From Perception to Thought: A Phenomenological Approach to Hallucinatory Experience

Ontogenesis of self-disorders in the schizophrenia spectrum: A phenomenological neuro-developmental model

The concept of basic Self-disorders (SD) captures the experiential aspects associated with vulnerability to schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). SD emerge prior to, and constitute the underlying structure for, the emergence of major diagnostic symptoms, including positive psychotic ones. SD are also detectable in populations with familial risk for SSD. This paper proposes a two-stage phenomenological-developmental model, exploring the early deficit in multisensory integration and their impact on the ontogeny of the Minimal Self in the first years of life. It also examines subsequent emergence of schizotaxic vulnerability, which later manifests as typical anomalies of subjectivity, such as basic symptoms and self-disorders.

Clinical features and comorbidity in very early-onset schizophrenia: a systematic review

Background

Very early-onset schizophrenia (VEOS) is a form of schizophrenia that manifests before the age of 13 years and is characterized by the presence of positive, negative, and disorganized symptoms. The condition is exceptionally rare and, to date, limited studies have been conducted, resulting in incomplete information about its clinical features.

Methods

The present study involves a systematic review of the existing literature regarding the clinical features and comorbidities of VEOS.

Results

The first search retrieved 384 studies. Of these, 366 were removed following the application of exclusion criteria, resulting in 18 studies for the final set.

Conclusion

The results highlight that VEOS shares similarities with early-onset and adult-onset schizophrenia but also exhibits distinct and recognizable characteristics, including a more severe clinical profile (particularly in females), increased visual hallucinations, and high comorbidities with neurodevelopmental disorders. These findings may support clinicians in formulating early diagnoses and developing effective treatment strategies for pediatric and adolescent patients with psychosis.

Eating Disorders and Psychosis as Intertwined Dimensions of Disembodiment: A Narrative Review

Although psychosis is not one of the most commonly recognized psychiatric comorbidities of Eating Disorders (ED), there is an increasing empirical evidence of associations between these psychopathological conditions. Indeed, ED as well as early manifestations of schizophrenic psychosis emerge during developmental years and might present some affinities in the presentation at onset. For example, adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) may report psychotic-like eating-related symptoms such as delusional-like body image distortions and/or "anorexic voice". Conversely, early expressions of schizophrenia spectrum vulnerability might involve altered bodily experiences, delusional ideation on food and eating as well as pseudo-anorectic behaviors. From a phenomenological perspective, this partial symptomatic overlap may lie on common features of disturbed corporeality in terms of disembodiment, although these alterations of embodiment are presumably rooted in distinct pathogenetic pathways (e.g., primary childhood ontogenetic pathway in schizophrenia vs. a secondary adolescent ontogenetic pathway in AN). A clinical-phenomenological attitude could be important not only to better discern potential overlaps and affinities between the two conditions, but also to better conceptualize and treat those background alterations of the embodied self. In particular, a phenomenological exploration of the experiential side of eating-related behaviors could be a decisive step to support early differential diagnosis and treatment appropriateness.

Hallucinations in the Child and Adolescent "Ultra-High Risk" population: A Systematic Review

Background and Hypothesis

"Ultra-high risk" for psychosis young adults are assumed to be at higher risk of developing a psychotic spectrum disorder. Predominantly, the ultrahigh-risk population is aged 18-35 years, but it may also include younger children and adolescents. Individuals in this population experience psychosis prodromes in the form of attenuated or brief psychotic symptoms (particularly perceptual abnormalities). Albeit diagnosis is made via structured interviews, such measures fail to sufficiently assess the precise form and content of perceptual abnormalities, especially as they manifest in children and adolescents.

Study Design

The present study involved a systematic review of the literature on perceptual abnormalities (particularly hallucinations) in ultrahigh-risk children and adolescents.

Results

The analysis reviewed five studies and drew conclusions about the perceptual abnormalities (ie, hallucinations) experienced by the study samples, focusing on form, content, and associations with other symptoms. Of note, 2 of the investigated studies suggested a relationship between hallucinations and experiences of childhood trauma.

Conclusions

The transition to psychosis and experiences of childhood trauma could correspond to different types of hallucinations in ultrahigh-risk children and adolescents. This knowledge could improve the identification of prodromal states in the young, ultrahigh-risk population.

