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Terenzi D, Silvetti M, Zoccolan G, Rumiati RI, Aiello M. The impact of subclinical psychotic symptoms on delay and effort discounting: Insights from behavioral, computational, and electrophysiological methods. Schizophr Res 2024; 271:271-280. [PMID: 39068879 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2024.07.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ability to value rewards is crucial for adaptive behavior and is influenced by the time and effort required to obtain them. Impairments in these computations have been observed in patients with schizophrenia and may be present in individuals with subclinical psychotic symptoms (PS). METHODS In this study, we employed delay and effort-discounting tasks with food rewards in thirty-nine participants divided into high and low levels of PS. We investigated the underlying mechanisms of effort-discounting through computational modelling of dopamine prefrontal and subcortical circuits and the electrophysiological biomarker of both delay and effort-discounting alterations through resting-state frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA). RESULTS Results revealed greater delay discounting in the High PS group compared to the Low PS group but no differences in the effort discounting task. However, in this task, the same levels of estimated dopamine release were associated with a lower willingness to exert effort for high-calorie food rewards in High PS participants compared to Low PS participants. Although there were no significant differences in FAA between the High PS and Low PS groups, FAA was significantly associated with the severity of participants' negative symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that the dysfunction in temporal and effort cost computations, seen in patients with schizophrenia, may be present in individuals with subclinical PS. These findings provide valuable insight into the early vulnerability markers (behavioral, computational, and electrophysiological) for psychosis, which may aid in the development of preventive interventions. These findings are preliminary and warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damiano Terenzi
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR 7289 CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
| | - Massimo Silvetti
- Computational and Translational Neuroscience Lab (CTNLab), Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | | | - Raffaella I Rumiati
- Area of Neuroscience, SISSA, Trieste, Italy; University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Marilena Aiello
- Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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2
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Gkintoni E, Skokou M, Gourzis P. Integrating Clinical Neuropsychology and Psychotic Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Analysis of Cognitive Dynamics, Interventions, and Underlying Mechanisms. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:645. [PMID: 38674291 PMCID: PMC11051923 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60040645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The study aims to provide a comprehensive neuropsychological analysis of psychotic spectrum disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. It focuses on the critical aspects of cognitive impairments, diagnostic tools, intervention efficacy, and the roles of genetic and environmental factors in these disorders. The paper emphasizes the diagnostic significance of neuropsychological tests in identifying cognitive deficiencies and their predictive value in the early management of psychosis. Materials and Methods: The study involved a systematic literature review following the PRISMA guidelines. The search was conducted in significant databases like Scopus, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science using keywords relevant to clinical neuropsychology and psychotic spectrum disorders. The inclusion criteria required articles to be in English, published between 2018 and 2023, and pertinent to clinical neuropsychology's application in these disorders. A total of 153 articles were identified, with 44 ultimately included for detailed analysis based on relevance and publication status after screening. Results: The review highlights several key findings, including the diagnostic and prognostic significance of mismatch negativity, neuroprogressive trajectories, cortical thinning in familial high-risk individuals, and distinct illness trajectories within psychosis subgroups. The studies evaluated underline the role of neuropsychological tests in diagnosing psychiatric disorders and emphasize early detection and the effectiveness of intervention strategies based on cognitive and neurobiological markers. Conclusions: The systematic review underscores the importance of investigating the neuropsychological components of psychotic spectrum disorders. It identifies significant cognitive impairments in attention, memory, and executive function, correlating with structural and functional brain abnormalities. The paper stresses the need for precise diagnoses and personalized treatment modalities, highlighting the complex interplay between genetic, environmental, and psychosocial factors. It calls for a deeper understanding of these neuropsychological processes to enhance diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Gkintoni
- Department of Psychiatry, University General Hospital of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece; (M.S.); (P.G.)
