scholarly journals Belief Updating and Paranoia in Individuals with Schizophrenia

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Sheffield ◽  
Praveen Suthaharan ◽  
Pantelis Leptourgos ◽  
Philip R. Corlett

Background and Hypothesis: Persecutory delusions are among the most common delusions in schizophrenia and represent the extreme end of the paranoia continuum. Paranoia is accompanied by significant worry and distress. Identifying cognitive mechanisms underlying paranoia is critical for advancing treatment. We hypothesized that aberrant belief updating, which is related to paranoia in human and animal models, would also contribute to persecutory beliefs in individuals with schizophrenia. Study Design: Belief updating was assessed in 42 schizophrenia and 44 healthy participants, using a 3-option probabilistic reversal learning (3-PRL) task. Hierarchical Gaussian filter (HGF) was used to estimate computational parameters of belief updating. Paranoia was measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the revised Green et al. Paranoid Thoughts Scale (R-GPTS). Unusual thought content was measured with the Psychosis Symptom Rating Scale (PSYRATS) and the Peters et al. Delusions Inventory (PDI-21). Worry was measured using the Dunn Worry Questionnaire. Results: Consistent with prior work, paranoia was significantly associated with elevated win-switch rate, prior on volatility and sensitivity to volatility in both schizophrenia and across the whole sample. These relationships were specific to paranoia and did not extend to unusual thought content or measures of anxiety. We did, however, find a significant indirect effect of paranoia on the relationship between prior beliefs about volatility and worry. Conclusions: This work provides evidence that relationships between belief updating parameters and paranoia extend to schizophrenia, may be specific to persecutory beliefs, and contribute to theoretical models implicating worry in the maintenance of persecutory delusions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dandan Li ◽  
Fengyan Zhang ◽  
Lu Wang ◽  
Yifan Zhang ◽  
Tingting Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Numerous studies have identified impaired decision making (DM) under both ambiguity and risk in adult patients with schizophrenia. However, the assessment of DM in patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia (AOS) has been challenging as a result of the instability and heterogeneity of manifestations. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and Game of Dice Task (GDT), which are frequently used to evaluate DM respectively under ambiguity and risk, are sensitive to adolescents and neuropsychiatric patients. Our research intended to examine the performance of DM in a relatively large sample of patients with AOS using the above-mentioned two tasks. We also aimed to take a closer look at the relationship between DM and symptom severity of schizophrenia. Methods We compared the performance of DM in 71 patients with AOS and 53 well-matched healthy controls using IGT for DM under ambiguity and GDT for DM under risk through net scores, total scores and feedback ration. Neuropsychological tests were conducted in all participants. Clinical symptoms were evaluated by using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in 71 patients with AOS. Pearson’s correlation revealed the relationship among total score of DM and clinical and neuropsychological data. Results Compared to healthy controls, patients with AOS failed to show learning effect and had a significant difference on the 5th block in IGT and conducted more disadvantageous choices as well as exhibited worse negative feedback rate in GDT. Apart from DM impairment under risk, diminished DM abilities under ambiguity were found related to poor executive function in AOS in the present study. Conclusions Our findings unveiled the abnormal pattern of DM in AOS, mainly reflected under the risky condition, extending the knowledge on the performance of DM under ambiguity and risk in AOS. Inefficient DM under risk may account for the lagging impulse control and the combined effects of developmental disease. In addition, our study demonstrated that the performance on IGT was related to executive function in AOS.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 204380872110199
Author(s):  
Si-Sheng Huang ◽  
Cheng-Chen Chang

Impaired insight in patients with schizophrenia results in less satisfactory clinical outcomes. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between insight and individual psychopathological dimensions in inpatients with schizophrenia using a self-report questionnaire. In this study, 90 patients with schizophrenia aged 18–75 years admitted in the acute psychiatric ward of a medical center in Taiwan were enrolled. Patient insight was measured using the Self-Appraisal of Illness Questionnaire (SAIQ), and psychopathological dimensions were measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and its five-factor structure model. A higher SAIQ score indicates greater insight. In bivariate correlation analyses, statistically significant correlations were observed between age, single marital status, educational level, and positive, excited, and depressed symptom factor of the PANSS and SAIQ score. In regression analyses, age and excited and depressed symptom factors were significantly associated with SAIQ score. No significant association was observed between insight and neurocognitive functions. Considering demographic characteristics, psychopathology, and neurocognition, in the acute phase of schizophrenia, younger patients with less severe excited symptoms and more severe depressive symptoms had greater insight.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-64
Author(s):  
Carla R. Marchira ◽  
Irwan Supriyanto

