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Petrescu C, Mihalache OA, Vilciu C, Petrescu DM, Marian G, Ciobanu CA, Ciobanu AM. Clinical and Sociodemographic Correlations with Neurological Soft Signs in Hospitalized Patients with Schizophrenia: A Preliminary Longitudinal Study. Biomedicines 2024; 12:787. [PMID: 38672143 PMCID: PMC11048323 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe, chronic neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by symptoms that profoundly impact behavior, cognition, perception, and emotions, leading to a reduced quality of life and physical impairment. Given the complexity of schizophrenia, there is a pressing need for clinical markers and tools to predict its course, enhance disease staging, facilitate early intervention, improve differential diagnosis, and tailor individualized treatment approaches. Previous studies focused on the relationship between neurological soft signs (NSS) and factors such as age, illness duration, and symptomatology, indicating NSS as state markers improving in parallel with psychotic symptom remission or predicting treatment resistance. However, there is a lack of consensus on NSS assessment tools, hindering routine clinical monitoring despite diagnostic and prognostic potential. The present longitudinal study involved 81 psychiatric inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Patients were assessed at three time points: baseline, 1 month, and 6 months. The examination included the use of scales to evaluate psychotic and neurological symptoms, as well as the identification of adverse extrapyramidal reactions caused by neuroleptic treatment. The progression of NSS was correlated to both the symptomatology and the sociodemographic data of the patients. The main findings from the present investigation revealed a statistical correlation between NSS and psychopathological symptoms, especially with negative symptoms of schizophrenia. However, it is important to note that neuroleptic side effects only had a limited impact on NSS. Therefore, instead of being linked to extrapyramidal symptoms caused by neuroleptics, NSS appears to be more frequently related with symptoms of schizophrenia. Our findings provide further support for their strong association with the course of schizophrenia, independent of treatment side effects, thus emphasizing their potential as reliable assessment tools in both research and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Petrescu
- Neuroscience Department, Discipline of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania;
- Department of Psychiatry, ‘Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia’ Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, 041914 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Oana A. Mihalache
- Department of Doctoral Studies, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania;
- Department of Neurology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (C.V.); (D.M.P.)
| | - Crisanda Vilciu
- Department of Neurology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (C.V.); (D.M.P.)
- Neurology Clinic, ‘Fundeni’ Clinical Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Diana M. Petrescu
- Department of Neurology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (C.V.); (D.M.P.)
- Neurology Clinic, ‘Fundeni’ Clinical Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Gabriela Marian
- Academy of Romanian Scientists, 927180 Bucharest, Romania;
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, ‘Titu Maiorescu’ University of Medicine, 040051 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Constantin A. Ciobanu
- Faculty of Medicine, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020022 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adela M. Ciobanu
- Neuroscience Department, Discipline of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania;
- Department of Psychiatry, ‘Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia’ Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, 041914 Bucharest, Romania
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Chrobak AA, Soltys Z, Dudek D, Siwek M. Neurological and cerebellar soft signs in bipolar disorder: The role of staging, type and history of psychotic symptoms. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 121:110673. [PMID: 36349610 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110673] [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: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
AIM Bipolar disorder (BD) patients show neurological abnormalities in form of neurological and cerebellar soft signs (NSS and CSS). NSS represents heterogeneous group of symptoms representing i.a. deficits of motor coordination, sequencing of complex motor acts and sensory integration. CSS were introduced as group of the neurological deficits of posture, gait, kinetic functions, eye movements and speech, associated more specifically to cerebellar abnormalities than NSS. Studies show significant effect size variability of those symptoms in BD group suggesting the existence of differing subpopulations. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of BD type, stage and the history of psychotic symptoms (HoPS) on the severity of CSS and NSS as none of the previous studies had verified the role of those categories. METHODS This study involved 181 participants: 116 euthymic BD patients (66 BD I, 50 BD II) and 65 healthy controls (HC). CSS was assessed with the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale and NSS with Neurological Evaluation Scale. Patients were divided into early and late stage of the disorder according to Kapczinski's criteria. Rater was blind to patients' stage, type and HoPS. RESULTS Staging was related to vast majority of CSS and NSS scores. HoPS was related to oculomotor deficits. The effect of BD type was the least significant. Late stage BD showed more severe CSS and NSS than HC in every measure. There were no differences between early stage BD and HC, apart of posture and gait disturbances. Except of sensory integration scores, late stage BD showed higher CSS and NSS rates than early stage patients. CONCLUSION In this hitherto the largest study of neurological abnormalities in BD we have shown significant role of staging in CSS and NSS severity. Progression criteria based on inter-episode psychosocial functioning may stand as unrecognised factor responsible for variability observed in previous studies evaluating neurological abnormalities in BD. Our study suggests that in clinical practice NSS and CSS may be potentially used as easy-to-assess biological marker of BD staging. Observed severity of neurological impairments of BD patients may more likely correspond to the disease progression than to BD type and HoPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Andrzej Chrobak
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Department of Adult Psychiatry, Kopernika St. 21a, 31-501 Cracow, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Soltys
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Laboratory of Experimental Neuropathology, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
| | - Dominika Dudek
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Department of Adult Psychiatry, Kopernika St. 21a, 31-501 Cracow, Poland
| | - Marcin Siwek
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Department of Affective Disorders, Kopernika St. 21a, 31-501 Cracow, Poland.
