Effects of web-based adapted physical activity on hippocampal plasticity, cardiorespiratory fitness, symptoms, and cardiometabolic markers in patients with schizophrenia: a randomized, controlled study

Among the lifestyle interventions, the physical activity (PA) has emerged as an adjuvant non-pharmacological treatment improving mental and physical health in patients with schizophrenia (SZPs) and increasing the hippocampus (HCP) volume. Previously investigated PA programs have been face-to-face, and not necessary adapted to patients' physiological fitness. We propose an innovative 16-week adapted PA program delivered by real-time videoconferencing (e-APA), allowing SZPs to interact with a coach and to manage their physical condition. The primary goal was to demonstrate a greater increase of total HCP volumes in SZPs receiving e-APA compared to that observed in a controlled group. The secondary objectives were to demonstrate the greater effects of e-APA compared to a controlled group on HCP subfields, cardiorespiratory fitness, clinical symptoms, cognitive functions, and lipidic profile. Thirty-five SZPs were randomized to either e-APA or a controlled group receiving a health education program under the same conditions (e-HE). Variables were assessed at pre- and post-intervention time-points. The dropout rate was 11.4%. Compared to the e-HE group, the e-APA group did not have any effect on the HCP total volumes but increased the left subiculum volume. Also, the e-APA group significantly increased cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max), improved lipidic profile and negative symptoms but not cognitive functions. This study demonstrated the high feasibility and multiple benefits of a remote e-APA program for SZPs. e-APA may increase brain plasticity and improve health outcomes in SZPs, supporting that PA should be an add-on therapeutic intervention. ClinicalTrial.gov on 25 august 2017 (NCT03261817).

[What antipsychotic drugs will be in the next decade?]

Antipsychotic drugs are one of the oldest drugs that can change the brain activity. These drugs are mainly used in schizophrenia and the first drug that was judged as efficacious in the treatment of psychosis has been chlorpromazine. This is a decade later that it has been shown that these drugs were antagonists at the dopamine transmission by blocking the dopamine D2/D3 receptors. Several other pharmacological targets have been tested during the last decades as glutamatergic, serotoninergic, cholinergic and neuropeptidergic agents but none has been shown to improve symptoms of schizophrenia. Three main issues could explain this failure: the exact causes of schizophrenia is still unknown, we still used the idea that one drug could improve all the symptoms of schizophrenia and it is clear that the group of schizophrenics disease could be different disease with different causes. We propose to review the different drugs that have been tested and we will discuss why the most recent genetic studies could help us to propose new pharmacological targets to treat schizophrenia.

Psychiatric and physical outcomes of long-term use of lithium in older adults with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder: A cross-sectional multicenter study

OBJECTIVE

Although lithium is widely used in current practice to treat bipolar disorder (BD) and treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) among older adults, little is known about its efficacy and tolerability in this population, which is generally excluded from randomized clinical trials. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of long-term use of lithium among older adults with BD and MDD.

METHOD

Data from the Cohort of individuals with Schizophrenia and mood disorders Aged 55 years or more (CSA) were used. Two groups of patients with BD and MDD were compared: those who were currently receiving lithium versus those who were not. The effects of lithium on psychiatric (i.e., depressive symptoms severity, perceived clinical severity, rates of psychiatric admissions in the past-year), geriatric (overall and cognitive functioning) and physical outcomes (i.e., rates of non-psychiatric medical comorbidities and general hospital admissions in the past-year) were evaluated. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, duration of disorder, diagnosis, smoking status, alcohol use, and use of antipsychotics, antiepileptics or antidepressants.

RESULTS

Among the 281 older participants with BD or MDD, 15.7% were taking lithium for a mean duration of 12.5(SD = 11.6) years. Lithium use was associated with lower intensity of depressive symptoms, reduced perceived clinical global severity and lower benzodiazepine use (all p < 0.05), without being linked to greater rates of medical comorbidities, except for hypothyroidism.

LIMITATIONS

Data were cross-sectional and data on lifetime history of psychotropic medications was not assessed.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that long-term lithium use may be efficient and relatively well-tolerated in older adults with BD or treatment-resistant MDD.