Introduction: Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is an important predictor for prognosis in first episode of psychotic disorders. Caregivers often seek help from alternative healers first and health professional later. These would delay proper treatments for the patients, resulting in more severe symptoms and lower functioning on their visit to medical facility. The present study aims to find the association between DUP, symptoms severity, and global functioning in patients with first-episode psychotic disorders. Methods: We identified 100 patients with first episode of psychotic disorders and their caregivers. The instruments used were Brief Psychotic Rating Scale (BPRS), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Premorbid Schizoid-Schizotypal Traits (PSST), and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). Results: There were no significant association between BPRS, PANSS, PSST, and GAF scores and DUP in our subjects. Nevertheless, we found that men had significantly longer DUP compared to women. Conclusion: We found significant association between sex and DUP in this study. Longer DUP leads to delayed treatments and poorer prognosis. Further study is required to confirm our finding.


2018 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 50-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aida Farreny ◽  
Judith Usall ◽  
Jorge Cuevas-Esteban ◽  
Susana Ochoa ◽  
Gildas Brébion

AbstractSchizophrenia research based on traditional assessment measures for negative symptoms appears to be, to some extent, unreliable. The limitations of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) have been extensively acknowledged and should be taken into account. The aim of this study is to show how the PANSS and the SANS conflate negative symptoms and cognition and to offer alternatives for the limitations found.MethodsA sample of 117 participants with schizophrenia from two independent studies was retrospectively investigated. Linear regression models were computed to explore the effect of negative symptoms and illness duration as predictors of cognitive performance.ResultsFor the PANSS, the item “abstract thinking” accounted for the association between negative symptoms and cognition. For the SANS, the “attention” subscale predicted the performance in verbal memory, but illness duration emerged as a stronger predictor than negative symptoms for outcomes of processing speed, verbal and working memory.ConclusionUtilizing alternative models to the traditional PANSS and SANS formats, and accounting for illness duration, provide more precise evidence on the relationship between negative symptoms and cognition. Since these measures are still extensively utilized, we recommend adopting more rigorous approaches to avoid misleading results.


2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. 1427-1436 ◽  
Author(s):  
NIELS BERGEMANN ◽  
PETER PARZER ◽  
BENNO RUNNEBAUM ◽  
FRANZ RESCH ◽  
CHRISTOPH MUNDT

ABSTRACTBackgroundEstrogen has been hypothesized to have a protective and antipsychotic-like effect in women at risk for schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between menstrual cycle and/or estrogen levels and psychotic symptoms in a sample of women with schizophrenia.MethodOne hundred and twenty-five premenopausal women with schizophrenia and regular menses were examined. The levels of 17β-estradiol and other hormones of the gonadal axis were assessed in the follicular, peri-ovulatory, and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. The effects of the menstrual cycle phase and/or the estradiol level on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores were calculated by means of regression analyses.ResultsSignificant improvement in psychotic, but not depressive, symptoms was observed during the luteal phase, compared with other days of the menstrual cycle.ConclusionsThe present findings indicate that estradiol may have specific antipsychotic-like effects on the symptoms of schizophrenia. Thus further investigation into the therapeutic effect of estrogen may be worthwhile.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 293-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Emsley ◽  
D.J.H. Niehaus ◽  
P.P. Oosthuizen ◽  
L. Koen ◽  
B. Chiliza ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundLack of awareness of tardive dyskinesia (TD) and poor insight into mental illness are common in schizophrenia, raising the possibility that these phenomena are manifestations of a common underlying dysfunction.MethodsWe investigated relationships between low awareness of TD and poor insight into mental illness in 130 patients with schizophrenia and TD. We also examined selected demographic and clinical correlates of these two phenomena.ResultsSixty-six (51%) patients had no or low awareness of TD and 94 (72%) had at least mild impairment of insight into their mental illness. Low awareness of TD was not significantly correlated with greater impairment of insight into mental illness. Regression analyses indicated that the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) disorganised factor (β = 0.72, t = 11.88, p < 0.01) accounted for 52% of the variance in insight into mental illness (adjusted R2 = 0.55) (F[2, 127] = 81.00, p < 0.01) and the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS) dyskinesia subscale score (β = 0.47, t = 6.80, p < 0.01), PANSS disorganised factor (β = −0.26, t = −3.73, p < 0.01), and ESRS parkinsonism subscale score (β = 0.31, t = 4.55, p < 0.01) together accounted for 37% of the variance in awareness of TD (adjusted R2 = 0.37) (F[3, 126] = 26.87, p < 0.01).ConclusionThe two phenomena appear to be dissociated, and may be domain-specific.


