scholarly journals Neuropsychological deficits in participants at clinical high risk for psychosis recruited from the community: relationships to functioning and clinical symptoms

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Haining ◽  
Claire Matrunola ◽  
Lucy Mitchell ◽  
Ruchika Gajwani ◽  
Joachim Gross ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundThe current study examined the pattern of neurocognitive impairments in a community-recruited sample of clinical high-risk (CHR) participants and established relationships with psychosocial functioning.MethodsCHR-participants (n = 108), participants who did not fulfil CHR-criteria (CHR-negatives) (n = 42) as well as a group of healthy controls (HCs) (n = 55) were recruited. CHR-status was assessed using the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) and the Schizophrenia Proneness Instrument, Adult Version (SPI-A). The Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia Battery (BACS) as well as tests for emotion recognition, working memory and attention were administered. In addition, role and social functioning as well as premorbid adjustment were assessed.ResultsCHR-participants were significantly impaired on the Symbol-Coding and Token-Motor task and showed a reduction in total BACS-scores. Moreover, CHR-participants were characterised by prolonged response times (RTs) in emotion recognition as well as by reductions in both social and role functioning, GAF and premorbid adjustments compared with HCs. Neurocognitive impairments in emotion recognition accuracy, emotion recognition RT, processing speed and motor speed were associated with several aspects of functioning explaining between 4% and 12% of the variance.ConclusionThe current data obtained from a community sample of CHR-participants highlight the importance of dysfunctions in motor and processing speed and emotion recognition RT. Moreover, these deficits were found to be related to global, social and role functioning, suggesting that neurocognitive impairments are an important aspect of sub-threshold psychotic experiences and a possible target for therapeutic interventions.

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S57-S58
Author(s):  
Kate Haining ◽  
Gina Brunner ◽  
Ruchika Gajwani ◽  
Joachim Gross ◽  
Andrew Gumley ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Research in individuals at clinical-high risk for psychosis (CHR-P) has focused on developing algorithms to predict transition to psychosis. However, it is becoming increasingly important to address other outcomes, such as the level of functioning of CHR-P participants. To address this important question, this study investigated the relationship between baseline cognitive performance and functional outcome between 6–12 months in a sample of CHR-P individuals using a machine-learning approach to identify features that are predictive of long-term functional impairments. Methods Data was available for 111 CHR-P individuals at 6–12 months follow-up. In addition, 47 CHR-negative (CHR-N) participants who did not meet CHR criteria and 55 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. CHR-P status was assessed using the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) and the Schizophrenia Proneness Instrument, Adult version (SPI-A). Cognitive assessments included the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) and the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (CNB). Global, social and role functioning scales were used to measure functional status. CHR-P individuals were divided into good functional outcome (GFO, GAF ≥ 65) and poor functional outcome groups (PFO, GAF < 65). Feature selection was performed using LASSO regression with the LARS algorithm and 10-fold cross validation with GAF scores at baseline as the outcome variable. The following features were identified as predictors of GAF scores at baseline: verbal memory, verbal fluency, attention, emotion recognition, social and role functioning and SPI-A distress. This model explained 47% of the variance in baseline GAF scores. In the next step, Support Vector Machines (SVM), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Logistic Regression (LR), Gaussian Naïve Bayes (GNB), and Random Forest (RF) classifiers with 10-fold cross validation were then trained on those features with GAF category at follow-up used as the binary label column. Models were compared using a calculated score incorporating area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, and AUC consistency across runs, whereby AUC was given a higher weighting than accuracy due to class imbalance. Results CHR-P individuals had slower motor speed, reduced attention and processing speed and increased emotion recognition reaction times (RTs) compared to HCs and reduced attention and processing speed compared to CHR-Ns. At follow-up, 66% of CHR-P individuals had PFO. LDA emerged as the strongest classifier, showing a mean AUC of 0.75 (SD = 0.15), indicating acceptable classification performance for GAF category at follow-up. PFO was detected with a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 58%, with a total mean weighted accuracy of 68%. Discussion The CHR-P state was associated with significant impairments in cognition, highlighting the importance of interventions such as cognitive remediation in this population. Our data suggest that the development of features using machine learning approaches is effective in predicting functional outcomes in CHR-P individuals. Greater levels of accuracy, sensitivity and specificity might be achieved by increasing training sets and validating the classifier with external data sets. Indeed, machine learning methods have potential given that trained classifiers can easily be shared online, thus enabling clinical professionals to make individualised predictions.