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3
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Deng W, Tuominen L, Sussman R, Leathem L, Vinke LN, Holt DJ. Changes in responses of the amygdala and hippocampus during fear conditioning are associated with persecutory beliefs. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8173. [PMID: 38589562 PMCID: PMC11001942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57746-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The persecutory delusion is the most common symptom of psychosis, yet its underlying neurobiological mechanisms are poorly understood. Prior studies have suggested that abnormalities in medial temporal lobe-dependent associative learning may contribute to this symptom. In the current study, this hypothesis was tested in a non-clinical sample of young adults without histories of psychiatric treatment (n = 64), who underwent classical Pavlovian fear conditioning while fMRI data were collected. During the fear conditioning procedure, participants viewed images of faces which were paired (the CS+) or not paired (the CS-) with an aversive stimulus (a mild electrical shock). Fear conditioning-related neural responses were measured in two medial temporal lobe regions, the amygdala and hippocampus, and in other closely connected brain regions of the salience and default networks. The participants without persecutory beliefs (n = 43) showed greater responses to the CS- compared to the CS+ in the right amygdala and hippocampus, while the participants with persecutory beliefs (n = 21) failed to exhibit this response. These between-group differences were not accounted for by symptoms of depression, anxiety or a psychosis risk syndrome. However, the severity of subclinical psychotic symptoms overall was correlated with the level of this aberrant response in the amygdala (p = .013) and hippocampus (p = .033). Thus, these findings provide evidence for a disruption of medial temporal lobe-dependent associative learning in young people with subclinical psychotic symptoms, specifically persecutory thinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wisteria Deng
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th, St. Charlestown, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lauri Tuominen
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th, St. Charlestown, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Rachel Sussman
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th, St. Charlestown, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Logan Leathem
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th, St. Charlestown, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Louis N Vinke
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th, St. Charlestown, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daphne J Holt
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th, St. Charlestown, Boston, MA, 02129, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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4
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Zouraraki C, Karamaouna P, Giakoumaki SG. Cognitive Processes and Resting-State Functional Neuroimaging Findings in High Schizotypal Individuals and Schizotypal Personality Disorder Patients: A Systematic Review. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13040615. [PMID: 37190580 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13040615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ample research findings indicate that there is altered brain functioning in the schizophrenia spectrum. Nevertheless, functional neuroimaging findings remain ambiguous for healthy individuals expressing high schizotypal traits and patients with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD). The purpose of this systematic review was to identify patterns of task-related and resting-state neural abnormalities across these conditions. MEDLINE-PubMed and PsycINFO were systematically searched and forty-eight studies were selected. Forty studies assessed healthy individuals with high schizotypal traits and eight studies examined SPD patients with functional neuroimaging techniques (fNIRS; fMRI; Resting-state fMRI). Functional alterations in striatal, frontal and temporal regions were found in healthy individuals with high schizotypal traits. Schizotypal personality disorder was associated with default mode network abnormalities but further research is required in order to better conceive its neural correlates. There was also evidence for functional compensatory mechanisms associated with both conditions. To conclude, the findings suggest that brain dysfunctions are evident in individuals who lie along the subclinical part of the spectrum, further supporting the continuum model for schizophrenia susceptibility. Additional research is required in order to delineate the counterbalancing processes implicated in the schizophrenia spectrum, as this approach will provide promising insights for both conversion and protection from conversion into schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysoula Zouraraki
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Crete, 74100 Rethymno, Greece
- University of Crete Research Center for the Humanities, The Social and Education Sciences (UCRC), University of Crete, Gallos University Campus, 74100 Rethymno, Greece
| | - Penny Karamaouna
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Crete, 74100 Rethymno, Greece
- University of Crete Research Center for the Humanities, The Social and Education Sciences (UCRC), University of Crete, Gallos University Campus, 74100 Rethymno, Greece
| | - Stella G. Giakoumaki
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Crete, 74100 Rethymno, Greece
- University of Crete Research Center for the Humanities, The Social and Education Sciences (UCRC), University of Crete, Gallos University Campus, 74100 Rethymno, Greece
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5
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Terenzi D, Muth AK, Losecaat Vermeer A, Park SQ. Psychotic-like experiences in the lonely predict conspiratorial beliefs and are associated with the diet during COVID-19. Front Nutr 2022; 9:1006043. [DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1006043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the occurrence of conspiracy theories. It has been suggested that a greater endorsement of these theories may be associated with psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), as well as with social isolation. In this preregistered study, we investigated whether both PLEs and measures of social isolation (e.g., loneliness) can predict conspiratorial beliefs and, if so, which of these variables can mediate the association with conspiratorial beliefs. Furthermore, based on previous studies on schizophrenia, we explored whether the diet is associated with PLEs and conspiratorial beliefs. Participants (N = 142) completed online questionnaires measuring PLEs, social isolation, mental well-being, and conspiratorial beliefs. They also submitted their daily food intake for a week using a smartphone app. We found that loneliness predicted the endorsement of conspiracy theories during the COVID-19 lockdown. Strikingly, the proneness to experience subclinical psychotic symptoms played an underlying mediating role. In addition, these subclinical symptoms were associated with lower fruit, carbohydrate, and iron intakes, as well as with higher fat intake. Our results add insights into how conspiratorial beliefs can affect individuals’ mental health and relationships. Moreover, these results open the avenue for potential novel intervention strategies to optimize food intake in individuals with PLEs.