Paris MEM: a study protocol for an effectiveness and efficiency trial on the treatment of traumatic stress in France after the 2015-16 terrorist attacks

BACKGROUND

The Paris and Nice terrorist attacks affected a thousand of trauma victims and first-line responders. Because there were concerns that this might represent the first of several attacks, there was a need to quickly enhance the local capacities to treat a large number of individuals suffering from trauma-related disorders. Since Reconsolidation Therapy (RT) is brief, relatively easy to learn, well tolerated and effective, it appeared as the ideal first-line treatment to teach to clinicians in this context.

METHODS

This study protocol is a two-arm non-randomized, multicenter controlled trial, comparing RT to treatment as usual for the treatment of trauma-related disorders. RT consists of actively recalling one's traumatic event under the influence of the ß-blocker propranolol, once a week, for 10-25 min with a therapist, over 6 consecutive weeks. This protocol evaluates the feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-utility of implementing RT as part of a large multi-center (N = 400) pragmatic trial with a one-year follow-up.

DISCUSSION

Paris MEM is the largest trial to date assessing the efficiency of RT in the aftermath of a large-scale man-made disaster. RT could possibly reinforce the therapeutic arsenal for the treatment of patients suffering from trauma-related disorders, not only for communities in western countries but also worldwide for terror- or disaster-stricken communities.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Trials (ClinicalTrials.gov). June 3, 2016. NCT02789982.

[Validation of the French version of the self-evaluation of negative symptoms (SNS)]

INTRODUCTION

Schizophrenia is a disorder affecting 1% of the population and is associated with severe functional impairment. Negative symptoms are responsible for the majority of this impairment, and many patients with schizophrenia have negative symptoms. However, their evaluation is still a challenge. Thus, standardized assessments are needed to facilitate identification of these symptoms. Many tools have been developed, but most are based on observer ratings. Self-evaluation can provide an additional outcome measure and allow patients to be more engaged in their treatment. The Self-evaluation of Negative Symptoms (SNS) has been developed recently. This is a remarkably understandable instrument for patients with schizophrenia as it allows them to readily complete it without assistance, providing information with respect to their own perception of negative symptoms. The SNS is a self-assessment that permits patients to evaluate themselves in 5 dimensions of negative symptoms. This validation study for the SNS revealed good psychometric properties alongside satisfactory acceptance by patients.

AIM

This study was to confirm the validation of the French version of the self-evaluation of negative symptoms (SNS).

METHODS

Patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder according to the DSM-IV-R, with a stable regimen of anti-psychotic drugs for the last two months, aged more than 18 years old were eligible for the study. Symptoms were rated using the SNS, the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenics (CDSS), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Clinical Global Impression and Parkinsonism. Patients were asked to fulfill the SNS twice, 6 weeks apart.

RESULTS

Sixty patients were evaluated. Cronbach's coefficient (α=0.8) showed good internal consistency. The SNS significantly correlated with the SANS (r=0.6), the negative sub-score of the BPRS (r=0.6) and the Clinician Global Impression on the severity of negative symptoms (r=0.7). SNS scores did not correlate with level of insight (r=0.08) or Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale positive sub-scores (r=0.2). SNS scores correlated with CDSS scores. However, we did not find correlation between the first item of the CDSS which evaluates depression and the "diminished emotional range" sub-score of SNS. The test-retest of SNS revealed no changes of scores at two evaluations 6 weeks apart.

CONCLUSION

The acceptance by patients of the SNS was excellent. The French version of the SNS demonstrated a good internal consistency, good convergent validity and good discriminant validity. The study demonstrates the ability of patients with schizophrenia to accurately report their own experiences. Self-assessments of negative symptoms should be more widely employed in clinical practice because they may allow patients with schizophrenia to develop appropriate coping strategies.

[Association between the violence in the community and the aggressive behaviors of psychotics during their hospitalizations]

BACKGROUND

Violence is a common issue in psychiatry and has multiple determiners. The aim of this study is to assess the psychotic inpatients' violence in association with the violence of the neighborhood from which the patients are drawn and to estimate the impact of this environmental factor with regard to other factors.

METHOD

A prospective multicenter study was led in nine French cities. Eligible patients were psychotic involuntary patients hospitalized in the cities' psychiatric wards. During their treatments, any kind of aggressive behavior by the patients has been reported by the Overt Aggression Scale (OAS).

