Group Horticulture Program on Psychiatric Symptoms in Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia

Purpose: Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a trophic mediator that is regulated by growth hormone and associated with the proliferation, development, and growth of neural cells. IGF-1 may be associated with the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, but this association remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum IGF-1 levels and psychiatric symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia.Patients and Methods: A total of 65 patients were recruited from the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Komine Eto Hospital, Moji Matsugae Hospital, Shin-Moji Hospital, and Tsutsumi Hospital in Kitakyushu between September 2019 and June 2020. Further, 20 healthy age- and sex-matched control participants were recruited from the Komine Eto Hospital and the University of Occupational and Environmental Health. Patients with schizophrenia were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale. Serum levels of free plus albumin-bound IGF-1 (IGF-1) were measured by immunoradiometric assay. The measurements were performed using antibody beads for bound/free separation. Associations between serum IGF-1 levels and the PANSS scores were determined. We also examined the associations between serum IGF-1 levels and diabetes, antipsychotic drug use, and disease duration.Results: No significant difference was found in the serum IGF-1 level between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Serum IGF-1 levels were significantly negatively correlated with the PANSS total score (R2 = 0.06, p = 0.015) and PANSS general score (R2 = 0.088, p = 0.008), but not with the PANSS positive scores and PANSS negative scores. Serum IGF-1 levels were not related to the prevalence of diabetes (p = 0.64). However, a significant correlation was observed between serum IGF-1 levels and age (B = −1.88, p < 0.0001). Serum IGF-1 levels could not distinguish patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls.Conclusion: The association between serum IGF-1 levels and psychiatric symptoms may be complicated in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Download Full-text

Cognitive Dysfunctions in Chronic Schizophrenia Patients in Relationship with Clinical and Functional Capacity

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(09)71438-5 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (S1) ◽

pp. 1-1

Author(s):

C. Tintila ◽

I.V. Miclutia ◽

C. Popescu ◽

I. Barsan

Keyword(s):

Functional Capacity ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Cognitive Impairments ◽

Chronic Schizophrenia ◽

Control Group ◽

Central Feature ◽

List Type ◽

Global Functioning ◽

Cognitive Dysfunctions

Aims:The aims of the current study are:•To examine the clinical symptoms and functional capacity of the patients.•To evaluate the cognitive dysfunctions and to see how they develop in 6 month.•To examine the relationship between clinical and functional capacity and the cognitive dysfunctions of the chronic schizophrenia patients.Method:24 people with chronic schizophrenia were followed up 6 month along with a control group of 50 individuals free from schizophrenia. Patients were diagnosed using DSM-IV criteria, assessed with the PANSS, GAF, to evaluate psychiatric symptoms, respectively functionality. Rey Memory Test, Trail Making, Spatial Recognition Memory (SRM),Spatial Working Memory (SWM), Paired Associated Learning (PAL), Spatial Spam (SSP) and Stoking of Cambridge (SOC) from the CANTAB were applied to all patients at the start point of the study and after 6 month, in order to evaluate the cognitive functions.Results:The overall performance of chronic schizophrenia patients was significantly lower compared to healthy individuals on all cognitive tasks. the cognitive dysfunction is independent of age and intellectual level, but does correlate with global functioning and remain stable. CANTAB is a useful tool to detect and estimate the cognitive impairments.Conclusions:The current study reveals that cognitive impairments are a central feature of schizophrenia and a major cause of poor functioning of the patients. the chronic schizophrenia patients perform worse on all investigated cognitive domains (memory, attention and executive function). the reviewed studies show different opinions about the development of these impairments. Further longitudinal studies are required in order to settle if they remain stable or progress in time.

Download Full-text

Psychiatric symptoms mediate the effects of neurological soft signs on functional outcomes in patients with chronic schizophrenia: A longitudinal path-analytic study

Psychiatry Research ◽

10.1016/j.psychres.2017.01.023 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 249 ◽

pp. 152-158 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ted C.T. Fong ◽

Rainbow T.H. Ho ◽

Adrian H.Y. Wan ◽

Friendly S.W. Au-Yeung

Keyword(s):

Functional Outcomes ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Chronic Schizophrenia ◽

Analytic Study ◽

Neurological Soft Signs ◽

Path Analytic

Download Full-text

Plasma homovanillic acid, noradrenaline and psychotic symptoms in chronically medicated schizophrenic in patients

Acta Neuropsychiatrica ◽

10.1017/s0924270800040047 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 49-52

Author(s):

Y. Kaneda ◽

A. Fujii

Keyword(s):

Informed Consent ◽

Patient Group ◽

Homovanillic Acid ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Chronic Schizophrenia ◽

Normal Subjects ◽

Psychotic Symptoms ◽

Neuroleptic Medication ◽

Dsm Iv

SummaryObjective:The authors investigated plasma homovanillic acid (HVA) levels and noradrenaline (NA) in chronically medicated schizophrenic inpatients.Methods:The subjects were 55 inpatients who were diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia. Nine normal subjects were compared to the patient group. Each patient gave informed consent for the research involved in this study. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the BPRS.Results:(1) The medicated schizophrenic inpatients had significantly greater plasma NA levels, and higher but nonsignificant plasma HVA levels than the normal subjects.(2) In patients, there was a positive but nonsignificant correlation between the plasma NA levels and positive symptomatology. In contrast, plasma HVA levels were not correlated with either positive or negative symptomatology.Conclusion:On the basis of these results, we hypothesize that, mainly because of their catecholaminergic dysfunction, there is an increase in plasma NA and a tendency for increased plasma HVA in patients with chronic schizophrenia, regardless of long-term neuroleptic medication.

