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de Lacy N, Ramshaw MJ. Predicting new onset thought disorder in early adolescence with optimized deep learning implicates environmental-putamen interactions. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.10.23.23297438. [PMID: 37961085 PMCID: PMC10635181 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.23.23297438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Background Thought disorder (TD) is a sensitive and specific marker of risk for schizophrenia onset. Specifying factors that predict TD onset in adolescence is important to early identification of youth at risk. However, there is a paucity of studies prospectively predicting TD onset in unstratified youth populations. Study Design We used deep learning optimized with artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze 5,777 multimodal features obtained at 9-10 years from youth and their parents in the ABCD study, including 5,014 neural metrics, to prospectively predict new onset TD cases at 11-12 years. The design was replicated for all prevailing TD cases at 11-12 years. Study Results Optimizing performance with AI, we were able to achieve 92% accuracy and F1 and 0.96 AUROC in prospectively predicting the onset of TD in early adolescence. Structural differences in the left putamen, sleep disturbances and the level of parental externalizing behaviors were specific predictors of new onset TD at 11-12 yrs, interacting with low youth prosociality, the total parental behavioral problems and parent-child conflict and whether the youth had already come to clinical attention. More important predictors showed greater inter-individual variability. Conclusions This study provides robust person-level, multivariable signatures of early adolescent TD which suggest that structural differences in the left putamen in late childhood are a candidate biomarker that interacts with psychosocial stressors to increase risk for TD onset. Our work also suggests that interventions to promote improved sleep and lessen parent-child psychosocial stressors are worthy of further exploration to modulate risk for TD onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina de Lacy
- Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
| | - Michael J. Ramshaw
- Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
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2
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Liebenthal E, Ennis M, Rahimi-Eichi H, Lin E, Chung Y, Baker JT. Linguistic and non-linguistic markers of disorganization in psychotic illness. Schizophr Res 2023; 259:111-120. [PMID: 36564239 PMCID: PMC10282106 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disorganization, presenting as impairment in thought, language and goal-directed behavior, is a core multidimensional syndrome of psychotic disorders. This study examined whether scalable computational measures of spoken language, and smartphone usage pattern, could serve as digital biomarkers of clinical disorganization symptoms. METHODS We examined in a longitudinal cohort of adults with a psychotic disorder, the associations between clinical measures of disorganization and computational measures of 1) spoken language derived from monthly, semi-structured, recorded clinical interviews; and 2) smartphone usage pattern derived via passive sensing technologies over the month prior to the interview. The language features included speech quantity, rate, fluency, and semantic regularity. The smartphone features included data missingness and phone usage during sleep time. The clinical measures consisted of the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) conceptual disorganization, difficulty in abstract thinking, and poor attention, items. Mixed linear regression analyses were used to estimate both fixed and random effects. RESULTS Greater severity of clinical symptoms of conceptual disorganization was associated with greater verbosity and more disfluent speech. Greater severity of conceptual disorganization was also associated with greater missingness of smartphone data, and greater smartphone usage during sleep time. While the observed associations were significant across the group, there was also significant variation between individuals. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that digital measures of speech disfluency may serve as scalable markers of conceptual disorganization. The findings warrant further investigation into the use of recorded interviews and passive sensing technologies to assist in the characterization and tracking of psychotic illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einat Liebenthal
- McLean Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Michaela Ennis
- McLean Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Habiballah Rahimi-Eichi
- McLean Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric Lin
- McLean Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Medical Informatics, Veterans Affairs Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yoonho Chung
- McLean Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Justin T Baker
- McLean Institute for Technology in Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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3
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Tang SX, Cong Y, Nikzad AH, Mehta A, Cho S, Hänsel K, Berretta S, Dhar AA, Kane JM, Malhotra AK. Clinical and computational speech measures are associated with social cognition in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Schizophr Res 2023; 259:28-37. [PMID: 35835710 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2022.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we compared three domains of social cognition (emotion processing, mentalizing, and attribution bias) to clinical and computational language measures in 63 participants with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Based on the active inference model for discourse, we hypothesized that emotion processing and mentalizing, but not attribution bias, would be related to language disturbances. Clinical ratings for speech disturbance assessed disorganized and underproductive dimensions. Computational features included speech graph metrics, use of modal verbs, use of first-person pronouns, cosine similarity of adjacent utterances, and measures of sentiment; these were represented by four principal components. We found that higher clinical ratings for disorganized speech were predicted by greater impairments in both emotion processing and mentalizing, and that these relationships remained significant when accounting for demographic variables, overall psychosis symptoms, and verbal ability. Similarly, a computational speech component reflecting insular speech was consistently predicted by impairment in emotion processing. There were notable trends for computational speech components reflecting underproductive speech and decreased content-rich speech predicting mentalizing ability. Exploratory longitudinal analyses in a small subset of participants (n = 17) found that improvements in both emotion processing and mentalizing predicted improvements in disorganized speech. Attribution bias did not demonstrate strong relationships with language measures. Altogether, our findings are consistent with the active inference model of discourse and suggest greater emphasis on treatments that target social cognitive and language systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunny X Tang
- Zucker Hillside Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, 75-59 263rd St., Glen Oaks, NY 11004, United States of America.