The Self in the Spectrum: A Meta-analysis of the Evidence Linking Basic Self-Disorders and Schizophrenia

Disturbed self-experience has been reported as a characteristic feature of schizophrenia since the first formulation of its diagnostic concept; however, only in the last 2 decades an explicit notion of basic Self-disturbance, or Self-Disorders (SD), has emerged as target for a systematic research program. We conducted systematic searches in bibliographical databases to identify cross-sectional studies that explored SD across different diagnostic groups and explored diagnostic ascription within or outside schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) as main outcome. Data were pooled using fixed- and random-effects meta-analysis models. Heterogeneity was assessed using stratified meta-analyses and meta-regression. Of 218 identified studies, 32 were included in the systematic review and 27 in the meta-analysis. Patients diagnosed with SSD scored higher on measures of SD than healthy controls (HC) (Hedges' g = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.5 to 2.0), individuals diagnosed with other mental illness (OMI) (1.9; 1.6 to 2.2), bipolar or affective disorders (1.8; 1.4 to 2.2), and clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR) (1.6; 0.9 to 2.4). Patients with schizotypy or schizotypal personality disorder scored higher on measures of SD than OMI (1.5; 1.3 to 1.8) and HC (1.4; 1.1 to 1.7). Patients with first-episode psychosis scored higher on measures of SD than HC (2.5; 2.1 to 2.9) and OMI (1.6; 1.2 to 2.1). Subjects at CHR scored higher on measures of SD than HC (2.0; 1.7 to 2.2) and OMI (19; 1.6 to 2.2). Overall, heterogeneity ranged from negligible to high, especially in comparisons of the target group with OMI, probably as a reflection of the immanent diagnostic heterogeneity of this group. The findings suggest that SD selectively aggregate within schizophrenia spectrum disorders as compared to other mental disorders and that they could be a central phenotypic marker of vulnerability to schizophrenia across the different shades of severity of its spectrum of disorders.

Impaired Corollary Discharge in Psychosis and At-Risk States: Integrating Neurodevelopmental, Phenomenological, and Clinical Perspectives

The brain is increasingly viewed in contemporary neuroscience as a predictive machine; its products, such as movements and decisions, are indeed accompanied by predictions of outcomes at distinct levels of awareness. In this conceptual review, we focus on corollary discharge, a basic neurophysiological mechanism that is allegedly involved in sensory prediction and contributes to the distinction between self-generated and externally generated actions. Failures in corollary discharge have been hypothesized as potentially relevant for the progressive development of positive psychotic symptoms such as passivity delusions and auditory verbal hallucinations. We articulate this framework adopting three confocal lenses, namely, the neurodevelopmental, phenomenological, and clinical perspectives. Converging evidence from these research domains indicates a possible developmental cascade leading to increased lifetime risk of psychosis. That is, early childhood alterations of corollary discharge mechanisms, endophenotypically expressed in motor impairment, may concur with a progressive fading of the feeling of self-agency on one's own experiences. Combined with other age-dependent situational challenges occurring along development, this may progressively hamper the ontogenesis of the embodied self, thereby facilitating the emergence of anomalous subjective experiences such as self-disorders (a longitudinal index of schizophrenia spectrum vulnerability) and broadly conceived clinical high-risk states. Overall, this condition increases the risk of developing passivity symptoms, phenotypically expressed in a severity gradient ranging from intrusive thoughts to passivity delusions and auditory verbal hallucinations. Empirical and clinical implications of this framework, as well as future scenarios, are discussed.

Hallucinations Beyond Voices: A Conceptual Review of the Phenomenology of Altered Perception in Psychosis

Recent psychiatric research and treatment initiatives have tended to move away from traditional diagnostic categories and have focused instead on transdiagnostic phenomena, such as hallucinations. However, this emphasis on isolated experiences may artificially limit the definition of such phenomena and ignore the rich, complex, and dynamic changes occurring simultaneously in other domains of experience. This article reviews the literature on a range of experiential features associated with psychosis, with a focus on their relevance for hallucinations. Phenomenological research on changes in cognition, perception, selfhood and reality, temporality, interpersonal experience, and embodiment are discussed, along with their implications for traditional conceptualizations of hallucinations. We then discuss several phenomenological and neurocognitive theories, as well as the potential impact of trauma on these phenomena. Hallucinations are suggested to be an equifinal outcome of multiple genetic, neurocognitive, subjective, and social processes; by grouping them together under a single, operationalizable definition, meaningful differences in etiology and phenomenology may be ignored. It is suggested that future research efforts strive to incorporate a broader range of experiential alterations, potentially expanding on traditional definitions of hallucinations. Relevance for clinical practice, including emphasizing phenomenologically responsive techniques and developing targeted new therapies, is discussed.

Hallucinations in Children and Adolescents: An Updated Review and Practical Recommendations for Clinicians

Hallucinations in children and adolescents are now known to occur on a continuum from healthy to psychopathology-related phenomena. Although hallucinations in young populations are mostly transient, they can cause substantial distress. Despite hallucinations being widely investigated, research so far has had limited implications for clinical practice. The present article has 3 main aims: (1) to review research findings since 2014 (when the last major review of the area was published); (2) to present assessment tools validated to measure hallucinations in children and adolescents; and (3) to discuss therapeutic strategies and clinical issues. We conclude by presenting a tailored care model for clinicians and outline future challenges for research.

