal features had higher SD and C scores than the control group. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This finding is consistent with the previous findings which suggested harm avoidance as a vulnerability indicator of schizophrenia. Some character features like self transcendence might be also associated with schizotypal features.     

Frontal release signs among patients with schizophrenia, their first-degree biological relatives, and non-psychiatric controls

BACKGROUND: Frontal release signs (FRS) are a subset of neurological soft signs that are overrepresented among patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected relatives and may be correlated with neuropsychological functioning and chronicity of illness. This study sought to explore FRS and their associations with verbal memory and symptoms of schizophrenia in an African American sample of patients, and FRS and their associations with verbal memory and schizotypal features among first-degree relatives and non-psychiatric controls. METHOD: FRS, verbal memory, schizophrenia symptoms (in patients), and schizotypal features (in relatives and controls) were assessed in 63 patients with schizophrenia and related disorders, 33 of their unaffected first-degree relatives, and 51 controls. RESULTS: Patients and their relatives displayed greater FRS than controls. Among relatives and controls, greater FRS were related to greater self-reported disorganized and interpersonal features of schizotypal personality disorder. FRS were not associated with patients' schizophrenia symptoms in the expected direction. In the entire sample, greater FRS were associated with poorer verbal working memory. CONCLUSIONS: Because they are easy to assess, may be correlated with neuropsychological functioning, and appear to covary with level of genetic diathesis for schizophrenia, the study of FRS may shed light on the neurodevelopmental processes that underlie schizophrenia.     

Face recognition memory deficits and visual object memory performance in patients with schizophrenia and their relatives

OBJECTIVE: Face recognition memory deficits in schizophrenia are attributed to frontotemporal dysfunction. Biological relatives of patients have similar deficits, suggesting genetic susceptibility. Because the impairment may reflect generalized object memory deficits, the authors evaluated both face and visual object recognition. METHOD: The Penn Face Memory Test and Visual Object Learning Test were given to 102 patients with schizophrenia, 60 of their biological relatives, and 135 healthy comparison subjects. RESULTS: Significant immediate and delayed face recognition deficits were observed in patients and their relatives. Although patients were more impaired in visual object memory than comparison subjects, relatives were not. CONCLUSIONS: Face recognition deficits in patients with schizophrenia and their families are not secondary to generalized object memory deficits and may be an endophenotype reflecting frontotemporal impairment.     

Modulation of the startle response and startle laterality in relatives of schizophrenic patients and in subjects with schizotypal personality disorder: evidence of inhibitory deficits

OBJECTIVE: Patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders have been shown to have deficits in sensorimotor gating as assessed by prepulse inhibition of the startle response. The authors hypothesized that nonschizophrenic relatives of patients with schizophrenia would also have prepulse inhibition deficits, thereby reflecting a genetically transmitted susceptibility to sensorimotor gating deficits. METHOD: Twenty-five comparison subjects, 23 patients with schizophrenia, 34 relatives of the schizophrenic patients, and 11 subjects with schizotypal personality disorder were assessed in an acoustic startle paradigm. The eye-blink component of the startle response was assessed bilaterally by using electromyographic recordings of orbicularis oculi. RESULTS: The patients with schizophrenia, their relatives, and subjects with schizotypal personality disorder all had reduced prepulse inhibition relative to comparison subjects, and these deficits were more evident in measures of right eye-blink prepulse inhibition. Comparison subjects demonstrated greater right versus left eye-blink prepulse inhibition, whereas the probands, their relatives, and subjects with schizotypal personality disorder showed less asymmetry of prepulse inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest a genetically transmitted deficit in prepulse inhibition (sensorimotor gating) in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, including subjects with schizotypal personality disorder and relatives of patients with schizophrenia.     

Pituitary volume in unaffected relatives of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity has been demonstrated in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but the mechanisms underlying this abnormality are still unclear. Enlarged pituitary volume has been recently reported in patients with first episode psychosis and been interpreted as a consequence of an increased activation of the HPA axis. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of familial liability to pituitary volume in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Pituitary volume may be an indirect measure of HPA axis activity. METHODS: MRI brain scans and measurements of pituitary volumes were obtained for 183 subjects: 26 patients with established schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, 44 of their unaffected first-degree relatives (22 familial schizophrenia, 22 non-familial schizophrenia), 29 patients with established bipolar disorder, 38 of their unaffected first-degree relatives, and 46 healthy comparison subjects. RESULTS: We found a significantly larger pituitary volume (effect size=0.7) in unaffected relatives of patients with schizophrenia compared with controls (p=0.002); the pituitary was even larger in relatives of patients with familial schizophrenia (effect size=0.8, p=0.005). We did not find a significant difference in pituitary volume when comparing the relatives of bipolar patients with controls. Among patients, those with schizophrenia who were receiving prolactin-elevating antipsychotics had an increased pituitary volume compared with controls (effect size=1.0, p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the larger pituitary volume previously reported in first episode schizophrenia could be partly due to a genetic susceptibility to over-activate the HPA axis.     