2012 ◽  
Vol 201 (4) ◽  
pp. 306-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajeev Krishnadas ◽  
Sameer Jauhar ◽  
Susan Telfer ◽  
Somashekara Shivashankar ◽  
Robin G. McCreadie

BackgroundReasons for the increased prevalence of cigarette smoking in schizophrenia are unclear. Studies assessing clinical symptoms have sampled heterogeneous populations, with discrepant findings.AimsTo examine the relationship between clinical features, social adjustment and nicotine dependence in a geographically defined population of people with schizophrenia.MethodCross-sectional clinical study of 131 people with schizophrenia in Nithsdale, Scotland.ResultsSmokers were younger, mostly males and three times more likely to be unemployed. Those with severe nicotine dependence had greater scores on the positive subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and were prescribed higher doses of antipsychotic. Those with mild–moderate dependence had greater scores on the PANSS negative subscale. Greater symptom severity was associated with poorer social adjustment. Psychopathology and social adjustment were similar in quitters and never-smokers.ConclusionsOur findings indicate an association between nicotine dependence, clinical symptoms and social adjustment in schizophrenia. Although causal links cannot be inferred, identifying the relationship between nicotine dependence and psychopathology may have some value in the management of smoking in schizophrenia. Further longitudinal studies are required to explore this relationship.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Yang ◽  
Hui Zhao ◽  
Xuebing Liu ◽  
Qin Xie ◽  
Xiaoliang Zhou ◽  
...  

Background: Cytokine levels can be changed in methamphetamine (METH) use disorders (MUDs) and primary psychosis. The present study assessed serum levels of some kinds of interleukins (ILs) in METH-associated psychosis (MAP) and their relationships with psychotic symptoms and cognitive dysfunction.Methods: Serum IL-2R, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 levels were examined by chemiluminescence assays in MAP patients (n = 119) and healthy controls (n = 108). The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) were administered.Results: Serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly increased in MAP patients (all p &lt; 0.05). There was a negative relationship between IL-2R levels and PANSS positive (P) subscale scores (r = −0.193, p = 0.035). IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 levels were all negatively correlated with the naming, delayed recall and orientation subscores on the MOCA (r = −0.209, p = 0.022; r = −0.245, p = 0.007; r = −0.505, p &lt; 0.001, respectively).Conclusions: Our results indicate that immune disturbances are related to MAP and that IL-2R, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 are associated with the severity of psychotic symptoms and cognitive function impairment.


2021 ◽  
pp. 000486742110314
Author(s):  
Leilei Wang ◽  
Yi Yin ◽  
Yanfang Zhou ◽  
Junchao Huang ◽  
Ping Zhang ◽  
...  

Background: Previous studies have implicated childhood trauma and abnormal brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Here, we explored whether brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and psychopathological symptoms in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Methods: Patients with first-episode schizophrenia ( n = 192) and healthy controls ( n = 136) were enrolled. Childhood traumatic experiences and psychopathology were assessed by Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Results: The patients with first-episode schizophrenia experienced more severe childhood trauma and had lower serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels than healthy controls. Emotional abuse and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire total score showed positive correlation with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale positive, general psychopathological subscore and total score. Emotional neglect showed positive correlation with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale positive subscore. Physical neglect was positively associated with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale negative subscore. Emotional neglect and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire total score were negatively correlated with serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. The serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels mediated the relationship between both Childhood Trauma Questionnaire total score and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total score and negative symptoms in the patients. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels also mediated the relationship between emotional neglect and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total score in the patients. Conclusion: Childhood trauma might contribute to the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia by affecting brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Perhaps we can prevent schizophrenia by reducing childhood traumatic experiences.