| | - Yan Cong
- Zucker Hillside Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, 75-59 263rd St., Glen Oaks, NY 11004, United States of America.
| | - Amir H Nikzad
- Zucker Hillside Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, 75-59 263rd St., Glen Oaks, NY 11004, United States of America.
| | - Aarush Mehta
- Zucker Hillside Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, 75-59 263rd St., Glen Oaks, NY 11004, United States of America.
| | - Sunghye Cho
- University of Pennsylvania, Linguistic Data Consortium, 3600 Market St., Suite 810, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America.
| | - Katrin Hänsel
- Yale University, Department of Laboratory Medicine, 195 Church Street, New Haven, CT 06510, United States of America.
| | - Sarah Berretta
- Zucker Hillside Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, 75-59 263rd St., Glen Oaks, NY 11004, United States of America.
| | - Aamina A Dhar
- Zucker Hillside Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, 75-59 263rd St., Glen Oaks, NY 11004, United States of America
| | - John M Kane
- Zucker Hillside Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, 75-59 263rd St., Glen Oaks, NY 11004, United States of America.
| | - Anil K Malhotra
- Zucker Hillside Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, 75-59 263rd St., Glen Oaks, NY 11004, United States of America.
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4
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Sumner PJ, Meyer D, Carruthers SP, Amirul Islam FM, Rossell SL. Assessing the dimensionality of scores derived from the Revised Formal Thought Disorder Self-Report Scale in schizotypy. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278841. [PMID: 36490258 PMCID: PMC9733900 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The current work explored the dimensionality and convergent validity of responses to Barrera et al.'s (2015) 29-item Formal Thought Disorder-Self Scale (FTD-SS) obtained in two non-clinical samples. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted in Sample 1 (n = 324), yielding evidence of three correlated factors, although simple structure was not achieved until nine items were removed. Support for the correlated three factors model of responses to the revised 20-item scale (FTD-SS-R) was replicated when a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted in Sample 2 (n = 610). Finally, convergent associations were found between FTD-SS-R scores and scores from other schizotypy measures across both samples, though these measures only explained half of the variance in FTD-SS-R scores. Additional research is needed to evaluate the appropriateness of the items and incremental validity of the scale in non-clinical samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J. Sumner
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Denny Meyer
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sean P. Carruthers
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Fakir M. Amirul Islam
- Department of Health Science and Biostatistics, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Susan L. Rossell
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Mental Health, St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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5
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Chang X, Zhao W, Kang J, Xiang S, Xie C, Corona-Hernández H, Palaniyappan L, Feng J. Language abnormalities in schizophrenia: binding core symptoms through contemporary empirical evidence. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 8:95. [PMID: 36371445 PMCID: PMC9653408 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-022-00308-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Both the ability to speak and to infer complex linguistic messages from sounds have been claimed as uniquely human phenomena. In schizophrenia, formal thought disorder (FTD) and auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) are manifestations respectively relating to concrete disruptions of those abilities. From an evolutionary perspective, Crow (1997) proposed that "schizophrenia is the price that Homo sapiens pays for the faculty of language". Epidemiological and experimental evidence points to an overlap between FTD and AVHs, yet a thorough investigation examining their shared neural mechanism in schizophrenia is lacking. In this review, we synthesize observations from three key domains. First, neuroanatomical evidence indicates substantial shared abnormalities in language-processing regions between FTD and AVHs, even in the early phases of schizophrenia. Second, neurochemical studies point to a glutamate-related dysfunction in these language-processing brain regions, contributing to verbal production deficits. Third, genetic findings further show how genes that overlap between schizophrenia and language disorders influence neurodevelopment and neurotransmission. We argue that these observations converge into the possibility that a glutamatergic dysfunction in language-processing brain regions might be a shared neural basis of both FTD and AVHs. Investigations of language pathology in schizophrenia could facilitate the development of diagnostic tools and treatments, so we call for multilevel confirmatory analyses focused on modulations of the language network as a therapeutic goal in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Chang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- MOE-LCSM, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, PR China