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6
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Harju-Seppänen J, Irizar H, Bramon E, Blakemore SJ, Mason L, Bell V. Reward Processing in Children With Psychotic-Like Experiences. SCHIZOPHRENIA BULLETIN OPEN 2022; 3:sgab054. [PMID: 35036918 PMCID: PMC8756103 DOI: 10.1093/schizbullopen/sgab054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Alterations to striatal reward pathways have been identified in individuals with psychosis. They are hypothesized to be a key mechanism that generate psychotic symptoms through the production of aberrant attribution of motivational salience and are proposed to result from accumulated childhood adversity and genetic risk, making the striatal system hyper-responsive to stress. However, few studies have examined whether children with psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) also exhibit these alterations, limiting our understanding of how differences in reward processing relate to hallucinations and delusional ideation in childhood. Consequently, we examined whether PLEs and PLE-related distress were associated with reward-related activation in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). The sample consisted of children (N = 6718) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study aged 9-10 years who had participated in the Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task in functional MRI. We used robust mixed-effects linear regression models to investigate the relationship between PLEs and NAcc activation during the reward anticipation and reward outcome stages of the MID task. Analyses were adjusted for gender, household income, ethnicity, depressive symptoms, movement in the scanner, pubertal development, scanner ID, subject and family ID. There was no reliable association between PLEs and alterations to anticipation- or outcome-related striatal reward processing. We discuss the implications for developmental models of psychosis and suggest a developmental delay model of how PLEs may arise at this stage of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Harju-Seppänen
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Haritz Irizar
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
- Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elvira Bramon
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Liam Mason
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
- Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, London, UK
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
| | - Vaughan Bell
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Ciampoli M, Scheggia D, Papaleo F. Automatic Intra-/Extra-Dimensional Attentional Set-Shifting Task in Adolescent Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:704684. [PMID: 34349628 PMCID: PMC8326460 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.704684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a developmental period crucial for the maturation of higher-order cognitive functions. Indeed, adolescence deficits in executive functions are strong predictors of increased vulnerability to several mental disabilities later in life. Here, we tested adolescent mice in a fully-automated attentional set-shifting task equivalent to the humans' Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Intra-/Extra-Dimensional set-shift task (ID/ED). Compared to an adult, adolescent mice required more time to complete the task (≈16 days), and a higher percentage failed to finish the entire task. Nevertheless, adolescent mice completing this demanding task showed an increased effort in solving the extradimensional shift stage (EDS) compared to previous stages. Moreover, we found that this paradigm can be used to detect early cognitive dysfunctions in adolescent genetically modified mice. Thus, this automatic paradigm provides a further tool to assess attentional control in adolescent mice, and the development of dysfunctional executive functions from adolescence to adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariasole Ciampoli
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Diego Scheggia
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience Area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy.,Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
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8
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Li D, Zhang F, Wang L, Zhang Y, Yang T, Wang K, Zhu C. Decision making under ambiguity and risk in adolescent-onset schizophrenia. BMC Psychiatry 2021; 21:230. [PMID: 33947364 PMCID: PMC8094464 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-021-03230-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Numerous studies have identified impaired decision making (DM) under both ambiguity and risk in adult patients with schizophrenia. However, the assessment of DM in patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia (AOS) has been challenging as a result of the instability and heterogeneity of manifestations. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and Game of Dice Task (GDT), which are frequently used to evaluate DM respectively under ambiguity and risk, are sensitive to adolescents and neuropsychiatric patients. Our research intended to examine the performance of DM in a relatively large sample of patients with AOS using the above-mentioned two tasks. We also aimed to take a closer look at the relationship between DM and symptom severity of schizophrenia. METHODS We compared the performance of DM in 71 patients with AOS and 53 well-matched healthy controls using IGT for DM under ambiguity and GDT for DM under risk through net scores, total scores and feedback ration. Neuropsychological tests were conducted in all participants. Clinical symptoms were evaluated by using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in 71 patients with AOS. Pearson's correlation revealed the relationship among total score of DM and clinical and neuropsychological data. RESULTS Compared to healthy controls, patients with AOS failed to show learning effect and had a significant difference on the 5th block in IGT and conducted more disadvantageous choices as well as exhibited worse negative feedback rate in GDT. Apart from DM impairment under risk, diminished DM abilities under ambiguity were found related to poor executive function in AOS in the present study. CONCLUSIONS Our findings unveiled the abnormal pattern of DM in AOS, mainly reflected under the risky condition, extending the knowledge on the performance of DM under ambiguity and risk in AOS. Inefficient DM under risk may account for the lagging impulse control and the combined effects of developmental disease. In addition, our study demonstrated that the performance on IGT was related to executive function in AOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Li