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Hoang D, Xu Y, Lutz O, Bannai D, Zeng V, Bishop JR, Keshavan M, Lizano P. Inflammatory Subtypes in Antipsychotic-Naïve First-Episode Schizophrenia are Associated with Altered Brain Morphology and Topological Organization. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 100:297-308. [PMID: 34875344 PMCID: PMC8767408 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Peripheral inflammation is implicated in schizophrenia, however, not all individuals demonstrate inflammatory alterations. Recent studies identified inflammatory subtypes in chronic psychosis with high inflammation having worse cognitive performance and displaying neuroanatomical enlargement compared to low inflammation subtypes. It is unclear if inflammatory subtypes exist earlier in the disease course, thus, we aim to identify inflammatory subtypes in antipsychotic naïve First-Episode Schizophrenia (FES). METHODS 12 peripheral inflammatory markers, clinical, cognitive, and neuroanatomical measures were collected from a naturalistic study of antipsychotic-naïve FES patients. A combination of unsupervised principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering was used to categorize inflammatory subtypes from their cytokine data (17 FES High, 30 FES Low, and 33 healthy controls (HCs)). Linear regression analysis was used to assess subtype differences. Neuroanatomical correlations with clinical and cognitive measures were performed using partial Spearman correlations. Graph theoretical analyses were performed to assess global and local network properties across inflammatory subtypes. RESULTS The FES High group made up 36% of the FES group and demonstrated significantly greater levels of IL1β, IL6, IL8, and TNFα compared to FES Low, and higher levels of IL1β and IL8 compared to HCs. FES High had greater right parahippocampal, caudal anterior cingulate, and bank superior sulcus thicknesses compared to FES Low. Compared to HCs, FES Low showed smaller bilateral amygdala volumes and widespread cortical thickness. FES High and FES Low groups demonstrated less efficient topological organization compared to HCs. Individual cytokines and/or inflammatory signatures were positively associated with cognition and symptom measures. CONCLUSIONS Inflammatory subtypes are present in antipsychotic-naïve FES and are associated with inflammation-mediated cortical expansion. These findings support our previous findings in chronic psychosis and point towards a connection between inflammation and blood-brain barrier disruption. Thus, identifying inflammatory subtypes may provide a novel therapeutic avenue for biomarker-guided treatment involving anti-inflammatory medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dung Hoang
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yanxun Xu
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Olivia Lutz
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Deepthi Bannai
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Victor Zeng
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Bishop
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Matcheri Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Paulo Lizano
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Viher PV, Stegmayer K, Bracht T, Federspiel A, Bohlhalter S, Strik W, Wiest R, Walther S. Neurological Soft Signs Are Associated With Altered White Matter in Patients With Schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 2021; 48:220-230. [PMID: 34355246 PMCID: PMC8781326 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbab089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Neurological soft signs (NSS) are related to grey matter and functional brain abnormalities in schizophrenia. Studies in healthy subjects suggest, that NSS are also linked to white matter. However, the association between NSS and white matter abnormalities in schizophrenia remains to be elucidated. The present study investigated, if NSS are related to white matter alterations in patients with schizophrenia. The total sample included 42 healthy controls and 41 patients with schizophrenia. We used the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES), and we acquired diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging to assess white matter on a voxel-wise between subject statistic. In patients with schizophrenia, linear associations between NES with fractional anisotropy (FA), radial, axial, and mean diffusivity were analyzed with tract-based spatial statistics while controlling for age, medication dose, the severity of the disease, and motion. The main pattern of results in patients showed a positive association of NES with all diffusion measures except FA in important motor pathways: the corticospinal tract, internal capsule, superior longitudinal fascicle, thalamocortical radiations and corpus callosum. In addition, exploratory tractography analysis revealed an association of the right aslant with NES in patients. These results suggest that specific white matter alterations, that is, increased diffusivity might contribute to NSS in patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Verena Viher
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Switzerland,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bolligenstrasse 111, 3000 Bern 60, Switzerland; tel: +41-31-930-97-57, fax: +41-31-930-94-04, e-mail:
| | - Katharina Stegmayer
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Bracht
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Federspiel
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Bohlhalter
- Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland,Neurocenter, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Switzerland
| | - Werner Strik
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roland Wiest
- Support Center of Advanced Neuroimaging, Institute of Neuroradiology, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Walther
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Switzerland