| | - Jujiao Kang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shitong Xiang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Xie
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Hugo Corona-Hernández
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lena Palaniyappan
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Jianfeng Feng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.
- MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
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6
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The shallow cognitive map hypothesis: A hippocampal framework for thought disorder in schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 8:34. [PMID: 35853896 PMCID: PMC9261089 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-022-00247-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Memories are not formed in isolation. They are associated and organized into relational knowledge structures that allow coherent thought. Failure to express such coherent thought is a key hallmark of Schizophrenia. Here we explore the hypothesis that thought disorder arises from disorganized Hippocampal cognitive maps. In doing so, we combine insights from two key lines of investigation, one concerning the neural signatures of cognitive mapping, and another that seeks to understand lower-level cellular mechanisms of cognition within a dynamical systems framework. Specifically, we propose that multiple distinct pathological pathways converge on the shallowing of Hippocampal attractors, giving rise to disorganized Hippocampal cognitive maps and driving conceptual disorganization. We discuss the available evidence at the computational, behavioural, network, and cellular levels. We also outline testable predictions from this framework, including how it could unify major chemical and psychological theories of schizophrenia and how it can provide a rationale for understanding the aetiology and treatment of the disease.
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7
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Kircher T, Stein F, Nagels A. Differences in single positive formal thought disorder symptoms between closely matched acute patients with schizophrenia and mania. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2022; 272:395-401. [PMID: 33961098 PMCID: PMC8938354 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-021-01263-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Formal thought disorders (FTD) are a hallmark diagnostic feature of schizophrenia (SZ) and (bipolar) mania (MA). FTD can be separated into positive (pFTD) and negative dimensions. It is unclear whether there are differences in pFTD on a single symptom level between acutely ill patients with SZ and MA, which cannot be attributed to cognitive impairment. We compared single pFTD symptoms in two groups of acutely ill patients with ICD-10 bipolar mania and schizophrenia, closely matched for age, sex, pFTD TALD score, verbal IQ and neuropsychological test performance (executive function, verbal fluency, attention, and working memory). SZ patients had higher severity of the TALD symptoms "perseverations" and "poverty of content of speech" than those with MA (Mann-Whitney U, significant, Bonferroni corrected). Speech in acute SZ patients differs from MA in that it conveys little information and adheres to previously mentioned ideas and topics. Matching for confounding variables, such as IQ and cognition, is important when comparing patients with different diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tilo Kircher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany. .,Center for Mind, Brain and Behaviour, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Frederike Stein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany ,Center for Mind, Brain and Behaviour, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Arne Nagels
- Department of English and Linguistic, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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8
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Chen S, Tang Y, Fan X, Qiao Y, Wang J, Wen H, Wang W, Wang H, Yang F, Sheng J. The role of white matter abnormality in the left anterior corona radiata: In relation to formal thought disorder in patients with schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res 2022; 307:114302. [PMID: 34890908 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