- grid.412679.f0000 0004 1771 3402Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022 China ,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei, 230022 China ,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Mental Health, Hefei, 230022 China ,grid.186775.a0000 0000 9490 772XSchool of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022 China
| | - Fengyan Zhang
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Children’s Rehabilitation Department, Wuhan Mental Health Center, Wuhan, 430012 China
| | - Lu Wang
- grid.412679.f0000 0004 1771 3402Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022 China
| | - Yifan Zhang
- grid.186775.a0000 0000 9490 772XSchool of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022 China
| | - Tingting Yang
- grid.186775.a0000 0000 9490 772XSchool of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022 China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China. .,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei, 230022, China. .,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Mental Health, Hefei, 230022, China. .,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China. .,Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, 230022, China.
| | - Chunyan Zhu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Hefei, 230022, China. .,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Mental Health, Hefei, 230022, China. .,School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China.
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9
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Demidenko MI, Weigard AS, Ganesan K, Jang H, Jahn A, Huntley ED, Keating DP. Interactions between methodological and interindividual variability: How Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task contrast maps vary and impact associations with behavior. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e02093. [PMID: 33750042 PMCID: PMC8119872 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Phenomena related to reward responsiveness have been extensively studied in their associations with substance use and socioemotional functioning. One important task in this literature is the Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task. By cueing and delivering performance-contingent reward, the MID task has been demonstrated to elicit robust activation of neural circuits involved in different phases of reward responsiveness. However, systematic evaluations of common MID task contrasts have been limited to between-study comparisons of group-level activation maps, limiting their ability to directly evaluate how researchers' choice of contrasts impacts conclusions about individual differences in reward responsiveness or brain-behavior associations. METHODS In a sample of 104 participants (Age Mean = 19.3, SD = 1.3), we evaluate similarities and differences between contrasts in: group- and individual-level activation maps using Jaccard's similarity index, region of interest (ROI) mean signal intensities using Pearson's r, and associations between ROI mean signal intensity and psychological measures using Bayesian correlation. RESULTS Our findings demonstrate more similarities than differences between win and loss cues during the anticipation contrast, dissimilarity between some win anticipation contrasts, an apparent deactivation effect in the outcome phase, likely stemming from the blood oxygen level-dependent undershoot, and behavioral associations that are less robust than previously reported. CONCLUSION Consistent with recent empirical findings, this work has practical implications for helping researchers interpret prior MID studies and make more informed a priori decisions about how their contrast choices may modify results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander S Weigard
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Addiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Hyesue Jang
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Andrew Jahn
- The Functional MRI Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Edward D Huntley
- Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Daniel P Keating
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Cuthbert BN, Morris SE. Evolving Concepts of the Schizophrenia Spectrum: A Research Domain Criteria Perspective. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:641319. [PMID: 33716834 PMCID: PMC7947312 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.641319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Several trends intersecting over the past two decades have generated increasing debate as to how the concepts of schizophrenia, the schizophrenia spectrum, and the psychotic disorders spectrum should be regarded. These trends are reflected in various areas of research such as genomics, neuroimaging, and data-driven computational studies of multiple response systems. Growing evidence suggests that schizophrenia represents a broad and heterogenous syndrome, rather than a specific disease entity, that is part of a multi-faceted psychosis spectrum. Progress in explicating these various developments has been hampered by the dependence upon sets of symptoms and signs for determining a diagnosis, and by the reliance on traditional diagnostic categories in reviewing clinical research grants. To address these concerns, the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health initiated the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project, a translational research program that calls for studies designed in terms of empirically-based functions (such as cognitive control or reward learning) rather than diagnostic groups. RDoC is a research framework rather than an alternative diagnostic system, intended to provide data that can inform future nosological manuals. This commentary includes a brief summary of RDoC as it pertains to schizophrenia and psychotic spectra, examples of recent data that highlight the utility of the approach, and conclusions regarding the implications for evolving conceptualizations of serious mental illness.
