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Lepage M, Guimond S, Raedler T, McNeely HE, Ungar T, Margolese HC, Best M. Strategies for Achieving Better Cognitive Health in Individuals with Schizophrenia Spectrum: A Focus on the Canadian Landscape: Stratégies pour atteindre une meilleure santé cognitive chez les personnes souffrant du spectre de la schizophrénie : un regard sur le paysage canadien. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE 2024:7067437241261928. [PMID: 39051555 DOI: 10.1177/07067437241261928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) are a group of psychiatric disorders characterized by positive and negative symptoms as well as cognitive impairment that can significantly affect daily functioning. METHOD We reviewed evidence-based strategies for improving cognitive function in patients with SSDs, focusing on the Canadian landscape. RESULTS Although antipsychotic medications can address the positive symptoms of SSDs, cognitive symptoms often persist, causing functional impairment and reduced quality of life. Moreover, cognitive function in patients with SSDs is infrequently assessed in clinical practice, and evidence-based recommendations for addressing cognitive impairment in people living with schizophrenia are limited. While cognitive remediation (CR) can improve several domains of cognitive function, most individuals with SSDs are currently not offered such an intervention. While the development of implementation strategies for CR is underway, available and emerging pharmacological treatments may help overcome the limited capacity for psychosocial approaches. Furthermore, combining pharmacological with non-pharmacological interventions may improve outcomes compared to pharmacotherapy or CR alone. CONCLUSION This review highlights the challenges and discusses the potential solutions related to the assessment and management of cognitive impairment to help mental health-care practitioners better manage cognitive impairment and improve daily functioning in individuals with SSDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Lepage
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Synthia Guimond
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
| | - Thomas Raedler
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Heather E McNeely
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences & St. Joseph Healthcare Hamilton, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas Ungar
- Department of Psychiatry, North York General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Howard C Margolese
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre, Allan Memorial Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael Best
- Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Guimond S, Alftieh A, Devenyi GA, Mike L, Chakravarty MM, Shah JL, Parker DA, Sweeney JA, Pearlson G, Clementz BA, Tamminga CA, Keshavan M. Enlarged pituitary gland volume: a possible state rather than trait marker of psychotic disorders. Psychol Med 2024; 54:1835-1843. [PMID: 38357733 PMCID: PMC11132920 DOI: 10.1017/s003329172300380x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enlarged pituitary gland volume could be a marker of psychotic disorders. However, previous studies report conflicting results. To better understand the role of the pituitary gland in psychosis, we examined a large transdiagnostic sample of individuals with psychotic disorders. METHODS The study included 751 participants (174 with schizophrenia, 114 with schizoaffective disorder, 167 with psychotic bipolar disorder, and 296 healthy controls) across six sites in the Bipolar-Schizophrenia Network on Intermediate Phenotypes consortium. Structural magnetic resonance images were obtained, and pituitary gland volumes were measured using the MAGeT brain algorithm. Linear mixed models examined between-group differences with controls and among patient subgroups based on diagnosis, as well as how pituitary volumes were associated with symptom severity, cognitive function, antipsychotic dose, and illness duration. RESULTS Mean pituitary gland volume did not significantly differ between patients and controls. No significant effect of diagnosis was observed. Larger pituitary gland volume was associated with greater symptom severity (F = 13.61, p = 0.0002), lower cognitive function (F = 4.76, p = 0.03), and higher antipsychotic dose (F = 5.20, p = 0.02). Illness duration was not significantly associated with pituitary gland volume. When all variables were considered, only symptom severity significantly predicted pituitary gland volume (F = 7.54, p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS Although pituitary volumes were not increased in psychotic disorders, larger size may be a marker associated with more severe symptoms in the progression of psychosis. This finding helps clarify previous inconsistent reports and highlights the need for further research into pituitary gland-related factors in individuals with psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Synthia Guimond
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts Mental Health Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ahmad Alftieh
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Gabriel A. Devenyi
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - Luke Mike
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts Mental Health Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M. Mallar Chakravarty
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University Montréal, QC, Canada
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - Jai L. Shah
