A topographic event-related potential follow-up study on `prepulse inhibition' in first and second episode patients with schizophrenia

Dopamine agonists impair and antagonists normalize prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle and gating of the P50 event-related potential (ERP), but the within-subject effect of treatment on impaired gating in schizophrenia has not been studied. We report the first results of a longitudinal study using PPI of ERPs as a measure of sensory gating in an auditory Go/NoGo discrimination. After admission and approximately 3 months later, at discharge, 15 patients with schizophrenia performed a discrimination between a 1.4 kHz target tone and an 0.8 kHz non-target tone with no prepulse, or with a prepulse at 100 ms or 500 ms before either tone. ERPs were recorded from 19 sites. Healthy subjects were studied twice, with 3 months between sessions. PPI of the P50 peak in the 100-ms condition was reduced in patients on admission. At discharge, decreased negative symptoms correlated with enhanced P50-PPI at frontocentral sites. After treatment increased N100-PPI at centrotemporal sites correlated with fewer positive symptoms. At frontal sites in the 100-ms condition, the initially small difference of non-target minus target P300 amplitudes increased as negative symptoms decreased. It is concluded that weak auditory prepulses interfere with early auditory stimulus processing (P50), channel selection (N100) and selective attention (P300). Gating of these stages of processing is impaired in psychotic patients and treatment tends to normalize gating in tandem with improvements of different types of symptoms.     

首发精神分裂症患者的源记忆与项目记忆

目的:比较首发精神分裂症患者和正常人的源记忆及项目记忆,检验源记忆与项目记忆有不同神经基础的假说。检验源记忆与项目记忆成绩和妄想症状是否有关联性。方法:测试40例首发精神分裂症患者和40名正常青年人的项目记忆及源记忆。对精神分裂症患者组进行阳性与阴性症状量表(PANSS)评分。结果:精神分裂症患者的项目记忆记忆区别度(Pr)和源记忆Pr值分别为0.61±0.16及0.51±0.17,与正常人(分别为0.77±0.12及0.81±0.08)相比差异均有显著性(P<0.001)。项目记忆损害程度记忆偏离指数(Br)与妄想症状不相关;而源记忆的损害程度Br与妄想症状存在正相关。结论:与项目记忆相比,精神分裂症患者的源记忆有更显著的损害;项目记忆和源记忆是情景记忆的不同组成成分,他们的神经基础可能不同,可以分离。     

首次发作精神分裂症患者出院服药情况1年调查

目的 了解首次发作(以下简称首发)精神分裂症患者出院服用抗精神病药的特点.方法 对137例首发精神分裂症患者出院后的服药情况进行问卷式跟踪随访调查1年,并比较服用第1代抗精神病药患者(64例)和第2代抗精神病药患者(73例)的差异.结果 首发精神分裂症患者服药依从性随时间推延逐渐降低,与所服药物类型无关.第1代抗精神病药组出院后第1、3、6、12个月的停药率分别为0%、7%、18%、50%,第2代抗精神病药组的停药率依次为3%、11%、21%、55%,2组各时点的差别无统计学意义.第1代抗精神病药锥体外系不良反应明显多于第2代抗精神病药,随访第12个月时分别为30%、7%, χ2=12.310,P<0.01.而后者在随访第12个月时出现内分泌系统不良反应比例(40%)高于第1代抗精神病药(5%)(χ2=13.433,P<0.05).结论 如何提高首发精神分裂症长期维持治疗的依从性是精神卫生服务的重要内容.     

Familial sinistrality and handedness in patients with first episode schizophrenia: The EUFEST study

The population with schizophrenia is characterised by a leftward shift in handedness—sinistrality. However, findings are inconsistent in chronic patients, and familial sinistrality (FS), defined as the presence of left-handed close relatives, might contribute to the discrepancies. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the strength of manual lateralisation in patients with first episode schizophrenia, taking into account familial sinistrality. The Edinburgh Inventory (EI) allowed us to categorise 179 patients from the EUFEST study and 189 controls presenting “strong handedness” (SH: EI absolute value between ∣81∣ and ∣100∣) or “weak-handedness” (WH: EI value between ?80 and +80). The nominal logistic regression did not show an FS effect, but a nearly significant interaction between illness and FS (p =.07). There were fewer participants without FS presenting SH among patients (99/151: 65.6%) than among controls (134/164: 81.7%, p =.001). In contrast, the number of participants with FS presenting SH was similar between controls (68%) and patients (75%, p =.57). The presence of left-handed relatives (FS + ) tended to reduce manual lateralisation, but only in controls. This supports the notion that reduced manual lateralisation in schizophrenia is related to the illness rather than to familial left-handedness.     