Download Full-text

Effect of CYP2D6 polymorphisms on plasma concentration and therapeutic effect of risperidone

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-020-03034-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jinjun Lu ◽

Ye Yang ◽

Jian Lu ◽

Zuqing Wang ◽

Yiping He ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plasma Concentration ◽

Side Effects ◽

High Performance ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Plasma Concentrations ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Chronic Schizophrenia ◽

Metabolic Effects ◽

Adverse Side Effects

Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate the influence of CYP2D6 polymorphisms on risperidone plasma concentrations in patients with schizophrenia. Based on pharmacogenomics, we examined whether plasma concentration of risperidone is associated with clinical response and adverse side-effects. Methods We recruited patients with chronic schizophrenia who were then treated with risperidone. The CYP2D6 genotypes were determined using targeted sequencing. All high-frequency mutation sites of the nine exons of the gene were assayed in the present study. Plasma concentrations of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone (9-OH-RIS) were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Psychiatric symptoms were monitored using The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Adverse effects were evaluated using the Barnes Akathisia Scale (BAS) and Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS). Follow-up visits were scheduled at weeks 2,4, and 8 after treatment initiation. Results Among the 76 patients, 100 C > T (rs1065852), 1038 C > T (rs1081003), 1662 G > C (rs1058164), 2851 C > T (rs16947), and 4181G > C (rs1135840) variants were detected. The most common allele was CYP2D6*10 (81.6%), whereas CYP2D6*2 (9.2%) and CYP2D6*5 (17.1%) were relatively rare. Plasma levels of risperidone and the risperidone/9-OH risperidone ratio (R/9-OH) were significantly increased in individuals with CYP2D6*10 (P < 0.05). The change in PANSS score, weight, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level, prolactin (PRL) level, and ESRS were significantly different from baseline, between the different genotypes (P < 0.01). Moreover, individuals with CYP2D6*10 homozygous (TT) mutations were associated with higher risperidone concentration and R/9-OH ratio than those with heterozygous mutations (CT) (P < 0.01). A change from baseline in BPRS scores was observed only during week 8 and was different between heterozygous and homozygous mutations. As for the C2851T polymorphism, the incidence of adverse metabolic effects was significantly different between the C/C and C/T genotypes (P < 0.01). Regarding the G4181C polymorphisms, the changes from baseline in GLU and TG, were different between the C/C and C/G genotypes (P < 0.01). Conclusions The genotype of CYP2D6 significantly influences the plasma concentration of risperidone and may subsequently influence the adverse side-effects following risperidone treatment, while also exerting a slight influence on clinical outcomes.

Download Full-text

the Deleterious Effect of Cognitive Impairment, Negative Symptoms and Functional Disability on Quality of Life in Chronic Schizophrenia

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(09)71425-7 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (S1) ◽

pp. 1-1

Author(s):

E. Elizagárate ◽

P. Sánchez ◽

A.B. Yoller ◽

J. Peña ◽

N. Ojeda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Functional Disability ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Neuropsychological Functioning ◽

Chronic Schizophrenia ◽

Motor Speed

Aims:To examine the relative contributions of psychiatric symptoms, functional disability, neuropsychological functioning and sociodemographic variables to quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic schizophrenia.Method:We examined 165 hospitalised patients with long term schizophrenia (DSM-IV). Measures of psychiatric symptoms included depression (Calgary depression Scale), insight (David Insight Scale), symptom severity (BPRS) and PANSS (Positive and Negative Symptom Scale). Neuropsychological battery included tests for verbal memory, executive functioning, verbal fluency, working memory, motor speed and processing speed. Functional disability was assessed with the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS-WHO) and Quality of life was assessed with the Quality of Life Scale.Results:Age, years of evolution, negative symptoms, insight and neuropsychological variables (except motor speed) all were significantly related to level of quality of life. in a multiple regression analysis, entering the neuropsychological functioning, functional disability and negative symptoms generated a model which accounted for a 74.9% of the variance in QOL. Functional disability, as expected, accounted for 56% of the variance, whereas Processing Speed explained an additional 6.2%. Symptom Severity and Verbal Fluency predicted 3.7% and 3.5% of the variance, respectively. Negative symptoms, Verbal Memory and Vocabulary, were also significant predictors in the model, but had less predictive value. However, Positive Symptoms and Sociodemographic Variables did not significantly contribute to predict quality of life.Conclusion:Our findings support the predictive value of neuropsychological functioning, functional disability and severity of negative symptoms in long term quality of life in schizophrenia.