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11
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Heinz A, Mascarell Maricic L, Liu S, Walter H, Schumann G, Beck A. [The IMAGEN cohort: perspectives and problems of longitudinal research]. DER NERVENARZT 2020; 92:228-233. [PMID: 33245403 DOI: 10.1007/s00115-020-01034-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic risk factors for major mental disorders identified in psychiatric research show a substantial overlap. Therefore, it has been suggested that neurobiological research should focus on intermediate phenotypes that reflect shared aspects of different mental disorders due to overlapping genetic effects and environmental factors. Longitudinal studies are required to assess the interaction between genetic variability and modifying environmental factors and to investigate the effects on intermediate phenotypes and (mediated by them) on the expression of individual mental disorders. OBJECTIVE Discussion of the possibilities and limitations of longitudinal cohort studies using the IMAGEN study as an example. MATERIAL AND METHODS The results of the European IMAGEN study are presented with a focus on addiction. RESULTS The longitudinal assessments of the IMAGEN cohort revealed that neuroimaging data indicating a low activation of the dopaminergic reinforcement system detected at the age of 14 years are predictive for increased drug use. In addition to genetic factors, environmental influences such as maternal smoking during pregnancy were correlated with this low activation. CONCLUSION Longitudinal neurobiological basic research can validate the effects of candidate genes and reveal relevant environmental factors. Relevant modifiable factors indicated by the IMAGEN study and related datasets include drug use during pregnancy, trauma and other experiences of violence, social disadvantage and exclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Heinz
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland. .,Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik der Charité im St. Hedwig Krankenhaus, Berlin, Deutschland.
| | - L Mascarell Maricic
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - S Liu
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - H Walter
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - G Schumann
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - A Beck
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland
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12
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Mascarell Maričić L, Walter H, Rosenthal A, Ripke S, Quinlan EB, Banaschewski T, Barker GJ, Bokde ALW, Bromberg U, Büchel C, Desrivières S, Flor H, Frouin V, Garavan H, Itterman B, Martinot JL, Martinot MLP, Nees F, Orfanos DP, Paus T, Poustka L, Hohmann S, Smolka MN, Fröhner JH, Whelan R, Kaminski J, Schumann G, Heinz A. The IMAGEN study: a decade of imaging genetics in adolescents. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:2648-2671. [PMID: 32601453 PMCID: PMC7577859 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0822-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Imaging genetics offers the possibility of detecting associations between genotype and brain structure as well as function, with effect sizes potentially exceeding correlations between genotype and behavior. However, study results are often limited due to small sample sizes and methodological differences, thus reducing the reliability of findings. The IMAGEN cohort with 2000 young adolescents assessed from the age of 14 onwards tries to eliminate some of these limitations by offering a longitudinal approach and sufficient sample size for analyzing gene-environment interactions on brain structure and function. Here, we give a systematic review of IMAGEN publications since the start of the consortium. We then focus on the specific phenotype 'drug use' to illustrate the potential of the IMAGEN approach. We describe findings with respect to frontocortical, limbic and striatal brain volume, functional activation elicited by reward anticipation, behavioral inhibition, and affective faces, and their respective associations with drug intake. In addition to describing its strengths, we also discuss limitations of the IMAGEN study. Because of the longitudinal design and related attrition, analyses are underpowered for (epi-) genome-wide approaches due to the limited sample size. Estimating the generalizability of results requires replications in independent samples. However, such densely phenotyped longitudinal studies are still rare and alternative internal cross-validation methods (e.g., leave-one out, split-half) are also warranted. In conclusion, the IMAGEN cohort is a unique, very well characterized longitudinal sample, which helped to elucidate neurobiological mechanisms involved in complex behavior and offers the possibility to further disentangle genotype × phenotype interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Mascarell Maričić
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Henrik Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annika Rosenthal
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stephan Ripke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Erin Burke Quinlan
- Department of Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Gareth J Barker
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Arun L W Bokde
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Uli Bromberg
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, House W34, 3.OG, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Büchel
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sylvane Desrivières
- Department of Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Herta Flor
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, 68131, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Vincent Frouin
- NeuroSpin, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Hugh Garavan
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Bernd Itterman
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestr. 2-12, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jean-Luc Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM Unit 1000 "Neuroimaging& Psychiatry", University Paris Sud, University Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, and Maison de Solenn, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Laure Paillère Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM Unit 1000 "Neuroimaging & Psychiatry", University Paris Sud, University Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Université, and AP-HP, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Frauke Nees
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Tomáš Paus
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest and Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M6A 2E1, Canada
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Göttingen, von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Hohmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Square J5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Michael N Smolka
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, TechnischeUniversität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Juliane H Fröhner
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, TechnischeUniversität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Robert Whelan
- School of Psychology and Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jakob Kaminski
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Department of Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Andreas Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany.