Author(s):  
Meike Heurich ◽  
Melanie Föcking ◽  
David Mongan ◽  
Gerard Cagney ◽  
David R. Cotter

AbstractEarly identification and treatment significantly improve clinical outcomes of psychotic disorders. Recent studies identified protein components of the complement and coagulation systems as key pathways implicated in psychosis. These specific protein alterations are integral to the inflammatory response and can begin years before the onset of clinical symptoms of psychotic disorder. Critically, they have recently been shown to predict the transition from clinical high risk to first-episode psychosis, enabling stratification of individuals who are most likely to transition to psychotic disorder from those who are not. This reinforces the concept that the psychosis spectrum is likely a central nervous system manifestation of systemic changes and highlights the need to investigate plasma proteins as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and pathophysiological mediators. In this review, we integrate evidence of alterations in proteins belonging to the complement and coagulation protein systems, including the coagulation, anticoagulation, and fibrinolytic pathways and their dysregulation in psychosis, into a consolidated mechanism that could be integral to the progression and manifestation of psychosis. We consolidate the findings of altered blood proteins relevant for progression to psychotic disorders, using data from longitudinal studies of the general population in addition to clinical high-risk (CHR) individuals transitioning to psychotic disorder. These are compared to markers identified from first-episode psychosis and schizophrenia as well as other psychosis spectrum disorders. We propose the novel hypothesis that altered complement and coagulation plasma levels enhance their pathways’ activating capacities, while low levels observed in key regulatory components contribute to excessive activation observed in patients. This hypothesis will require future testing through a range of experimental paradigms, and if upheld, complement and coagulation pathways or specific proteins could be useful diagnostic or prognostic tools and targets for early intervention and preventive strategies.


Author(s):  
Gemma Modinos ◽  
Anja Richter ◽  
Alice Egerton ◽  
Ilaria Bonoldi ◽  
Matilda Azis ◽  
...  

AbstractPreclinical models propose that increased hippocampal activity drives subcortical dopaminergic dysfunction and leads to psychosis-like symptoms and behaviors. Here, we used multimodal neuroimaging to examine the relationship between hippocampal regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and striatal dopamine synthesis capacity in people at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis and investigated its association with subsequent clinical and functional outcomes. Ninety-five participants (67 CHR and 28 healthy controls) underwent arterial spin labeling MRI and 18F-DOPA PET imaging at baseline. CHR participants were followed up for a median of 15 months to determine functional outcomes with the global assessment of function (GAF) scale and clinical outcomes using the comprehensive assessment of at-risk mental states (CAARMS). CHR participants with poor functional outcomes (follow-up GAF < 65, n = 25) showed higher rCBF in the right hippocampus compared to CHRs with good functional outcomes (GAF ≥ 65, n = 25) (pfwe = 0.026). The relationship between rCBF in this right hippocampal region and striatal dopamine synthesis capacity was also significantly different between groups (pfwe = 0.035); the association was negative in CHR with poor outcomes (pfwe = 0.012), but non-significant in CHR with good outcomes. Furthermore, the correlation between right hippocampal rCBF and striatal dopamine function predicted a longitudinal increase in the severity of positive psychotic symptoms within the total CHR group (p = 0.041). There were no differences in rCBF, dopamine, or their associations in the total CHR group relative to controls. These findings indicate that altered interactions between the hippocampus and the subcortical dopamine system are implicated in the pathophysiology of adverse outcomes in the CHR state.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariapaola Barbato ◽  
Lu Liu ◽  
Kristin S. Cadenhead ◽  
Tyrone D. Cannon ◽  
Barbara A. Cornblatt ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S60-S60
Author(s):  
Martine Cleusix ◽  
Ines Khadimallah ◽  
Elodie Toffel ◽  
Paul Klauser ◽  
Kim Q Do ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The Clinical High Risk state (CHR) concept was implemented to promote the early detection of young help-seeking patients with higher risk of psychotic transition. This category is based on specific clinical criteria (EPA, 2015) and require narrow frequency/duration ratings of subclinical positive psychotic symptoms to allow its definition. Prevalence of CHR “category” appears nevertheless rare in help-seeking young people and the rate of psychotic transition of CHR state is lower than predicted by early studies. Therefore, the binary outcome of transition to psychosis proposed by the “CHR model” actually fails to be an efficient marker to stratify, in neurobiological studies, people with different psychopathological trajectories, notably those who develop psychosis from those who do not. In order to rely on a vulnerability model for schizophrenic psychosis more sensitive to psychosocial functioning and negative dimension, we study prospectively with three years of follow-up a population of help-seekers addressed for clinical suspicion of prodromal state of psychosis. We aimed here to identify subgroups of patients in a sample of subclinical psychotic states using psychological and cognitive outcomes as profiling criteria, focusing not only on transition but also on psychosocial functioning as main outcome. Methods A total of 32 help-seeking adolescents and young adults aged 14 to 35 were referred by health care providers for a specialized evaluation in case of suspicion of a prodromal psychotic state and/or detected by the French version of the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ-16; cut-off 6/16). Their CHR status was assessed by the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS) and the Schizophrenia Proneness Instrument, Adult (SPI-A). Individuals included in the study presented either a CHR status, a subclinical CHR status or negative symptomatology. All subjects performed an additional neuropsychological battery and blood test for redox markers (Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) and Glutathione Reductase (GR) activities) (Xin et al, 2016). Based on their clinical profile, we made a stratification of the patients using a Principal Component Analysis. Results Cognitive and psychological outcome stratification of all help-seekers revealed two subgroups (called group1 and group2) of patients with distinct profiles. Individuals in group1 (n=18) had greater levels of basic symptoms and general symptomatology. On the other hand, in group2 (n=14), individuals showed a weaker self-esteem and a lower rate of “living independently”. Cognitive scores for speed processing, attention, verbal learning and social cognition were significantly lower in group2 compared to group1. In addition, these cognitive outcomes were negatively correlated with negative symptoms only in group2. Analysis of redox markers revealed a positive correlation between GPx and GR activities in group1, a correlation disrupted in group2. Discussion Stratification of a cohort of young help-seekers with suspicion of prodromal psychosis, regardless of their CHR status, allowed us to distinguish two subgroups with different clinical profiles: group1 with higher levels of basic symptoms and general symptomatology, and group2 with weaker self-esteem, less autonomy and poorer neurocognition. In addition, analysis of redox markers revealed a redox dysregulation in patients with poorer cognitive profile. Considering the impact of neurocognitive impairment on functioning, special focus to patients of group2 is needed, mostly in clinical practice. Moreover, they might benefit of supplementation with antioxidant compounds such as NAC, which may improve cognitive deficits (Conus et al, 2018).