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - David A. Parker
- Department of Psychology, BioImaging Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of and Neuroscience, BioImaging Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - John A. Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Godfrey Pearlson
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Brett A. Clementz
- Department of Psychology, BioImaging Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of and Neuroscience, BioImaging Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Carol A. Tamminga
- Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Matcheri Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts Mental Health Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Le ATP, Higuchi Y, Sumiyoshi T, Itoh H, Sasabayashi D, Takahashi T, Suzuki M. Analysis of polyunsaturated fatty acids in antipsychotic-free individuals with at-risk mental state and patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1188452. [PMID: 37564244 PMCID: PMC10410072 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1188452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Abnormalities in membrane phospholipids are considered one of the pathophysiological backgrounds for schizophrenia. This study, explores the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes and its association with clinical characteristics in two groups: individuals with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) and patients experiencing their first-episode of schizophrenia (FES). Materials and methods This study measured erythrocyte membrane fatty acids in 72 antipsychotic-free individuals with ARMS, 18 antipsychotic-free patients with FES, and 39 healthy volunteers. Clinical symptoms and cognitive and social functions were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS), Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS), and Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS). Results Eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic acid levels were lower in the ARMS and FES groups than in the healthy control group. In contrast, nervonic acid (NA) levels were markedly higher in the ARMS and FES groups than in the controls, while only the FES group showed higher levels of arachidonic acid. Oleic acid and NA levels were significantly associated with PANSS scores in both the FES and ARMS groups, particularly for the negative and general subscores. However, the patient groups had no significant associations between the fatty acid composition and the BACS, SCoRS, and SOFAS scores. Furthermore, the baseline fatty acid composition did not differ between the ARMS individuals who later developed psychosis (N = 6) and those who were followed for more than 2 years without developing psychosis onset (N = 30). Discussion The findings suggest that abnormal fatty acid compositions may be shared in the early stages of schizophrenia and the clinical high-risk state for psychosis and may serve as vulnerability markers of psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh Thi Phuong Le
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Yuko Higuchi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomiki Sumiyoshi
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroko Itoh
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
| | - Daiki Sasabayashi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Takahashi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Michio Suzuki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama, Japan
- Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
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Thalamic and striato-pallidal volumes in schizophrenia patients and individuals at risk for psychosis: A multi-atlas segmentation study. Schizophr Res 2022; 243:268-275. [PMID: 32448678 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite previous neuroimaging studies demonstrating morphological abnormalities of the thalamus and other subcortical structures in patients with schizophrenia, the potential role of the thalamus and its subdivisions in the pathophysiology of this illness remains elusive. It is also unclear whether similar changes of these structures occur in individuals at high risk for psychosis. In this study, magnetic resonance imaging was employed with the Multiple Automatically Generated Templates (MAGeT) brain segmentation algorithm to determine volumes of the thalamic subdivisions, the striatum (caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens), and the globus pallidus in 62 patients with schizophrenia, 38 individuals with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) [4 of whom (10.5%) subsequently developed schizophrenia], and 61 healthy subjects. Cognitive function of the patients was assessed by using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) and the Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS). Thalamic volume (particularly the medial dorsal and ventral lateral nuclei) was smaller in the schizophrenia group than the ARMS and control groups, while there were no differences for the striatum and globus pallidus. In the schizophrenia group, the reduction of thalamic ventral lateral nucleus volume was significantly associated with lower BACS score. The pallidal volume was positively correlated with the dose of antipsychotic treatment in the schizophrenia group. These results suggest that patients with schizophrenia, but not those with ARMS, exhibit volume reduction in specific thalamic subdivisions, which may underlie core clinical features of this illness.