Familial sinistrality and handedness in patients with first episode schizophrenia: the EUFEST study

The population with schizophrenia is characterised by a leftward shift in handedness-sinistrality. However, findings are inconsistent in chronic patients, and familial sinistrality (FS), defined as the presence of left-handed close relatives, might contribute to the discrepancies. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the strength of manual lateralisation in patients with first episode schizophrenia, taking into account familial sinistrality. The Edinburgh Inventory (EI) allowed us to categorise 179 patients from the EUFEST study and 189 controls presenting "strong handedness" (SH: EI absolute value between ∣81∣ and ∣100∣) or "weak-handedness" (WH: EI value between -80 and +80). The nominal logistic regression did not show an FS effect, but a nearly significant interaction between illness and FS (p =.07). There were fewer participants without FS presenting SH among patients (99/151: 65.6%) than among controls (134/164: 81.7%, p =.001). In contrast, the number of participants with FS presenting SH was similar between controls (68%) and patients (75%, p =.57). The presence of left-handed relatives (FS + ) tended to reduce manual lateralisation, but only in controls. This supports the notion that reduced manual lateralisation in schizophrenia is related to the illness rather than to familial left-handedness.     

Longitudinal study of brain morphology in first episode schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Beginning with Kraepelin, schizophrenia has been viewed as a progressive disorder. Although numerous studies of the longitudinal course of schizophrenia have demonstrated the clinical deterioration that occurs predominantly in the early stages of the illness, the pathophysiology of this clinical phenomenon has not been established. This aspect of the illness may be of critical importance to understanding the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and determining preventive therapeutic strategies. Abnormalities in brain morphology have been consistently described in schizophrenia, but it is not known when in the natural history of the illness they arise and whether they are progressive. Previous studies of brain morphology have been inconclusive, in part because of the variability of methods for image acquisition and analysis, assessment of patients already at chronic stages of their illness with extensive prior treatment exposure, and inadequate periods of follow-up. METHODS: To address these questions we examined 107 patients in their first episode of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 20 healthy volunteers using high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical assessments of psychopathology and treatment outcome for periods of up to 6 years. Fifty-one patients and 13 control subjects had MRIs after at least 12 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Results confirm the findings of ventricular enlargement and anterior hippocampal volume reductions in first episode schizophrenia patients that have been previously reported. In addition, we found changes in selected structures over time in relation to treatment outcome, including increases in ventricular volume that were associated with poor outcome patients. Contrary to our hypothesis, there were no significant reductions in cortical and hippocampal volumes over time. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of progressive ventricular enlargement in patients with poor outcome schizophrenia is consistent with the hypothesis that persistent positive and negative symptoms result in progressive brain changes in the form of ventricular enlargement, possibly due to neurodegeneration rather than the confounding effects of treatment. Future studies of first episodes of schizophrenia should utilize higher resolution imaging techniques that compare clinically well characterized patients with and without poor outcome and recurrent symptoms to control subjects who are well matched to patients for age and gender. There is also a need to control for treatment effects of typical antipsychotic medication on brain structure.     

3种抗精神病药治疗首发精神分裂患者疗效的6个月随访

目的:通过随访,比较非典型抗精神病药的疗效和安全性,并就其对于服药依从性和社会功能的影响进行对比。方法:采用阳性和阴性症状评定量表(PANSS)、UKU不良反应量表、个人与社会表现量表(PSP)、服药态度量表(DAI)在基线和治疗6个月末对103例患者进行评估。结果:①6个月末,奥氮平组PANSS一般病理学量表总分较之阿立哌唑组显著降低(P<0.05),3种药物组PANSS阳性症状总分、PANSS阴性症状总分和PANSS总分均无显著性差异。②6个月末3种药物组DAI、PSP评分均无显著性差异。③利培酮组肌张力障碍及震颤发生率较高,分别为26.5%和20.6%。奥氮平组思睡/镇静、口干、便秘及体质量增加发生率均显著高于其他组(P<0.01)。结论:3种非典型抗精神病药物对于首发精神分裂症患者的阳性症状和阴性症状的改善作用相当,在改善服药依从性及社会功能方面作用差别不明显。     

