A Possible Link between Anxiety and Schizophrenia and a Possible Role of Anhedonia

Spatial working memory, not IQ or executive function, discriminates early psychosis and clinically vulnerable creative individuals

AIM

While associations between creativity and psychopathology have been well researched, the specific cognitive processes that distinguish highly creative from those with psychopathology warrant further investigation. This study will examine whether IQ, executive function, cognitive inhibition or spatial working memory differentiate individuals with early psychosis, clinically vulnerable creative individuals, creative controls and non-creative controls.

METHODS

The study sample consisted of 110 participants: early psychosis (n = 21); clinically vulnerable creative controls (n = 25); creative controls (n = 30) and non-creative control (n = 34). The Diagnostic Interview for Psychosis assessed early psychosis participants and the Mini Neuropsychiatric Interview was used to screen for psychopathology in the remaining groups. Several cognitive tests were administered: IQ, neurocognitive measures of executive function and spatial working memory. Creativity was assessed using the Torrance Test of Creativity and Creative Achievement Questionnaire. A measure of vividness of mental imagery was also given.

RESULTS

Across all cognitive tests, spatial working memory differentiated the early psychosis group from both creative and non-creative control groups. Spatial working memory predicted group membership but vivid imagery was a better predictor of creative achievement. The early psychosis, clinically vulnerable creative and creative groups all recorded significantly higher results on creative achievement and creative cognition compared to non-creative controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide further support for spatial working memory as an early neuro-cognitive marker for early psychosis. Spatial working memory, rather than IQ or executive function, may also be an early protective factor for clinically vulnerable young creative individuals.

Anxiety and Adverse Life Events in Professional Creative and Early Psychosis Populations

Objective: The association between creativity and psychopathology has intrigued researchers and recent studies have affirmed genetic and epidemiological links. In particular, epidemiological research highlights the need to study what aspects of the creative individual protect or provide risk for transition to psychosis. Two factors, associated with transition to psychosis, will be investigated, namely anxiety and adverse life events. Method: A diverse sample of 110 participants (18-35 years) was examined, including early psychosis (EP), creative professionals who are clinically vulnerable or "at-risk" (ARCC), those with no psychotic symptoms (CC), and non-creative (NCC) participants. Measures of anxiety (DASS) and adverse life events (ALE) were administered to the participants to determine whether these factors were positively or negatively associated with creativity and whether they were able to differentiate the EP from ARCC, CC and NCC participants. Results: Creative cognition and achievement were positively correlated with anxiety. The EP and ARCC groups were more closely aligned than expected on measures of anxiety and adverse life events. Childhood sexual/physical assault were the only variables that differentiated these two groups. Conclusions: These results provide further support for the association between creative professionals and those with early psychosis. It provides corroborating evidence of the vulnerability of creative individuals who appear to be aligned with the early psychosis group on anxiety, aspects of paranoia and overall trauma. The results provide possible innovative avenues for intervention in EP and ARCC.

The Celiac Disease Patients' Ability to Experience Pleasure

The motivation or ability to experience pleasure has been scarcely studied in celiac disease (CeD). We aimed to investigate the hedonistic feelings/anhedonia and sexual pleasure in CeD patients on a gluten-free diet (GFD) compared to controls. We recruited adult CeD patients at follow-up consecutively visited from April 2017 to April 2018 and controls from the hospital staff and friends of CeD patients. Participants completed the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale, measuring the levels of anhedonia, and answered three questions about physical contact, sexual activity, and modification of their life on a GFD. We included 178 CeD patients and 173 healthy controls. Seventeen patients (9.5%) and fourteen controls (8.1%) had anhedonia. We did not find any correlation between the presence of anhedonia and the length in years of GFD neither with the dietary compliance and age at the test. 10.7% patients and 8.7% controls reported of not having pleasure in physical contact and 5.06% CeD and 3.5% controls in feeling attraction for another person; 36.56% said a worsening of their life on a GFD. Our results show that CeD patients on a GFD are similar to controls in anhedonia and sexual problems, despite one-third reported a worsening of their life.

The Celiac Disease Patients' Ability to Experience Pleasure

The motivation or ability to experience pleasure has been scarcely studied in celiac disease (CeD). We aimed to investigate the hedonistic feelings/anhedonia and sexual pleasure in CeD patients on a gluten-free diet (GFD) compared to controls. We recruited adult CeD patients at follow-up consecutively visited from April 2017 to April 2018 and controls from the hospital staff and friends of CeD patients. Participants completed the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale, measuring the levels of anhedonia, and answered three questions about physical contact, sexual activity, and modification of their life on a GFD. We included 178 CeD patients and 173 healthy controls. Seventeen patients (9.5%) and fourteen controls (8.1%) had anhedonia. We did not find any correlation between the presence of anhedonia and the length in years of GFD neither with the dietary compliance and age at the test. 10.7% patients and 8.7% controls reported of not having pleasure in physical contact and 5.06% CeD and 3.5% controls in feeling attraction for another person; 36.56% said a worsening of their life on a GFD. Our results show that CeD patients on a GFD are similar to controls in anhedonia and sexual problems, despite one-third reported a worsening of their life.