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Yamada K, Watanabe M, Suzuki K. Reduced pituitary volume with relative T1 shortening correlates with behavior in Prader-Willi syndrome. Biomark Neuropsychiatry 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bionps.2021.100039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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Social functioning and brain imaging in individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis: A systematic review. Schizophr Res 2021; 233:3-12. [PMID: 34126554 PMCID: PMC8380704 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2021.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Impairments in social functioning are a core impairment in psychosis and are associated with poor outcomes. These deficits are found in those at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis, and can persist even in the absence of transition. However, the neurobiological underpinnings of social functioning remain unclear, therefore we conducted a systematic review of brain metrics that have been associated with social functioning in youth at CHR for psychosis. Five databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, EBM reviews, Embase, and PsycINFO) were searched from inception to May 5, 2020. Studies were selected if they examined brain imaging, and social functioning in youth at CHR for psychosis. Of the 9629 citations found through online database searching, 12 studies with 696 CHR participants met inclusion criteria. Too few studies were focused on the same brain region using the same methodology to perform a meta-analysis, however, loci within the prefrontal cortex were most often associated with social functioning. Few studies have linked social functioning to brain imaging metrics, suggesting that future work should focus on this relationship.
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Randers L, Fagerlund B, Jepsen JRM, Nordholm D, Krakauer K, Hjorthøj C, Glenthøj B, Nordentoft M. Interview and questionnaire assessment of cognitive impairment in subjects at ultra-high risk for psychosis: Associations with cognitive test performance, psychosocial functioning, and positive symptoms. Psychiatry Res 2020; 294:113498. [PMID: 33157481 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Impaired cognitive test performance is well-documented in subjects at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis. However, assessment of cognitive deficits as manifested in real life is a neglected area of UHR research that may add to the understanding of cognitive impairment and its relationship with psychosocial functioning and positive symptomatology. This study applied the interview-based Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS) and the questionnaire-based Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Adult Version (BRIEF-A) in a cross-sectional sample of 39 UHR subjects and 50 healthy controls. Cognitive test performance, psychosocial functioning, and positive symptoms were also assessed. The UHR subjects demonstrated significant cognitive impairment, with large effect sizes for the SCoRS and BRIEF-A composite outcome variables (rs = -0.67 to -0.80) and a neurocognitive composite score (d = -0.97). Within the UHR group, several significant associations between worse cognitive ratings and worse cognitive test performance (rs = -0.210 to -0.343), poorer psychosocial functioning (rs = -0.058 to -0.728), and worse positive symptoms (rs= 0.415 to 0.478) were found. Worse cognitive test performance showed significant associations with more pronounced positive symptoms (rs = -0.299 to -0.457). Interview and questionnaire assessment may hold promise for supplementing traditional performance-based cognitive assessment in identifying treatment targets in the UHR population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lasse Randers
- Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health - CORE, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CINS), Mental Health Center Glostrup, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Birgitte Fagerlund
- Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CINS), Mental Health Center Glostrup, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CNSR), Mental Health Center Glostrup, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Richardt M Jepsen
- Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health - CORE, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CINS), Mental Health Center Glostrup, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CNSR), Mental Health Center Glostrup, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Center, Mental Health Services Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark
| | - Dorte Nordholm
- Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health - CORE, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CINS), Mental Health Center Glostrup, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; Functional Imaging Unit, Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark
| | - Kristine Krakauer
- Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health - CORE, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CINS), Mental Health Center Glostrup, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; Functional Imaging Unit, Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark
| | - Carsten Hjorthøj
- Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health - CORE, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Birte Glenthøj
- Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CINS), Mental Health Center Glostrup, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CNSR), Mental Health Center Glostrup, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Merete Nordentoft
- Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health - CORE, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CINS), Mental Health Center Glostrup, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark; University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Association between olfactory sulcus morphology and olfactory functioning in schizophrenia and psychosis high-risk status. Heliyon 2019; 5:e02642. [PMID: 31667432 PMCID: PMC6812217 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Olfactory impairment has been reported in patients with schizophrenia and individuals with a high risk of psychosis, but its neural basis is largely unknown. We used magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the morphology of the olfactory sulcus (an indicator of olfactory system development) and its relation to olfactory function in 38 persons with an at-risk mental state (ARMS), 62 patients with schizophrenia, and 61 healthy controls. Odor detection and identification were examined with a T & T olfactometer. Compared with the controls, the olfactory sulcus was significantly shallower and odor identification was inferior among the ARMS and schizophrenia subjects. Across all subjects, but not within each group, the olfactory sulcus depth was significantly related to better identification of odors. Our results support the concept that olfactory sulcus morphology reflects the neurodevelopmental process of the olfactory system.
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