RESULTS

From June 2010 to May 2011, 95 patients have been included. Seventy-nine per cent of the patients were violent during their hospitalizations. In a bivariate analysis, inpatient violence was significantly associated with different factors: male gender, patient violence history, substance abuse, manic or mixed disorder, the symptoms severity measured by the BPRS, the insight degree and the city crime rate. In a multivariate analysis, the only significant factors associated with the patients' violence were substance abuse, the symptoms severity and the crime rates from the different patients' cities.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that violence within the psychotic patients' neighborhood could represent a risk of violence during their treatments.

Étude rétrospective sur l’efficacité et la tolérance à long terme de la clozapine sur les troubles du comportement dans les troubles du spectre autistique

Les troubles du spectre autistique (TSA) sont des troubles neuro-développementaux invalidants avec une grande hétérogénéité clinique. Beaucoup de patients avec un TSA présentent des troubles du comportement avec agressivité , ce qui perturbe leur socialisation, leurs apprentissages, leur maintien en établissement spécialisé et plus généralement, leur qualité de vie . Ces comportements-défis sont donc une cible thérapeutique privilégiée pour les praticiens. Parmi ces thérapeutiques, la clozapine a été utilisée avec succès pour atténuer les troubles du comportement, à court terme, chez les autistes âgés d’au moins 16 ans . L’objectif de ce travail est d’évaluer sur du plus long terme l’efficacité et la tolérance de la clozapine. Une étude rétrospective sur 14 patients a été menée en considérant 3 périodes (4 à 6 mois avant l’instauration du traitement, 4 à 6 mois après et le mois de novembre 2014, soit jusqu’à 5 ans après mise en place du traitement). Le critère de jugement principal était le nombre de jours par mois avec au moins un trouble du comportement, selon les critères du DC-LD (Diagnostic Criteria for Psychiatric Disorders for Use with Adults with Learning Disabilities/Mental Retardation (DC-LD, 2001). Avant l’introduction de la clozapine, la proportion moyenne des jours « avec agressivité » était de 13 jours ± 11,6, soit 43,3 %. Lors de l’évaluation de novembre 2014, la proportion moyenne des jours « avec agressivité » était de 5,67 jours ± 11,4, soit 18,9 %. Ainsi, à long terme de l’instauration de la clozapine, on observe une diminution de plus de 50 % de l’agressivité totale (56 %). Aucun effet secondaire grave, mettant en jeu le pronostic vital, n’a été constaté. Les données de notre étude suggèrent que la clozapine permettrait une réduction des troubles du comportement avec agressivité des personnes avec TSA, et cela même au long terme, avec une bonne tolérance.

[Pharmacological treatments in patients with pervasive developmental disorders: A review]

BACKGROUND

Pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) are neurodevelepmental disorders that are characterized by severe deficits in socialisation and communication, and the existence of repetitive and stereotyped interests and behaviours. It is estimated more than 60/100,000 children are suffering from PDD. Comorbid disorders are common in people with PDD, including intellectual deficiency, symptoms of attention deficit-hyperactivity, aggression and disruption, and pervasive repetitive behaviours or thoughts. These symptoms have a negative impact on the outcome and quality of life of the patients and their caregivers. The first-line management of comorbid disorders in PDD is behavioural intervention, but sometimes this is not sufficient, and the use of pharmacological treatment is needed.

METHOD

We conducted a review of studies of medical treatments used in patients with PDD to establish which treatments show good evidence of efficacy in PDD. We used the Medline database and the following keywords "pervasive development disorders" or "autism spectrum disorders" or "autistic disorder" and "therapy" or "treatment".

RESULTS

The treatments that showed the best efficacy on irritability in well-designed studies are second generation antipsychotics, risperidone and aripiprazole. Some studies indicate that haloperidol is efficient as well, but the very high frequency of extra-pyramidal effects limits its use. Methylphenidate has shown some efficacy on impulsivity and hyperactivity in randomised placebo-controlled studies. First data concerning atomoxetine are promising but better-designed studies are needed. Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors: fluvoxamine and fluoxetine have shown some efficacy in the treatment of serious and pervasive repetitive behaviours. Alpha-adrenergic treatments, clonidine and guanfacine, can help in the management of disruptive behaviours in patients with PDD. Data concerning naltrexone are contradictory, indeed many case reports of its efficacy on aggressive (mostly auto-aggressive) behaviours are reported in the literature, but well-designed studies do not find any improvement in patients treated with naltrexone compared with patients treated with placebo. First data concerning ocytocin are promising, indeed, if they were to be confirmed, that would be the first treatment efficient on the core symptoms of PDD.