White matter abnormality has been widely reported in patients with schizophrenia (Sz). However, few studies have focused on the relationship between the white matter deficit and formal thought disorder (FTD). Moreover, the role of genetic high risk in FTD-related white matter deficit remains unclear. The present study recruited 46 Sz patients, 18 unaffected first-degree relatives of Sz patients, and 29 healthy controls. There was a widespread fractional anisotropy (FA) reduction in Sz. In addition, reduced FA in the left anterior corona radiata was related to more severe FTD symptoms in Sz. However, the genetic high-risk group only showed lower mean FA in the left anterior limb of the internal capsule than healthy controls. Our findings suggest that abnormality in the left anterior corona radiata may only occur in Sz but not in the genetic high-risk group. Such an abnormality might be associated with the severity of FTD symptoms. Meanwhile, genetic vulnerability may contribute to the abnormality in the left anterior limb of the internal capsule. Better analytical methods are needed to validate our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wan Ping Nan Road, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Yingying Tang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders,Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China; Department of EEG and Imaging, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Xiaoduo Fan
- UMass Memorial Health Care & University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Yi Qiao
- Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wan Ping Nan Road, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Jijun Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders,Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China; Department of EEG and Imaging, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Hun Wen
- Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wan Ping Nan Road, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Wenzheng Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wan Ping Nan Road, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Hongyan Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wan Ping Nan Road, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Fuzhong Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wan Ping Nan Road, Shanghai 200030, China.
| | - Jianhua Sheng
- Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wan Ping Nan Road, Shanghai 200030, China.
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9
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Mutlu E, Abaoğlu H, Barışkın E, Gürel ŞC, Ertuğrul A, Yazıcı MK, Akı E, Yağcıoğlu AEA. The cognitive aspect of formal thought disorder and its relationship with global social functioning and the quality of life in schizophrenia. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2021; 56:1399-1410. [PMID: 33458782 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-021-02024-w] [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: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE It was expected that using a comprehensive scale like the Thought and Language Disorder Scale (TALD) for measurement of FTD would enable assessing its heterogeneity and its associations with cognitive impairment and functionality. This study has aimed to analyze the relationship between formal thought disorder (FTD) and cognitive functions, functionality, and quality of life in schizophrenia. METHODS This cross-sectional exploratory study included 46 clinical participants meeting the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia and 35 healthy individuals as the control groups. Data were acquired by means of the Turkish language version of the TALD, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Clinical Global Impression Scale, the Functioning Assessment Short Test, the Social Functioning Scale, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Short Form, and a neuropsychological test battery on executive functions, working memory, verbal fluency, abstract thinking, and response inhibition. Correlation analyses were conducted to detect significant relationships. RESULTS The clinical group scored failures in all cognitive tests. The objective positive FTD was associated with deficits in executive functions and social functioning. The objective negative FTD was associated with poor performance in all cognitive domains, physical quality of life, and social and global functioning. The subjective negative FTD was negatively correlated with psychological quality of life. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that objective FTD factors reflect different underlying cognitive deficits and correlate with different functioning domains. Significant correlation was determined between subjective negative FTD and psychological quality of life. Given the close relationship of FTD with functioning and quality of life, the FTD-related cognitive deficits should be the key treatment goal in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emre Mutlu