Visual feature conjunction in patients with schizophrenia: an event-related brain potential study

The neural mechanisms supporting performance during single feature and feature conjunction detection were investigated in patients with schizophrenia and age-matched controls using event-related brain potentials. In different blocks of trials, participants responded to visual targets defined by one of two colors, one of two orientations, or both color and orientation. All participants were faster and more accurate in detecting targets defined by a single feature than for targets defined by a conjunction of features. Relative to controls, patients made more errors and were slower in detecting targets defined by a combination of features. Patients also generated a smaller N2 wave to single and conjunctive targets, and showed greater P3b reduction over the right hemisphere for conjunctive targets than for targets defined by color only. In addition, target stimuli generated an increased negativity at the occipital sites that varied in scalp distribution with the attended features in controls but not in patients. Both behavioral and electrophysiological data provide converging evidence for deficits in integrating visual features in schizophrenia and suggest that processing features of visual objects in schizophrenia are partly supported by distinct functional networks.     

Neuropsychological functioning in adolescents with first episode psychosis: A two-year follow-up study

Cognitive deficits are a core feature of psychotic disorders. Both in adult and adolescent populations, studies have shown that patients with psychosis have poorer cognitive functioning than controls. The cognitive domains that seem to be affected are mainly attention, working memory, learning and memory, and executive function. However, with regard to the trajectory of cognitive function throughout the illness, there is still a dearth of prospective data in patients who develop psychosis during adolescence. In this article, neuropsychological functioning was assessed in a sample of 24 first episodes of early onset psychosis (EOP) and 29 healthy adolescents at baseline and after a two-year follow-up. Patients with EOP showed lower scores than controls in overall cognitive functioning and in all specific domains assessed (attention, working memory, executive function, and learning and memory) both at baseline and the two-year follow-up. When changes in cognitive functioning over two years were assessed, patients and controls showed significant improvement in almost all cognitive domains. However, this improvement disappeared in the patient group after controlling for improvement in symptomatology. Our findings support a neurodevelopmental pathological process in this sample of adolescents with psychosis.     

精神分裂症首次发病患者的睡眠Quisi研究

目的建立一种简便、快速检测分析睡眠脑电的新方法，并探讨精神分裂症首次发病（以下简称首发）患者睡眠Quisi特点。方法对50例首发精神分裂症患者（患者组）和44名正常受试者（正常对照组）同步进行Quisi和多导睡眠图（PSG）整夜检测。结果（1）两组分别用Qui8i和PSG二种方法检测12项睡眠指标[即睡眠潜伏期、醒觉时间、醒起时间、睡眠总时间、觉睡比、睡眠效率、睡眠维持率、快眼动睡眠（REM）潜伏期、REM睡眠时间、REM睡眠周期数和第1，2阶段百分比]，Quisi与PSG在两组内的差异均无统计学意义（均P〉0．05）。（2）患者组PSG、Quisi两项检测结果与正常对照组比较，经F检验，除REM睡眠周期外，余15项指标（上述Quisi 12项指标加第3，4阶段睡眠百分比、记录中的暂停和伪迹）的差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05～0．01）。结论Quisi检测精神分裂症作用与PSG相似，为评估精神分裂症患者的睡眠提供了一种客观的检查方法。     