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Lui SSY, Yip SSL, Wang Y, Hung KSY, Ho KKY, Tsang KCM, Yeung HKH, Cheung EFC, Chan RCK. Different trajectories of neurological soft signs progression between treatment-responsive and treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 138:607-614. [PMID: 34004397 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia patients exhibit subtle and non-localizing neurological abnormalities, known as neurological soft signs (NSS). Life-span evidence suggests that NSS vary along the course of schizophrenia. An association between NSS and treatment response has been proposed, suggesting that NSS reflect the underlying neuropathology development in schizophrenia. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between NSS and treatment resistance in first-episode schizophrenia patients. We conducted a longitudinal study on 52 first-episode schizophrenia patients, who were assessed at baseline, the sixth month, and the fifth year using the abridged version of the Cambridge Neurological Inventory. The trajectories of NSS between 29 treatment-responsive patients (with full symptomatic remission) and 23 treatment-resistant patients (who received clozapine) were compared using mixed model ANOVA. We also controlled for the effect of age and estimated IQ, using a mixed ANCOVA model. Although the two schizophrenia groups had comparable NSS at the baseline, their trajectories of NSS differed significantly. Compared with their treatment-responsive counterparts, treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients had worsening of NSS over time. Our findings support the potential utility of NSS in identifying treatment resistance in first-episode schizophrenia. Progressive worsening of NSS in treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients may reflect the development of underlying neuropathology. Further studies using large samples of treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon S Y Lui
- Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong, China; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
| | | | - Ya Wang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Raymond C K Chan
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Ferruccio NP, Tosato S, Lappin JM, Heslin M, Donoghue K, Giordano A, Lomas B, Reininghaus U, Onyejiaka A, Chan RCK, Croudace T, Jones PB, Murray RM, Fearon P, Doody GA, Morgan C, Dazzan P. Neurological Signs at the First Psychotic Episode as Correlates of Long-Term Outcome: Results From the AESOP-10 Study. Schizophr Bull 2020; 47:118-127. [PMID: 32656567 PMCID: PMC7824991 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbaa089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Minor neurological signs are subtle deficits in sensory integration, motor coordination, and sequencing of complex motor acts present in excess in the early stages of psychosis. Still, it remains unclear whether at least some of these signs represent trait or state markers for psychosis and whether they are markers of long-term disease outcome of clinical utility. We examined the relationship between neurological function at illness onset assessed with the Neurological Evaluation Scale and subsequent illness course in 233 patients from AESOP-10 (Aetiology and Ethnicity in Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses), a 10-year follow-up study of a population-based cohort of individuals recruited at the time of their first episode of psychosis in the United Kingdom. In 56 of these patients, we also explored changes in neurological function over time. We included a group of 172 individuals without psychosis as controls. After 10 years, 147 (63%) patients had developed a non-remitting course of illness, and 86 (37%) a remitting course. Already at first presentation, patients who developed a non-remitting course had significantly more primary, motor coordination, and total signs than both remitting patients and healthy controls. While Motor Coordination signs did not change over time, rates of Primary, Sensory Integration, and Total signs increased, independently of illness course type. These findings suggest that motor coordination problems could be a useful early, quick, and easily detectable marker of subsequent clinical outcome. With other motor abnormalities, a measure of motor incoordination could contribute to the identification of the most vulnerable individuals, who could benefit from targeted and more assertive treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naika P Ferruccio
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Tosato
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Julia M Lappin
- School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Margaret Heslin
- Department of Health Service and Population Research, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Kim Donoghue
- Department of Addictions, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Annalisa Giordano
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Ben Lomas
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Ulrich Reininghaus
- Department of Public Mental Health, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Adanna Onyejiaka
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Raymond C K Chan
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tim Croudace
- School of Health Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Peter B Jones
- University of Cambridge, and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - Robin M Murray
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Paul Fearon
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gillian A Doody
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Craig Morgan
- Department of Health Service and Population Research, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Paola Dazzan
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London, London, UK,To whom correspondence should be addressed; tel: +44-(0)207-848-0700, fax: +44-(0)207-848-0287, e-mail:
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