Download Full-text

A Metabolomics Study of Serum in Hospitalized Patients With Chronic Schizophrenia

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.763547 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Naomichi Okamoto ◽

Atsuko Ikenouchi ◽

Keita Watanabe ◽

Ryohei Igata ◽

Rintaro Fujii ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Logistic Regression ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

Roc Analysis ◽

Urea Cycle ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Principal Component ◽

Chronic Schizophrenia ◽

Hospitalized Patients ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Glutamate Metabolism

Purpose: Metabolomics has attracted attention as a new method for understanding the molecular mechanisms of psychiatric disorders. Current metabolomics technology allows us to measure over hundreds of metabolites at a time and is a useful indicator of the consequences of complex and continuous changes in metabolic profiles due to the execution of genomic information and external factors of biological activity. Therefore, metabolomics is imperative to the discovery of biomarkers and mechanisms associated with pathophysiological processes. In this study, we investigated metabolites changes in hospitalized patients with chronic schizophrenia compared to that in healthy controls, and examined the correlations between the metabolites and psychiatric symptoms.Patients and Methods: Thirty patients with schizophrenia and ten healthy controls participated in this study between September 2019 and June 2020. The mean duration of disease in patients with schizophrenia was 26 years. Clinical and neuropsychiatric symptoms of patients with schizophrenia were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Metabolomics was conducted using Capillary Electrophoresis Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (CE-FTMS), using serum samples from patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Metabolomics assigned a candidate compound to the 446 (cation 279, anion 167) peaks. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), logistic regression analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and linear regression analysis were used to analyze the metabolites changes, identifying the disease and the relationship between metabolites and psychiatric symptoms.Results: HCA showed that approximately 60% of metabolites had lower peak values in patients with schizophrenia than in healthy controls. Glutamate metabolism and the urea cycle had the highest proportions in the metabolic pathway, which decreased in patients with schizophrenia. PCA showed a clear separation between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls in the first principal component (the contribution ratio of the first principal component was 15.9%). Logistic regression analysis suggested that the first principal component was a predictor of disease (odds = 1.36, 95%CI = 1.11–1.67, p = 0.0032). ROC analysis showed a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 100% for the diagnosis of schizophrenia with a cut-off value of the first principal component; −3.33 (AUC = 0.95). We extracted the high factor loading for the first principal component. Gamma-glutamyl-valine (γ-Glu-Val) was significantly negatively correlated with PANSS total scores (r = −0.45, p = 0.012) and PANSS general scores (r = −0.49, p = 0.0055). Gamma-glutamyl-phenylalanine (γ-Glu-Phe) was significantly negatively correlated with PANSS total score (r = −0.40, p = 0.031) and PANSS general score (r = −0.41, p = 0.025). Tetrahydrouridine was significantly positively correlated with PANSS negative scores (r = 0.53, p = 0.0061).Conclusion: Metabolites changes in hospitalized patients with chronic schizophrenia showed extensive and generalized declines. Glutamate metabolism and the urea cycle had the highest proportions in the metabolic pathway, which decreased in the schizophrenia group. Metabolomic analysis was useful to identify chronic schizophrenia. Some glutamate compound metabolites had a relationship with psychiatric symptoms.

Download Full-text

Pilot Study of the Effects of Cognitive Remediation Therapy Using the Frontal/Executive Program for Treating Chronic Schizophrenia

The Open Psychology Journal ◽

10.2174/1874350101609010121 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 09 (1) ◽

pp. 121-128 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hidetoshi Omiya ◽

Kiyoko Yamashita ◽

Tomoki Miyata ◽

Yukie Hatakeyama ◽

Maki Miyajima ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Function ◽

Scale Score ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Cognitive Remediation ◽

Japanese Version ◽

Chronic Schizophrenia ◽

Social Function ◽

Cognitive Remediation Therapy ◽

Before And After ◽

Executive Program

Introduction:Cognitive Remediation Therapy is a new rehabilitation approach that has been created in order to improve cognitive functions such as attention, memory and executive function. We aimed to investigate the effects of one type of Cognitive Remediation Therapy, the Frontal/Executive Program, on cognitive function, social function, and psychiatric symptoms in the chronic phase schizophrenia patients.Methods:Seventeen participants who gave consent were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=8) or control group (n=9). The intervention consisted of 44 sessions of FEP over a period of approximately six months. Cognitive function, social function, and psychiatric symptoms were evaluated before and after the intervention and before and after a roughly six-month long period for controls. Results: The present study showed improvements in Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia-Japanese version composite score and subscales of verbal memory and working memory. Improvements were also observed in overall evaluation in the Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale-Japanese version, total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale score. FEP is considered to improve the performance of cognitive function tests and social function tests and psychiatric symptoms tests that are the target of this training.Conclusion:Intervention by Frontal/Executive Program improved cognitive function and psychiatric symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia with long disease duration who require large doses of medication. Significant effects of intervention were observed in overall patient, informant and interviewer evaluation in social function test. FEP is a training method the primary means pencil and paper, it is possible to inexpensively implement when compared to the other CRT that uses a computer. There is an advantage that less economic cost.

Download Full-text