多发性硬化患者的抑郁情绪及其事件相关电位研究

目的探讨多发性硬化（MS）患者的抑郁情绪和事件相关电位（ERP）特征,为多发性硬化的病情判定寻找更多的依据。方法对63例多发性硬化患者和60例正常对照分别进行了抑郁量表（HAMD）评定和ERP测定,并将结果加以比较。结果MS组中ERP测定的异常率为85．7％（54／63）,ERP中N2、P3波潜伏期较对照组延长,P3波幅降低,差异具有统计学意义（P〈0．01）;HAMD评定中躯体化、体质量变化、认知障碍、昼夜变化、迟缓、睡眠及绝望感等因子分和总分值与对照组相比,差异具统计学意义（P〈0．01）。ERP成分中P3波潜伏期与HAMD评定中躯体化、体质量变化、认知障碍、昼夜变化、迟缓、睡眠及绝望感等因子分呈呈正相关（r＝0．32～0．48,P〈0．01）,而P3波幅与其呈负相关（r=-0．29～-0．42,P〈0．01）。结论MS患者的抑郁情绪及认知障碍明显,ERP测定可作为MS患者认知功能的判定指标应用于临床。     

睡眠呼吸暂停综合征患者工作记忆损害的事件相关电位脑电地形图研究

目的　用事件相关电位 (ERP)脑电地形图技术 ,研究睡眠呼吸暂停综合征 (OSAS)睡眠间断性低血氧对工作记忆损害机制。方法　采用探针提取方法并加以改良。轻、重症患者各 12例 ;同期设 2 0名正常对照者。结果　ERP结果显示 ,对照组辨异效应主要分布于右额 [F4 ,(2 .2± 2 .7)μV]及枕部 [O1,(0 .8± 3.5 ) μV ;O2 ,(0 .7± 3.5 ) μV],辨同效应则以顶部为著 [P3,(7.0± 3.0 ) μV ;P4 ,(6 .9± 3.1) μV ]。轻症患者前额部辩异效应损害明显 [F4 ,(5 .0± 4 .5 ) μV ;F3,(6 .0± 4 .5 ) μV ;P <0 .0 1],而重症组辨异及辨同效应均受损 [F3,(5 .3± 2 .4 ) μV ;F4 ,(4.9± 3.1) μV ;P3,(3.6± 3.5 )μV ;P4 ,(4.6± 2 .7) μV ;P <0 0 5 ]。脑电地形图与上述结果一致。 结论　OSAS患者前额ERP辨异效应的变化反映了中央执行系统功能对缺氧性损害十分敏感。     

Predictors of schizophrenia in patients with a first episode of psychosis

Early identification of schizophrenia in patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) may help to avoid inappropriate treatment and may enhance long-term outcome by addressing issues such as family network, treatment adherence and functional and symptomatic outcome. It was the aim of the study to determine baseline variables that significantly predicted a diagnosis of schizophrenia in patients with FEP. The sample consisted of 133 FEP patients hospitalized for at least 6 weeks, in whom a DSM-IV diagnosis was confirmed after 1 year follow-up. Patients were divided into two groups, those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (Schizophrenia group, n = 63; 47.8%), and those with other psychosis, who were grouped under Non-Schizophrenic Psychosis (NSP, n = 70; 52.2%). Sociodemographic (marital status, educational level) and clinical variables were recorded for each patient. Substance use (alcohol, cannabis and cocaine) did not statistically differ between the two groups. Absence of characteristics defined as criteria for good prognosis, lack of ≥ 20% improvement in the total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score at 6 weeks, and a poor premorbid adjustment as determined by the Premorbid Adjustment Scale score significantly predicted the presence of schizophrenia. The regression model including these three variables achieved a predictive value of 76.3%, with a sensitivity of 74.6% and a specificity of 77.9%.     

Neurological soft signs and neuropsychological performance in patients with first episode schizophrenia

Neurological soft signs and neuropsychological (NP) impairments are prevalent in schizophrenic patients. However, the relationship of these deficits is rarely studied, and it remains controversial in what way soft signs influence NP performance. The Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) and a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery were used to assess soft signs and cognitive functions in 61 first-episode schizophrenic patients. The NP test battery included tests such as the California Verbal Learning Test, the Continuous Performance Test, the Span of Apprehension Test, the Stroop Color-Word Test, the Trail-Making Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. The NP tests were also administered to 87 healthy controls. The first-episode schizophrenic patients were split along the median of their NES total score (SS- vs. SS+). The level of NP performance and the differences in relative performance (shape of the NP profile) on NP functions between the two groups were assessed. The two groups (SS- vs. SS+) did not differ in any demographic or clinical variable. However, they differed in the level of their NP performance (profile mean) but did not show differential deficits in NP performance (profile shape). Neurologic soft signs influence NP performance and are correlated to a generalized NP deficit rather than to any specific NP functions.     