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13
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Taylor JH, Calkins ME, Gur RE. Markers of Psychosis Risk in the General Population. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:337-348. [PMID: 32220500 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The categorical approach to defining schizophrenia spectrum disorders requires meeting established criteria. To advance early identification and intervention in young people, the field has progressed to studying help-seeking individuals who are at clinical high risk based on subthreshold psychosis spectrum symptoms, and criteria have been articulated for qualifying individuals as at risk. A broader dimensional examination of psychosis has been applied to population-based studies on non-help seekers. This review highlights the ascertainment and assessment approaches to such population-based studies. Most studies are cross-sectional and rely on questionnaires with limited overlap of tools. However, several consistent findings emerge on symptoms, neurocognitive deficits, and neuroimaging parameters and other biomarkers associated with emergence and persistence of psychotic features. The findings are consistent with the literature on abnormalities associated with schizophrenia, including the presence of neurocognitive deficits; abnormalities in brain structure, function, and connectivity that are related to distress; impairment; and functional outcome. These findings support the validity of studying psychosis experiences during development in a way that can chart the emergence of psychosis in the context of general psychopathology. Such studies are necessary for establishing developmental trajectories that characterize this emergence and for identifying risk and resilience biomarkers moderating or modulating the full range of schizophrenia-related manifestations. More community-based studies are needed, with better standardization and harmonization of measures and incorporating longitudinal follow-up, to establish mechanistic links between cellular-molecular aberrations and specific manifestations of psychosis as envisioned by the precision medicine agenda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerome H Taylor
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Penn Medicine and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Monica E Calkins
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Penn Medicine and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Raquel E Gur
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Penn Medicine and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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14
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Mennigen E, Bearden CE. Psychosis Risk and Development: What Do We Know From Population-Based Studies? Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:315-325. [PMID: 32061373 PMCID: PMC7305046 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Recent years have seen an advent in population-based studies in children, adolescents, and adults that examine the prevalence, etiology, and developmental trajectories of diverse subclinical psychopathological symptoms that pose a risk for the later development of severe mental illnesses. It is increasingly recognized that most categorically defined psychiatric disorders occur on a spectrum or continuum, show high heterogeneity and symptom overlap, and share genetic and environmental risk factors. We discuss neurodevelopmental underpinnings of psychosis spectrum symptoms and review brain morphometric and functional alterations as well as genetic liability for psychosis in individuals experiencing psychotic symptoms (PSs) in the general population. With regard to brain structure and function, findings of qualitatively similar alterations in individuals experiencing subthreshold PSs and individuals with overt psychotic disorders support the notion of a psychosis continuum. However, genetic and epidemiological studies have emphasized the overlap of PSs and other psychiatric illnesses. In particular, PSs during adolescence appear to be a nonspecific precursor of different psychopathological outcomes. Given the evidence presented in this review, we argue that findings from population-based studies are appropriate to guide policy-making to further emphasize public health efforts. Broadly accessible mental health programs are promising to make a difference in the field of adolescent mental health. However, the specific efficacy of these programs warrants further study, and caution is advised to not overpathologize potentially transient occurrence of mental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Mennigen
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Carrie E Bearden
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
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15
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Montag C, Brandt L, Lehmann A, De Millas W, Falkai P, Gaebel W, Hasan A, Hellmich M, Janssen B, Juckel G, Karow A, Klosterkötter J, Lambert M, Maier W, Müller H, Pützfeld V, Schneider F, Stützer H, Wobrock T, Vernaleken IB, Wagner M, Heinz A, Bechdolf A, Gallinat J. Cognitive and emotional empathy in individuals at clinical high risk of psychosis. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2020; 142:40-51. [PMID: 32339254 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impairments of social cognition are considered core features of schizophrenia and are established predictors of social functioning. However, affective aspects of social cognition including empathy have far less been studied than its cognitive dimensions. The role of empathy in the development of schizophrenia remains largely elusive. METHODS Emotional and cognitive empathy were investigated in large sample of 120 individuals at Clinical High Risk of Psychosis (CHR-P) and compared with 50 patients with schizophrenia and 50 healthy controls. A behavioral empathy assessment, the Multifaceted Empathy Test, was implemented, and associations of empathy with cognition, social functioning, and symptoms were determined. RESULTS Our findings demonstrated significant reductions of emotional empathy in individuals at CHR-P, while cognitive empathy appeared intact. Only individuals with schizophrenia showed significantly reduced scores of cognitive empathy compared to healthy controls and individuals at CHR-P. Individuals at CHR-P were characterized by significantly lower scores of emotional empathy and unspecific arousal for both positive and negative affective valences compared to matched healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia. Results also indicated a correlation of lower scores of emotional empathy and arousal with higher scores of prodromal symptoms. CONCLUSION Findings suggest that the tendency to 'feel with' an interaction partner is reduced in individuals at CHR-P. Altered emotional reactivity may represent an additional, early vulnerability marker, even if cognitive mentalizing is grossly unimpaired in the prodromal stage. Different mechanisms might contribute to reductions of cognitive and emotional empathy in different stages of non-affective psychotic disorders and should be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Montag
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charité Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - L Brandt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charité Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Lehmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charité Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - W De Millas
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Vivantes Wenckebach-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
| | - P Falkai
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - W Gaebel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - A Hasan
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - M Hellmich
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Medical Statistics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - B Janssen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.,LVR-Klinik Langenfeld, Langenfeld, Germany
| | - G Juckel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Preventive Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - A Karow
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - J Klosterkötter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - M Lambert
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - W Maier
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
| | - H Müller
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - V Pützfeld
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - F Schneider
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - H Stützer
- Institute of Medical Statistics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - T Wobrock
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, County Hospitals Darmstadt-Dieburg, Groß-Umstadt, Germany
| | - I B Vernaleken
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - M Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
| | - A Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charité Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Bechdolf
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Vivantes Klinikum am Urban and Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,ORYGEN, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - J Gallinat
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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16
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Functional Connectivity of Corticostriatal Circuitry and Psychosis-like Experiences in the General Community. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 86:16-24. [PMID: 30952359 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychotic symptoms are proposed to lie on a continuum, ranging from isolated psychosis-like experiences (PLEs) in nonclinical populations to frank disorder. Here, we investigated the neurobiological correlates of this continuum by examining whether functional connectivity of dorsal corticostriatal circuitry, which is disrupted in psychosis patients and individuals at high risk for psychosis, is associated with the severity of subclinical PLEs. METHODS A community sample of 672 adults with no history of psychiatric or neurological illnesses completed a battery of seven questionnaires spanning various PLE domains. Principal component analysis of 12 subscales taken from seven questionnaires was used to estimate major dimensions of PLEs. Dimension scores from principal component analysis were then correlated with whole-brain voxelwise functional connectivity maps of the dorsal striatum in a subset of 353 participants who completed a resting-state neuroimaging protocol. RESULTS Principal component analysis identified two dimensions of PLEs that accounted for 62.57% of variance in the measures, corresponding to positive (i.e., subthreshold delusions and hallucinations) and negative (i.e., subthreshold social and physical anhedonia) symptom-like PLEs. Reduced functional connectivity between the dorsal striatum and prefrontal and motor cortices correlated with more severe positive PLEs. Increased functional connectivity between the dorsal striatum and motor cortex was associated with more severe negative PLEs. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with past findings in patients and individuals at high risk for psychosis, subthreshold positive symptomatology is associated with reduced functional connectivity of the dorsal circuit. This finding suggests that the connectivity of this circuit tracks the expression of psychotic phenomena across a broad spectrum of severity, extending from the subclinical domain to clinical diagnosis.