Clozapine in the treatment of patients with autsim spectrum disorder and severe disruptive behaviours

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious childhood-onset disorder that affects all areas of development and is associated with disruptive symptoms including aggression and self injury. In ASD, risperidone and aripiprazole are the only second generation antipsychotic drugs (SGA) that have shown to decrease disruptive behaviours in controlled double-blind studies. However, some patients are not improved by these drugs. Clozapine, a SGA known to be effective to treat aggressiveness in schizophrenia, has received little attention in ASD. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the changes in disruptive for all patients with ASD who were treated with clozapine from 2002 to 2010. Disruptive behaviours were monitored during the 4 to 6 months before and after the initiation of clozapine, and long term tolerance (10 months to 7 years) was also assessed. The relationship between disruptive behaviours and periods of treatment was studied with a generalized linear marginal model. Clozapine resulted in a significant 2 fold decrease in the number of the days with aggression, a decrease of the number of psychotropic drugs and the dose of the antipsychotic drugs. The long term tolerance (white blood cell count, extrapyramidal effects) was good with the exception for a significant weight gain (of 22.3% +/- 18,2%), the occurence of metabolic syndrome in one patient and tachycardia in another patient.

These results suggest that clozapine should be considered for the management of disruptive behaviours in patients with ASD not improved by first line antipsychotic drugs.

P01-200-Validation of the french version of the affective disorder evaluation (ADE)

Objective

Despite the number of rating scales for mood disorder and semi-structured interview in psychiatry, they are few evaluations focused on bipolar disorder. Here, we report the validation of the French version of the ADE used in STEP-BD (Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder) studies.

Method

A total of 63 bipolar patients completed the ADE and French version of the DIGS (Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies). We compared the results between the two evaluations.

Results

There was a very good concordance between the two interview for the diagnosis of the type of bipolar diagnosis (κ = 1) and non-significative difference between the age at onset. The concordance coefficient was weak for addictions: alcohol (κ = 0.22) and cannabis (κ = 0.16), for anxiety disorder: panic attacks (κ = 0.35), phobia (κ = 0.36), obsessive-compulsive disorder (κ = 0) and anorexia (κ = 0.04), but stronger for psychosis: delusion (κ = 0.78), hallucinations (κ = 0.69), suicidal attempts (κ = 0.97), violence (κ = 0.47) and bulimia (κ = 0.47).

Conclusions

The affective disorder evaluation seems to be a useful instrument in clinical practice and in psychopharmacological studies, but not when the diagnosis of comorbities is necessary.

Lithium therapy and the risk of acute hemolysis in G6PD deficient bipolar patients

Introduction

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common enzyme deficiency worldwide. In this condition acute hemolysis is caused by exposure to an oxidative stressor in the form of an oxidative drug, an infection or aliments. G6PD deficiency can be associated to different psychiatric conditions, but little is known about the risk of acute hemolysis in G6PD deficient patients that are treated with antipsychotics and mood stabilizers.

Aims

A clinical description is presented in order to illustrate the possible risk of acute hemolysis with Lithium therapy in a G6PD patient.

Methods

A 33 years old male of hispanic origin and a G6PD enzyme deficiency was admitted presenting a first episode of mania. Lithium treatment was initiated.

The patient was clinically examined daily. Extensive laboratory evaluation was performed, including complete blood cell count, liver, renal and thyroid function tests, serum electrolytes and glucose levels, urinalysis, lithium blood dosage. Neuroimaging studies were also performed excluding secondary causes of mania.

Results

At J7 of lithium therapy the patient presented with jaundice and a blood count revealed a drop in the number of red blood cell (from 3,42 T/L to 2,42 T/L) with an increase of bilirubin (87,2 umol/l) which revealed an episode of acute hemolysis. Lithium therapy was discontinued immediately. Red blood cell count continued to drop for another 7 days and returned to normal after 2 weeks of discontinuation of Lihium therapy.