A volumetric MRI study of the entorhinal cortex in first episode neuroleptic-naive schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Imaging studies have frequently reported volume loss of limbic structures in schizophrenia, yet there appears to be no quantitative data on entorhinal cortex volumes in patients with neuroleptic naive first-episode schizophrenia. METHODS: The volume of the entorhinal cortices of 22 control subjects and 18 patients with neuroleptic-na?ve first-episode schizophrenia were measured from magnetic resonance images (MRI) scans using recently designed anatomic criteria for MRI anatomy of the entorhinal cortex. RESULTS: Smaller entorhinal volumes were found bilaterally in the schizophrenic patients. This volume loss did not correlate with items on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest early involvement of the entorhinal cortex in schizophrenia.     

奥氮平联合金刚烷胺治疗精神分裂症首次发病患者的随机双盲对照研究

目的:探讨金刚烷胺添加对奥氮平治疗精神分裂症首次发病患者疗效及脂代谢的影响。方法:采用随机双盲法,将61例精神分裂症首次发病的患者随机分为研究组(31例)和对照组(30例),在奥氮平治疗的基础上,研究组及对照组分别添加金刚烷胺200 mg/d及安慰剂;疗程8周。治疗前及治疗4、8周进行阳性和阴性症状量表(PANSS)及治疗过程中出现的症状量表(TESS)评定,测量体质量,检测血三酰甘油(TG)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL)、总胆固醇(TC)水平。结果:治疗后研究组PANSS阴性症状减分值显著大于对照组(P0.05);TESS评分两组间差异无统计学意义;两组体质量和TG增加值差异无统计学意义;对照组LDL、TC增加值显著大于研究组(P均0.05)。结论:添加小剂量金刚烷胺短期内可明显增加奥氮平对精神分裂症患者阴性症状的改善作用,减少血LDL和TC水平升高;但不能改善奥氮平所致的体质量增加。     

齐拉西酮与利培酮治疗女性首发精神分裂症的对照研究

目的比较齐拉西酮与利培酮治疗女性首发精神分裂症的疗效及安全性。方法将68例女性首发精神分裂症患者随机分为齐拉西酮与利培酮组各34例,分别给予齐拉西酮和利培酮治疗（齐拉西酮82.20±4.04mg/d和利培酮3±1.20mg/d）,疗程均为8周。分别于治疗前及治疗第1,2,4,8周采用阳性与阴性症状量表（PANSS）评定疗效;以治疗中出现的症状量表（TESS）评定不良反应。结果齐拉西酮组显效率和有效率分别为61.76%和79.41%,利培酮组分别为58.82%和76.47%,两组比较,差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。两组治疗后PANSS评分均较治疗前明显下降（P〈0.05或P〈0.01）,齐拉西酮组阴性症状因子分在治疗4和8周时[分别为（15.4±2.0）和（12.8±3.2）]显著低于利培酮组[分别为（20.8±2.2）和（17.7±7.6）]分,两组比较,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05或P〈0.01）。结论齐拉西酮是一种安全有效的抗精神病药物,对阴性症状有显著的改善作用。     

舒必利联合舍曲林治疗首发精神分裂症研究

目的：评估舒必利联合舍曲林治疗首发精神分裂症的临床疗效及对患者生活质量的影响。方法：将首发精神分裂症患者66例随机分为联合治疗组和舒必利组。联合治疗组使用舒必利联合舍曲林治疗,舒必利组单用舒必利治疗。于治疗前及治疗8周末采用阳性与阴性症状量表（PANSS）评估疗效,采用健康状况调查问卷（SF-36）评估生活质量,以及治疗中出现的症状量表（TESS）评估不良反应。结果：治疗8周末,联合治疗组的PANSS总分、阴性症状、一般精神病理、反应缺乏、抑郁以及SF-36总分、生理机能、生理职能、生活活力、社会功能、情感职能5个领域均显著优于舒必利组,两组不良反应无差异。结论：舒必利联合舍曲林治疗能提高首发精神分裂症的临床疗效,改善生活质量。