Sensitivity and specificity of select biological indices in characterizing psychotic patients and their relatives

BACKGROUND: Although studies have detailed biological abnormalities in schizophrenia patients and their first-degree biological relatives, few studies have directly compared the utility of biological indices in these individuals. METHODS: Measures of global smooth-pursuit ocular motor (OM) function, low frequency and alpha band electroencephalogram (EEG) power, and nonspecific fluctuations (NSF) in electrodermal activity and visibility of the plexus in the nailfold were collected from 136 schizophrenia patients and 67 of their first-degree biological relatives, 71 affective disorder psychotic patients and 68 of their first-degree biological relatives, and 169 nonpsychiatric comparison subjects. We conducted receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analyses to determine how well each index differentiated the patient groups and the groups of first-degree relatives. RESULTS: Smooth-pursuit ocular motor function, low frequency and alpha band EEG power, and nailfold plexus visibility differentiated schizophrenia patients from nonpsychiatric comparison subjects. Nailfold plexus visibility was the only measure that significantly differentiated schizophrenia patients from both nonpsychiatric controls and affective patients. Smooth-pursuit ocular motor function and the number of electrodermal nonspecific fluctuations differentiated relatives of schizophrenia patients from nonpsychiatric comparison subjects. CONCLUSION: Increased nailfold plexus visibility may mark a process associated with abnormal brain development leading to schizophrenia. Smooth-pursuit dysfunction may mark genetic vulnerability that is relatively specific to schizophrenia.     

Stigma and explanatory models among people with schizophrenia and their relatives in Vellore, south India

BACKGROUND: Stigma associated with mental illness affects patients and their families. Diverse beliefs about the cause and treatment of schizophrenia are common among patients and their relatives. AIM: To study the association between stigma and beliefs about illness in patients and their relatives. METHOD: Standard instruments were used to assess beliefs about illness and about stigma among patients with schizophrenia and relatives in Vellore, south India. RESULTS: The majority of the patients and their relatives simultaneously held multiple and contradictory models of illness and its treatment. Stigma among patients with schizophrenia and their relatives is associated with specific beliefs about causes of mental illness. CONCLUSIONS: Beliefs may play a role in mitigating or may aggravate the effects of stigma. The cross-sectional study design precludes definitive conclusions on direction of the causal association.     

A family study of DSM-III-R schizoaffective disorder, depressive type, compared with schizophrenia and psychotic and nonpsychotic major depression

OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of DSM-III-R schizoaffective disorder, the authors explored the morbid risks for schizophrenia and major affective disorders in the first-degree relatives of patients with schizoaffective disorder and relevant other diagnoses. METHOD: In addition to patients with DSM-III-R schizoaffective disorder, depressive type (N = 21), the probands included patients with mood-incongruent psychotic depression (N = 22), mood-congruent psychotic depression (N = 19), nonpsychotic depression (N = 27), or schizophrenia (N = 28) and normal subjects (N = 18). The patients were consecutively recruited from the outpatient facilities of a university psychiatry department; the normal subjects were students and nurses. All probands were directly interviewed, with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia--Lifetime Version (SADS-L), by a psychiatrist blind to information about relatives. Consenting relatives were directly interviewed, with the SADS-L, by two psychiatrists blind to the probands' diagnoses. The direct interview was supplemented--or replaced, when an interview was not possible (24%)--by family history data from all available sources. Morbid risks in relatives were calculated according to the Weinberg method. RESULTS: The relatives of the schizoaffective patients had almost the same risk for schizophrenia as the relatives of the schizophrenic patients. In the relatives of the patients mood-incongruent psychotic depression, the morbid risk for major affective disorders was about one-half that of the relatives of the patients with mood-congruent psychotic depression and one-third that of the relatives of the patients with nonpsychotic depression, but these differences did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that DSM-III-R schizoaffective disorder is close to schizophrenia and largely corresponds to mainly schizophrenic schizoaffective disorder in the Research Diagnostic Criteria, whereas DSM-III-R mood-incongruent psychotic depression is probably quite heterogeneous and should be studied further.     

Associations between schizotypal features and indicators of neurological and morphological abnormalities

OBJECTIVE: Limited research suggests that subtle neurological and morphological abnormalities that have been documented in patients with schizophrenia also may be associated with schizotypal traits in non-psychiatric samples. Based on the notion that neurological soft signs (NSS) may mark a genetic diathesis, this study hypothesized that NSS scores would be related to the level of schizotypy in relatives of schizophrenia patients and in controls. Additionally, associations between MPA scores and schizotypy were explored in these two groups. METHOD: Twenty-six first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients and 38 controls with no personal or family history of psychosis were assessed for schizotypy using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders schizotypal personality disorder module, as well as the self-administered Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire. The Neurological Evaluation Scale and a structured examination for MPAs also were administered. RESULTS: Mean schizotypy scores did not differ between relatives and controls. Both NSS and MPAs were associated with the level of interviewer-assessed schizotypal features in controls but not in relatives of patients with schizophrenia. NSS and MPAs were not associated with self-reported schizotypy in either group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that both NSS and MPAs are associated with interview-based schizotypal traits, at least in non-psychiatric participants. Future research should seek to replicate these results in other samples of relatives and controls.