Conclusions

Lithium might be a trigger of acute hemolysis in bipolar patients with G6PD deficiency associated.

Charles Bonnet Syndrome and Vitamin b12 Deficiency: A Case Report

Visually impaired patients may experience complex visual hallucinations, a condition known as the Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS). in the elderly, vitamin B12 deficiency has been implicated in various psychiatric conditions such as dementia, depression, delirium.

Here we report the case of 78 years old women with low vision due to bilateral glaucoma and unilateral cataract who was admitted in our psychogeriatric unit for complex and repetitive visual hallucinations (male characters, visions of her childhood), localized in external space that occurred acutely, inducing emotional distress and paranoia in response to the imagery. She had no past history of any psychiatric disorder. Psychiatric and physical exam, lab test, neuropsychological testing, EEG and brain CT scan ruled out visual hallucination due to dementia, epilepsy, delirium, psychosis. Therefore, criteria for CBS diagnosis were fulfilled.

Emotional distress was so intense that risperidone (1 mg/day) was started that permitted better insight within few days. Plasma vitamin B12 was low (< 44 pmol/L) unless normal red blood cell count. Supplementation with vitamin B12 (1mg/day) was started and plasma vitamin B12 increased within 1 month (198 pmol/L). in the same time, visual hallucinations disappeared and riperidone was stopped. Three month later, supplementation with vitamin B12 was stopped and visual hallucinations reappeared as plasma vitamin B12 was 87 pmol/L. Therefore, vitamin B12 alone (1 mg/day) was administered again and the CBS disappeared within 2 weeks.

To our knowledge, this is the first report of CBS associated with vitamin B12 deficiency successfully improved by vitamin B12 supplementation.

Clozapine as an Antiagressive Agent in an Adolescent with Autism

Violent behaviours such as aggression or self-harming are commonly observed in persons with autistic disorders. They constitute the main reason for emergency admissions of these patients to the hospital and can sometimes result in substantial physical injuries toward the patients themselves or towards others. Atypical antipsychotics have been emerging for some years as the first-line pharmacologic treatment for violence in children with autism or other pervasive development disorders. in particular, the anti aggressive effect of risperidone and olanzapine has been found significant in double-blind, placebo-controlled trials and North American and European agencies recently approved the use of risperidone for the treatment of aggressiveness in children with autism. by contrast, clozapine has received very little attention so far.

Here we report the case of a 15-years old adolescent with autism whose severe tantrums and violent behaviours were not improved by risperidone or haloperidol but were drastically improved with clozapine (more than 40% reduction of violent events). the anti aggressive effect of clozapine has been sustained for one year of follow-up. No significant side effects were reported in this patient and co prescription was reduced by 50%. This case report suggests the importance to conduct controlled trials assessing the efficiency of clozapine for the treatment of aggressiveness in patients with autism. More generally, specific anti aggressive properties of clozapine are discussed in the light of the relevant literature.

The Dopamine D3 Receptor: A Therapeutic Target for the Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Disorders

The role of the D(3) receptor has remained largely elusive before the development of selective research tools, such as selective radioligands, antibodies, various highly specific pharmacological agents and knock-out mice. The data collected so far with these tools have removed some of the uncertainties regarding the functions mediated by the D(3) receptor. The D(3) receptor is an autoreceptor that controls the phasic, but not tonic activity of dopamine neurons. The D(3) receptor, via regulation of its expression by the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), mediates sensitization to dopamine indirect agonists. This process seems responsible for side-effects of levodopa (dyskinesia) in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD), as well as for some aspects of conditioning to drugs of abuse. The D(3) receptor mediates behavioral abnormalities elicited by glutamate/NMDA receptor blockade, which suggests D(3) receptor-selective antagonists as novel antipsychotic drugs. These data allow us to propose novel treatment options in PD, schizophrenia and drug addiction, which are awaiting evaluation in clinical trials.