2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Παναγιώτης Παναγιωτίδης

Η παρά τη κλίνη εξέταση των νευρολογικών διαταραχών, μέσω μίας τυπικής νευρολογικής κλινικής εξέτασης θεωρείται ως μία άμεση και ανέξοδη μέθοδος για την αξιολόγηση της εγκεφαλικής δυσλειτουργίας στη σχιζοφρένεια. Κατά τη διάρκεια των τελευταίων σαράντα ετών οι ερευνητικές εργασίες αναφέρουν συστηματικά την αυξημένη παρουσία των ήπιων νευρολογικών σημείων (ΗΝΣ) στους ασθενείς με σχιζοφρένεια, σε σύγκριση με τον υγιή πληθυσμό ή τους μη-ψυχωτικούς ψυχιατρικούς ασθενείς. Ωστόσο, η λειτουργική τους συσχέτιση παραμένει ασαφής και η ειδικότητά τους έχει συχνά αμφισβητηθεί, αν και υπάρχουν ενδείξεις μίας σχετικής ειδικότητας ως προς τη διάγνωση ή τη συμπτωματολογία. Παράγοντες όπως οι ανεπιθύμητες ενέργειες των νευροληπτικών φαρμάκων, το φύλο, η ηλικία ή το οικογενειακό ψυχιατρικό ιστορικό, θεωρείται ότι επηρεάζουν τα αποτελέσματα της νευρολογικής εκτίμησης, ενώ μόνο ένας σχετικά μικρός αριθμός ερευνών αναφέρει δεδομένα μίας μακροχρόνιας παρακολούθησης των ΗΝΣ σε έναν επαρκή αριθμό ατόμων προκειμένου να αξιολογηθεί μία πιθανή έκπτωση των νευρολογικών λειτουργιών. Η παρούσα μελέτη προσπάθησε να διερευνήσει τη συχνότητα και τη φύση των ΗΝΣ σε ασθενείς με σχιζοφρένεια, καθώς και σε μία ομάδα υγιών μαρτύρων. Στοχεύσαμε στη διερεύνηση των διαφορών μεταξύ των μελετώμενων πληθυσμών και των συσχετίσεων μεταξύ συγκεκριμένων ομάδων νευρολογικών σημείων και κλινικών, κοινωνικοδημογραφικών και θεραπευτικών χαρακτηριστικών του πληθυσμού των ασθενών, κατά την αρχική εκτίμηση, καθώς και μετά την πάροδο δώδεκα μηνών. Συνολικά εντάχθηκαν στη μελέτη 133 νοσηλευόμενοι και εξωτερικοί ασθενείς. Οι διαγνώσεις τέθηκαν βάση της ελληνικής έκδοσης 5.0.0. της σύντομης διεθνούς νευροψυχιατρικής συνέντευξης (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, MINI Greek version 5.0.0.). Επιπλέον, 122 υγιείς μάρτυρες συμπεριλήφθηκαν στη μελέτη και αντιστοιχήθηκαν ως προς το φύλο και την ηλικία με τον πληθυσμό των ασθενών. Όλοι οι ενταχθέντες στη μελέτη υποβλήθηκαν αρχικά σε νευρολογική εξέταση εστιασμένη στη διερεύνηση των ΗΝΣ, βάση της Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) κλίμακας. Τα εξωπυραμιδικά συμπτώματα εκτιμήθηκαν με τις κλίμακες Simpson-Angus Rating Scale (SARS) και Extrapyramidal Symptoms Rating Scale (ESRS). Τα ανευρεθέντα κλινικά συμπτώματα του πληθυσμού της μελέτης αξιολογήθηκαν με τις κλίμακες Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y (STAI-T and STAI-S) και Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). Τέλος, η εκτίμηση της γενικής λειτουργικότητας έγινε βάση των οδηγιών της Αμερικάνικης Ψυχιατρικής Εταιρείας (κλίμακα GAF), ενώ η προτίμηση χρήσης των χεριών εκτιμήθηκε με την κλίμακα Annett Hand Preference Questionnaire (AHPQ). Για λόγους στατιστικής ανάλυσης υιοθετήθηκε τιμή p τέτοια ώστε να είναι επαρκής για πολλαπλές συγκρίσεις και ορίστηκε σε επίπεδο p<0.001. Για την ανάλυση των δεδομένων χρησιμοποιήθηκε το t-test για ένα δείγμα, η δοκιμασία x2, η δοκιμασία t-test για ανεξάρτητα δείγματα και ο συντελεστής συσχέτισης Pearson, όπου αυτό απαιτείτο. Συμπεράσματα: Τα ήπια νευρολογικά σημεία είναι εξαιρετικά συχνά σε ασθενείς με σχιζοφρένεια (90%), ενώ μάλλον σπάνια σε υγιείς μάρτυρες (12%), εύρημα κοινό σε όλες τις υποομάδες στις οποίες κατηγοριοποιούνται. Η παρουσία τους έχει μορφή δομικών χαρακτηριστικών (trait-like), με σταθερότητα στο χρόνο, και είναι ανεξάρτητα από κοινωνικοδημογραφικούς παράγοντες, κλινικά χαρακτηριστικά της νόσου και την υπάρχουσα φαρμακοθεραπεία, αν και η ύπαρξή τους ενδεχομένως υποδεικνύει νόσο με φτωχότερη έκβαση. Δε φαίνεται να επιδεινώνονται με το πέρασμα της ηλικίας, τουλάχιστον μέχρι την ηλικία των 65 ετών.


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