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. .,Psychiatry Clinic, Etimesgut Şehit Sait Ertürk State Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Hatice Abaoğlu
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Elif Barışkın
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ş Can Gürel
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Aygün Ertuğrul
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - M Kazım Yazıcı
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Esra Akı
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
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10
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Mackinley M, Chan J, Ke H, Dempster K, Palaniyappan L. Linguistic determinants of formal thought disorder in first episode psychosis. Early Interv Psychiatry 2021; 15:344-351. [PMID: 32129010 DOI: 10.1111/eip.12948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM Thought disorder is a core feature of schizophrenia but assessment of disordered thinking is challenging, which may contribute to the paucity of mechanistic understanding of disorganization in early psychosis. We studied the use of linguistic connectives in relation to clinically quantified dimensions of thought disorder using automated speech analysis in untreated, first episode psychosis (FEPs) and healthy controls (HCs). METHODS 39 treatment-naïve, actively psychotic FEPs and 23 group matched HCs were recruited. Three one-minute speech samples were induced in response to photographs from the Thematic Apperception Test and speech was analysed using COH-METRIX software. Five connectives variables from the Coh-Metrix software were reduced using principle component analysis, resulting in two linguistic connectives factors. Thought disorder was assessed using the Thought Language Index (TLI) and the PANSS-8. RESULTS Connective factors predicted disorganization, but not impoverishment suggesting aberrant use of connectives is specific to positive thought disorder. An independent t test comparing low and high disorganization FEPs showed higher load of acausal temporal connectives in high disorganization FEPs compared to low disorganization FEPs (mean [SD] in high vs low disorganization FEPs = 0.64 (1.1) vs -0.37 (1.02); t = 2.91, P = .006). Acausal-temporal connectives were not correlated with severity of symptoms or cognition suggesting connective use is a specific index of disorganized thinking rather than overall illness status. CONCLUSIONS Clinical assessment of disorganization in psychosis is likely linked to the aberrant use of connectives resulting in an intuitive sense of incoherence. In early psychosis, thought disorder may be reliably quantifiable using automated syntax analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Mackinley
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Lawson Health Research Institute, Mental Health, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jenny Chan
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hanna Ke
- Lawson Health Research Institute, Mental Health, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kara Dempster
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Lena Palaniyappan
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Lawson Health Research Institute, Mental Health, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Sumner PJ, Carruthers SP, Rossell SL. Examining Self-Reported Thought Disorder: Continuous Variation, Convergence with Schizotypy, and Cognitive Correlates. Psychiatry Res 2020; 289:112943. [PMID: 32417592 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
When measured from the perspective of a clinician, the severity of 'objective' thought disorder (TD) has been found to vary continuously between people with and without psychosis-related diagnoses, and has been linked with semantic and executive dysfunctions in people with psychosis. Measures of 'subjective' TD that are derived from a first-person perspective have also been produced, but their relationships with objective TD and cognition are unclear. The aims of the current study were: to determine whether responses on a self-report TD questionnaire correspond with responses to a self-report measure of schizotypal disorganization; and to explore the association between these self-reported subjective TD severities and cognitive performance. Data was collected from a sample of 33 people without psychiatric diagnoses and 38 people diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder evincing mild symptomatology, and this data was pooled for analysis in accordance with the continuum model. Self-reported TD frequencies were associated with the endorsement of disorganized schizotypal experiences. Moreover, self-reported TD frequencies showed relationships with measures of semantic and executive functioning. Thus, at mild severities, self-reported TD shows continuous variation and is associated with altered cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Sumner
- H80, PO Box 218, Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3122.