[Confusion and delusions occurring during interferon-alpha treatment]

A number of side effects occurring during IFN therapy have been described. Psychiatric side effects include cognitive, behavioural and affective changes, confusion and, less commonly, psychotic symptoms. We report the case of a 52-year-old patient who had been treated for almost three years with IFN alpha for a chronic myelogenous leukemia and who presented an acute confusional episode with delusions, following the reintroduction of IFN alpha after a therapy suspension of 2 weeks. Clinical improvement occurred quite rapidly after cessation of the IFN treatment; this evolution and the normality of the biological tests, EEG and cerebral imagery suggest a causal relationship between this treatment and the psychiatric symptoms.

BDNF controls dopamine D3 receptor expression and triggers behavioural sensitization

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), like other neurotrophins, is a polypeptidic factor initially regarded to be responsible for neuron proliferation, differentiation and survival, through its uptake at nerve terminals and retrograde transport to the cell body. A more diverse role for BDNF has emerged progressively from observations showing that it is also transported anterogradely, is released on neuron depolarization, and triggers rapid intracellular signals and action potentials in central neurons. Here we report that BDNF elicits long-term neuronal adaptations by controlling the responsiveness of its target neurons to the important neurotransmitter, dopamine. Using lesions and gene-targeted mice lacking BDNF, we show that BDNF from dopamine neurons is responsible for inducing normal expression of the dopamine D3 receptor in nucleus accumbens both during development and in adulthood. BDNF from corticostriatal neurons also induces behavioural sensitization, by triggering overexpression of the D3 receptor in striatum of hemiparkinsonian rats. Our results suggest that BDNF may be an important determinant of pathophysiological conditions such as drug addiction, schizophrenia or Parkinson's disease, in which D3 receptor expression is abnormal.

[Validation of the French translation and factorial structure of the Tiffany and Drobes Smoking Urge Questionnaire]

Over the past 10 years researches and clinicians have made substantial progress in understanding and treating nicotine dependence. To demonstrate the effectiveness of these treatments, reliable and sensitive measures of change and outcome must be used. In the nicotine dependence treatment literature numerous outcome have been used: frequencies drug use, problems associated with substance use, psychiatric comorbidity, withdrawal severity, and craving. The term craving reflects the subjective reports of addicts regarding their attempts to abstain from drug use and the state of their minds at the point at which they attempt to fail. Exposure to cues previously associated with nicotine play a role in precipitating relapse in eliciting a conditioned craving/withdrawal response and can be measures by the Questionnaire of Smoking Urge (QSU).

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

Validation in a French translated version of the QSU published in 1991 by Tiffany and Drobes.

METHODOLOGY

42 male and 62 female participated in the study with the translated questionnaire: mean age was 36.7 years, mean age at starting and mean duration of tobacco consumption was respectively 20.2 years old and 16.5 years, daily consumption was 16.6 cigarettes per day. The French translation of the QSU was administered to smokers instructed to abstain from smoking one hour and a half to three hours.

RESULTS

The back translation has been accepted by Tiffany because more than 85% of the items are similar to the original questionnaire. We founded the same factor analysis with two factors, "desire to smoke" and "intention to smoke" accounting for 34% and 11% of the items variance, respectively. These two factors were the same than those of the original questionnaire.

CONCLUSION

The validation of the French translation of the QSU gives the opportunity to use a sensitive instrument to assess craving.

Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene variants association with age at onset and therapeutic response in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a heterogeneous disease involving genetic and environmental factors. The frequency of structural brain abnormalities or physical anomalies supports a neurodevelopmental etiology, especially in early onset schizophrenia. Brain-Derived-Neurotrophic-Factor (BDNF) is involved in the neurodevelopment of dopaminergic (DA)-related systems and interacts with the meso-limbic DA systems, involved in the therapeutic response to antipsychotic drugs and substance abuse. In addition, BDNF promotes and maintains dopamine D3 receptor (DRD3) expression. In a French Caucasian population, we found no statistical difference in allele or genotype distribution of the BDNF gene dinucleotide repeat polymorphism (166-174 bp) between the whole group of schizophrenic patients and controls. By contrast, an excess of the 172-176 bp alleles was found in patients with late onset, in neuroleptic-responding patients and in non-substance-abusing patients. BDNF gene variants thus appear to be associated with developmental features of schizophrenia. In addition, this association with good treatment responding was independent from the association found with the DRD3 Ball gene polymorphism in the same population. These results suggest an independent contribution of each gene to a treatment-sensitive form of schizophrenia.