Neurobiological parameters in quantitative prediction of treatment outcome in schizophrenic patients

[Negative and positive disorders of schizophrenia (issues of co-dependence, psychopathology and pathogenesis)]

The authors consider current and own conceptions about correlations of the processes underlying the pathogenesis of schizophrenia presented by negative and positive disorders. With growth of academic psychiatry, evaluation of a correlation between positive and negative dimensions has changed dramatically: on the one hand presenting in clinical unity - simultaneous psychopathologic structures, and on the other hand being clinically and pathogenetically heterogenic in dimensional structure. According to our clinical and biological findings and an analysis of fundamental neurobiological studies, positive and negative disorders present in the clinical picture of schizophrenia as two separate psychopathological and pathogenetic structures. A new paradigm of the correlation between positive and negative structures - the interaction between positive and deficit symptoms - reveals psychopathological functions differentiated for each of dimensional structures. Negative disorders act as «transformers» modifying characteristics of primary transnosological positive disorders to the level of psychopathological structures preferable for schizophrenia; positive disorders, in their turn, act as «moderators» augmenting, amplifying manifestations of negative symptoms. This psychopathological construct of the correlation between dimensional structures paves a way for the development of a new concept of psychopharmacological treatment of schizophrenic deficit: both negative symptoms and amplifying positive symptoms are considered as «target symptoms» for pharmacological interventions.

Predictive Value of Slow and Fast EEG Oscillations for Methylphenidate Response in ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder and is characterized by symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity. In the current study, we obtained quantitative EEG (QEEG) recordings of 51 children aged between 6 and 12 years before the initiation of methylphenidate treatment. The relationship between changes in the scores of ADHD symptoms and initial QEEG features (power/power ratios values) were assessed. In addition, the children were classified as responder and nonresponder according to the ratio of their response to the medication (>25% improvement after medication). Logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the accuracy of QEEG features for predicting responders. The findings indicate that patients with increased delta power at F8, theta power at Fz, F4, C3, Cz, T5, and gamma power at T6 and decreased beta powers at F8 and P3 showed more improvement in ADHD hyperactivity symptoms. In addition, increased delta/beta power ratio at F8 and theta/beta power ratio at F8, F3, Fz, F4, C3, Cz, P3, and T5 showed negative correlations with Conners' score difference of hyperactivity as well. This means, those with greater theta/beta and delta/beta powers showed more improvement in hyperactivity following medication. Theta power at Cz and T5 and theta/beta power ratios at C3, Cz, and T5 have significantly classified responders and nonresponders according to the logistic binary regression analysis. The results show that slow and fast oscillations may have predictive value for treatment response in ADHD. Future studies should seek for more sensitive biomarkers.