| | - Sean P Carruthers
- H80, PO Box 218, Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3122
| | - Susan L Rossell
- H80, PO Box 218, Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3122; St. Vincent's Mental Health, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
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12
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Surbeck W, Hänggi J, Scholtes F, Viher PV, Schmidt A, Stegmayer K, Studerus E, Lang UE, Riecher-Rössler A, Strik W, Seifritz E, Borgwardt S, Quednow BB, Walther S. Anatomical integrity within the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and semantic processing deficits in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Schizophr Res 2020; 218:267-275. [PMID: 31948896 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The core symptoms of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) include abnormal semantic processing which may rely on the ventral language stream of the human brain. Thus, structural disruption of the ventral language stream may play an important role in semantic deficits observed in SSD patients. Therefore, we compared white matter tract integrity in SSD patients and healthy controls using diffusion tensor imaging combined with probabilistic fiber tractography. For the ventral language stream, we assessed the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus [IFOF], inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and uncinate fasciculus. The arcuate fasciculus and corticospinal tract were used as control tracts. In SSD patients, the relationship between semantic processing impairments and tract integrity was analyzed separately. Three-dimensional tract reconstructions were performed in 45/44 SSD patients/controls ("Bern sample") and replicated in an independent sample of 24/24 SSD patients/controls ("Basel sample"). Multivariate analyses of fractional anisotropy, mean, axial, and radial diffusivity of the left IFOF showed significant differences between SSD patients and controls (p(FDR-corr) < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.23) in the Bern sample. Axial diffusivity (AD) of the left UF was inversely correlated with semantic impairments (r = -0.454, p(FDR-corr) = 0.035). In the Basel sample, significant group differences for the left IFOF were replicated (p < .01, ηp2 = 0.29), while the correlation between AD of the left IFOF and semantic processing decline (r = -0.376, p = .09) showed a statistical trend. No significant effects were found for the dorsal language stream. This is direct evidence for the importance of the integrity of the ventral language stream, in particular the left IFOF, in semantic processing deficits in SSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Werner Surbeck
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Jürgen Hänggi
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Felix Scholtes
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium; Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Petra V Viher
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - André Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Katharina Stegmayer
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Erich Studerus
- Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Udine E Lang
- Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Werner Strik
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Borgwardt
- Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, Germany
| | - Boris B Quednow
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Walther
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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13
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Cavelti M, Kircher T, Nagels A, Strik W, Homan P. Is formal thought disorder in schizophrenia related to structural and functional aberrations in the language network? A systematic review of neuroimaging findings. Schizophr Res 2018; 199:2-16. [PMID: 29510928 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2018.02.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Formal thought disorder (FTD) is a core feature of schizophrenia, a marker of illness severity and a predictor of outcome. The underlying neural mechanisms are still a matter of debate. This study aimed at 1) reviewing the literature on the neural correlates of FTD in schizophrenia, and 2) testing the hypothesis that FTD correlates with structural and functional aberrations in the language network. Medline, PsychInfo, and Embase were searched for neuroimaging studies, which applied a clinical measure to assess FTD in adults with schizophrenia and were published in English or German in peer-reviewed journals until December 2016. Of 412 articles identified, 61 studies were included in the review. Volumetric studies reported bilateral grey matter deficits (L > R) to be associated with FTD in the inferior frontal gyrus, the superior temporal gyrus and the inferior parietal lobe. The same regions showed hyperactivity in resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies and both hyper- and hypoactivity in fMRI studies that employed semantic processing or free speech production tasks. Diffusion tensor imaging studies demonstrated white matter aberrations in fibre tracts that connect the frontal and temporo-parietal regions. FTD in schizophrenia was found to be associated with structural and functional aberrations in the language network. However, there are studies that did not find an association between FTD and neural aberrations of the language network and regions not included in the language network have been associated with FTD. Thus, future research is needed to clarify the specificity of the language network for FTD in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marialuisa Cavelti
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, 3000 Bern 60, Switzerland; Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health & Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Tilo Kircher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Rudolf-Bultmann-Strasse 8, 35039 Marburg, Germany
| | - Arne Nagels
- Johannes Gutenberg University, General Linguistics, 55099 Mainz, Germany
| | - Werner Strik
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, 3000 Bern 60, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Homan
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, 3000 Bern 60, Switzerland; Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA.