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17
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Newbury JB, Arseneault L, Beevers S, Kitwiroon N, Roberts S, Pariante CM, Kelly FJ, Fisher HL. Association of Air Pollution Exposure With Psychotic Experiences During Adolescence. JAMA Psychiatry 2019; 76:614-623. [PMID: 30916743 PMCID: PMC6499472 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Urbanicity is a well-established risk factor for clinical (eg, schizophrenia) and subclinical (eg, hearing voices and paranoia) expressions of psychosis. To our knowledge, no studies have examined the association of air pollution with adolescent psychotic experiences, despite air pollution being a major environmental problem in cities. OBJECTIVES To examine the association between exposure to air pollution and adolescent psychotic experiences and test whether exposure mediates the association between urban residency and adolescent psychotic experiences. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The Environmental-Risk Longitudinal Twin Study is a population-based cohort study of 2232 children born during the period from January 1, 1994, through December 4, 1995, in England and Wales and followed up from birth through 18 years of age. The cohort represents the geographic and socioeconomic composition of UK households. Of the original cohort, 2066 (92.6%) participated in assessments at 18 years of age, of whom 2063 (99.9%) provided data on psychotic experiences. Generation of the pollution data was completed on October 4, 2017, and data were analyzed from May 4 to November 21, 2018. EXPOSURES High-resolution annualized estimates of exposure to 4 air pollutants-nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters of less than 2.5 (PM2.5) and less than 10 μm (PM10)-were modeled for 2012 and linked to the home addresses of the sample plus 2 commonly visited locations when the participants were 18 years old. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES At 18 years of age, participants were privately interviewed regarding adolescent psychotic experiences. Urbanicity was estimated using 2011 census data. RESULTS Among the 2063 participants who provided data on psychotic experiences, sex was evenly distributed (52.5% female). Six hundred twenty-three participants (30.2%) had at least 1 psychotic experience from 12 to 18 years of age. Psychotic experiences were significantly more common among adolescents with the highest (top quartile) level of annual exposure to NO2 (odds ratio [OR], 1.71; 95% CI, 1.28-2.28), NOx (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.30-2.29), and PM2.5 (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.11-1.90). Together NO2 and NOx statistically explained 60% of the association between urbanicity and adolescent psychotic experiences. No evidence of confounding by family socioeconomic status, family psychiatric history, maternal psychosis, childhood psychotic symptoms, adolescent smoking and substance dependence, or neighborhood socioeconomic status, crime, and social conditions occurred. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this study, air pollution exposure-particularly NO2 and NOx-was associated with increased odds of adolescent psychotic experiences, which partly explained the association between urban residency and adolescent psychotic experiences. Biological (eg, neuroinflammation) and psychosocial (eg, stress) mechanisms are plausible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne B. Newbury
- King’s College London, Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
| | - Louise Arseneault
- King’s College London, Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sean Beevers
- King’s College London, Environmental Research Group, MRC-PHE (Medical Research Council–Public Health England) Centre for Environment and Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nutthida Kitwiroon
- King’s College London, Environmental Research Group, MRC-PHE (Medical Research Council–Public Health England) Centre for Environment and Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Susanna Roberts
- King’s College London, Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
| | - Carmine M. Pariante
- King’s College London, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frank J. Kelly
- King’s College London, Environmental Research Group, MRC-PHE (Medical Research Council–Public Health England) Centre for Environment and Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helen L. Fisher
- King’s College London, Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
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18
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Terenzi D, Mainetto E, Barbato M, Rumiati RI, Aiello M. Temporal and Effort cost Decision-making in Healthy Individuals with Subclinical Psychotic Symptoms. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2151. [PMID: 30770857 PMCID: PMC6377635 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-38284-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The value people attribute to rewards is influenced both by the time and the effort required to obtain them. Impairments in these computations are described in patients with schizophrenia and appear associated with negative symptom severity. This study investigated whether deficits in temporal and effort cost computations can be observed in individuals with subclinical psychotic symptoms (PS) to determine if this dysfunction is already present in a potentially pre-psychotic period. Sixty participants, divided into three groups based on the severity of PS (high, medium and low), performed two temporal discounting tasks with food and money and a concurrent schedule task, in which the effort to obtain food increased over time. We observed that in high PS participants the discounting rate appeared linear and flatter than that exhibited by participants with medium and low PS, especially with food. In the concurrent task, compared to those with low PS, participants with high PS exerted tendentially less effort to obtain snacks only when the required effort was high. Participants exerting less effort in the higher effort condition were those with higher negative symptoms. These results suggest that aberrant temporal and effort cost computations might be present in individuals with subclinical PS and therefore could represent a vulnerability marker for psychosis.
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