From Computation to the First-Person: Auditory-Verbal Hallucinations and Delusions of Thought Interference in Schizophrenia-Spectrum Psychoses

Schizophrenia-spectrum psychoses are highly complex and heterogeneous disorders that necessitate multiple lines of scientific inquiry and levels of explanation. In recent years, both computational and phenomenological approaches to the understanding of mental illness have received much interest, and significant progress has been made in both fields. However, there has been relatively little progress bridging investigations in these seemingly disparate fields. In this conceptual review and collaborative project from the 4th Meeting of the International Consortium on Hallucination Research, we aim to facilitate the beginning of such dialogue between fields and put forward the argument that computational psychiatry and phenomenology can in fact inform each other, rather than being viewed as isolated or even incompatible approaches. We begin with an overview of phenomenological observations on the interrelationships between auditory-verbal hallucinations (AVH) and delusional thoughts in general, before moving on to review several theoretical frameworks and empirical findings in the computational modeling of AVH. We then relate the computational models to the phenomenological accounts, with a special focus on AVH and delusions that involve the senses of agency and ownership of thought (delusions of thought interference). Finally, we offer some tentative directions for future research, emphasizing the importance of a mutual understanding between separate lines of inquiry.

A Cross-National Investigation of Hallucination-Like Experiences in 10 Countries: The E-CLECTIC Study

Hallucination-like experiences (HLEs) are typically defined as sensory perceptions in the absence of external stimuli. Multidimensional tools, able to assess different facets of HLEs, are helpful for a better characterization of hallucination proneness and to investigate the cross-national variation in the frequencies of HLEs. The current study set out to establish the validity, factor structure, and measurement invariance of the Launay-Slade Hallucinations Scale-Extended (LSHS-E), a tool to assess HLEs. A total of 4419 respondents from 10 countries were enrolled. Network analyses between the LSHS-E and the 3 dimensions of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) were performed to assess convergent and divergent validity of the LSHS-E. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test its measurement invariance. The best fit was a 4-factor model, which proved invariant by country and clinical status, indicating cross-national stability of the hallucination-proneness construct. Among the different components of hallucination-proneness, auditory-visual HLEs had the strongest association with the positive dimension of the CAPE, compared with the depression and negative dimensions. Participants who reported a diagnosis of a mental disorder scored higher on the 4 LSHS-E factors. Small effect size differences by country were found in the scores of the 4 LSHS-E factors even after taking into account the role of socio-demographic and clinical variables. Due to its good psychometric properties, the LSHS-E is a strong candidate tool for large investigations of HLEs.

The Italian version of the 16-item prodromal questionnaire (iPQ-16): Field-test and psychometric features

OBJECTIVE

Among current early screeners for psychosis-risk states, the Prodromal Questionnaire-16 items (PQ-16) is often used. We aimed to assess validity and reliability of the Italian version of the PQ-16 in a young adult help-seeking population.

METHODS

We included 154 individuals aged 18-35years seeking help at the Reggio Emilia outpatient mental health services in a large semirural catchment area (550.000 inhabitants). Participants completed the Italian version of the PQ-16 (iPQ-16) and were subsequently evaluated with the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS). We examined diagnostic accuracy (i.e. specificity, sensitivity, negative and positive likelihood ratios, and negative and positive predictive values) and content, convergent, and concurrent validity between PQ-16 and CAARMS using Cronbach's alpha, Spearman's rho, and Cohen's kappa, respectively. We also tested the validity of the adopted PQ-16 cut-offs through Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves plotted against CAARMS diagnoses and the 1-year predictive validity of the PQ-16.

RESULTS

The iPQ-16 showed high internal consistency and acceptable diagnostic accuracy and concurrent validity. ROC analyses pointed to a cut-off score of ≥5 as best cut-off. After 12months of follow-up, 8.7% of participants with a PQ-16 symptom total score of ≥5 who were below the CAARMS psychosis threshold at the baseline, developed a psychotic disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychometric properties of the iPQ-16 were satisfactory.

Characterizing the experience of auditory verbal hallucinations and accompanying delusions in individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the current study was to inform ongoing attempts to identify clinically meaningful subcategories of auditory verbal hallucination (AVH), and to evaluate evidence that might pertain to the suitability of current psychological interventions for people with bipolar disorder (BD) who experience psychotic symptoms.

METHODS

A comprehensive synthesis of findings on the phenomenology of AVH and delusions in BD is included, alongside a critical review of clinical and cognitive correlates. Studies published in the previous 20 years, until December 2016, were retrieved from the following databases: Embase, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Thirty-two articles were reviewed after applying a set of predetermined inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Psychotic symptoms were common in both manic and depressive phases, although higher frequencies were indicated in mania. Few detailed characterizations of AVH phenomenology were identified. Delusions with persecutory, grandiose and referential themes were the most common in BD. AVHs were associated with delusions and there was evidence to suggest that delusion subtype may vary according to mood state and type of AVH. Data on clinical correlates of AVH in BD were sparse. However, the results indicated that cognitive appraisals or interpretations of voices might be different in BD from those established to be predictive of clinical outcomes in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Clear gaps exist in our current understanding of the first-person experience of AVH in BD and the potential relationship to co-occurring symptoms, including delusions. Further research into cognitive interpretations of AVH in BD might inform adapted psychological interventions for psychotic symptoms in this population.