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14
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Kircher T, Bröhl H, Meier F, Engelen J. Formal thought disorders: from phenomenology to neurobiology. Lancet Psychiatry 2018; 5:515-526. [PMID: 29678679 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(18)30059-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Formal thought disorder (FTD) is present in most psychiatric disorders and in some healthy individuals. In this Review, we present a comprehensive, integrative, and multilevel account of what is known about FTD, covering genetic, cellular, and neurotransmitter effects, environmental influences, experimental psychology and neuropsychology, brain imaging, phenomenology, linguistics, and treatment. FTD is a dimensional, phenomenologically defined construct, which can be clinically subdivided into positive versus negative and objective versus subjective symptom clusters. Because FTDs have been traditionally linked to schizophrenia, studies in other diagnoses are scarce. Aetiologically, FTD is the only symptom under genetic influence in schizophrenia as shown in linkage studies, but familial communication patterns (allusive thinking) have also been associated with the condition. Positive FTDs are related to synaptic rarefication in the glutamate system of the superior and middle lateral temporal cortices. Cortical volume of the left superior temporal gyrus is decreased in patients with schizophrenia who have positive FTD in structural MRI studies and shows reversed hemispheric (right more than left) activation in functional MRI experiments during speech production. Semantic network dysfunction in positive FTD has been demonstrated in experiments of indirect semantic hyperpriming (reaction time). In acute positive FTD, antipsychotics are effective, but a subgroup of patients have treatment-resistant, chronic, positive or negative FTD. Specific psychotherapy as treatment for FTD has not yet been developed. With this solid data on the pathogenesis of FTD, we can now implement clinical studies to treat this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tilo Kircher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Marburg University, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Henrike Bröhl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Marburg University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Felicitas Meier
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Marburg University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jennifer Engelen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Marburg University, Marburg, Germany
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15
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Meaux LT, Mitchell KR, Cohen AS. Blunted vocal affect and expression is not associated with schizophrenia: A computerized acoustic analysis of speech under ambiguous conditions. Compr Psychiatry 2018; 83:84-88. [PMID: 29627683 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2018.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Patients with schizophrenia are consistently rated by clinicians as having high levels of blunted vocal affect and alogia. However, objective technologies have often failed to substantiate these abnormalities. It could be the case that negative symptoms are context-dependent. OBJECTIVES The present study examined speech elicited under conditions demonstrated to exacerbate thought disorder. METHODS The Rorschach Test was administered to 36 outpatients with schizophrenia and 25 nonpatient controls. Replies to separate "perceptual" and "memory" phases were analyzed using validated acoustic analytic methods. RESULTS Compared to nonpatient controls, schizophrenia patients did not display abnormal speech expression on objective measure of blunted vocal affect or alogia. Moreover, clinical ratings of negative symptoms were not significantly correlated with objective measures. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that in patients with schizophrenia, vocal affect/alogia is generally unremarkable under ambiguous conditions. Clarifying the nature of blunted vocal affect and alogia, and how objective measures correspond to what clinicians attend to when making clinical ratings are important directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren T Meaux
- Psychology Department, 236 Audubon Hall, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
| | - Kyle R Mitchell
- Psychology Department, 236 Audubon Hall, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Alex S Cohen
- Psychology Department, 236 Audubon Hall, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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16
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Kelly JR, Minuto C, Cryan JF, Clarke G, Dinan TG. Cross Talk: The Microbiota and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:490. [PMID: 28966571 PMCID: PMC5605633 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans evolved within a microbial ecosystem resulting in an interlinked physiology. The gut microbiota can signal to the brain via the immune system, the vagus nerve or other host-microbe interactions facilitated by gut hormones, regulation of tryptophan metabolism and microbial metabolites such as short chain fatty acids (SCFA), to influence brain development, function and behavior. Emerging evidence suggests that the gut microbiota may play a role in shaping cognitive networks encompassing emotional and social domains in neurodevelopmental disorders. Drawing upon pre-clinical and clinical evidence, we review the potential role of the gut microbiota in the origins and development of social and emotional domains related to Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia. Small preliminary clinical studies have demonstrated gut microbiota alterations in both ASD and schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. However, we await the further development of mechanistic insights, together with large scale longitudinal clinical trials, that encompass a systems level dimensional approach, to investigate whether promising pre-clinical and initial clinical findings lead to clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Kelly
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College CorkCork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Institute, University College CorkCork, Ireland
| | - Chiara Minuto
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College CorkCork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Institute, University College CorkCork, Ireland
| | - John F Cryan
- APC Microbiome Institute, University College CorkCork, Ireland.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College CorkCork, Ireland
| | - Gerard Clarke
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College CorkCork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Institute, University College CorkCork, Ireland
| | - Timothy G Dinan
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College CorkCork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Institute, University College CorkCork, Ireland
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