2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 482-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
TianHong Zhang ◽  
XiaoChen Tang ◽  
HuiJun Li ◽  
Kristen A Woodberry ◽  
Emily R Kline ◽  
...  

Objective: Since only 30% or fewer of individuals at clinical high risk convert to psychosis within 2 years, efforts are underway to refine risk identification strategies to increase their predictive power. The clinical high risk is a heterogeneous syndrome presenting with highly variable clinical symptoms and cognitive dysfunctions. This study investigated whether subtypes defined by baseline clinical and cognitive features improve the prediction of psychosis. Method: Four hundred clinical high-risk subjects from the ongoing ShangHai At Risk for Psychosis program were enrolled in a prospective cohort study. Canonical correlation analysis was applied to 289 clinical high-risk subjects with completed Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes and cognitive battery tests at baseline, and at least 1-year follow-up. Canonical variates were generated by canonical correlation analysis and then used for hierarchical cluster analysis to produce subtypes. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were constructed from the three subtypes to test their utility further in predicting psychosis. Results: Canonical correlation analysis determined two linear combinations: (1) negative symptom and functional deterioration-related cognitive features, and (2) Positive symptoms and emotional disorganization-related cognitive features. Cluster analysis revealed three subtypes defined by distinct and relatively homogeneous patterns along two dimensions, comprising 14.2% (subtype 1, n = 41), 37.4% (subtype 2, n = 108) and 48.4% (subtype 3, n = 140) of the sample, and each with distinctive features of clinical and cognitive performance. Those with subtype 1, which is characterized by extensive negative symptoms and cognitive deficits, appear to have the highest risk for psychosis. The conversion risk for subtypes 1–3 are 39.0%, 11.1% and 18.6%, respectively. Conclusion: Our results define important subtypes within clinical high-risk syndromes that highlight clinical symptoms and cognitive features that transcend current diagnostic boundaries. The three different subtypes reflect significant differences in clinical and cognitive characteristics as well as in the risk of conversion to psychosis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S260-S261
Author(s):  
Sabrina Ereshefsky ◽  
Vanessa Zarubin ◽  
Valerie Tryon ◽  
Tyler Lesh ◽  
Cameron Carter ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Individuals with psychosis have a 2–5 times higher prevalence of ADHD than the general population. Individuals with early psychosis (EP) with an ADHD history have poorer premorbid social and role functioning, a more challenging symptom course, and poorer long-term psychosocial outcomes. The high degree of overlap in cognitive profiles for both psychosis and ADHD highlights a need for additional research. This project sought to assess the relation between historical report of childhood ADHD symptoms, current psychosis symptoms, and psychosocial functioning in individuals with EP. It is hypothesized that ADHD symptoms will significantly predict functioning. Methods Individuals, aged 12–30, who experienced the onset of psychotic symptoms in the past 2 years and presented for care at UC Davis EP clinics, were consented and enrolled. Individuals provided retrospective self-report ratings of childhood (between ages 5–12) symptoms of ‘inattention’ and ‘hyperactivity/impulsivity’ on the Barkley ADHD Rating Scale. Raters coded current psychosocial (Global Social/Role Functioning [GSF/GRF]) and clinical functioning ([Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale [BPRS], Scale for Assessment of Positive [SAPS] and Negative [SANS] Symptoms) at presentation. BPRS, SAPS, and SANS ratings were combined into ‘reality distortion,’ ‘poverty,’ and ‘disorganization’ domains. Medical chart review will be conducted to identify historical report of ADHD diagnosis. Multiple linear regression was used to examine relative contribution of demographic variables, clinical symptoms, and self-reported childhood ADHD symptoms to current social and role functioning. Results Ninety-eight participants (20.22 years ± 3.95; 39% female; 37% non-Hispanic White; 27% Hispanic; 2% missing demographics) provided complete data. Childhood inattention, poverty, and disorganized symptoms predicted current GSF (R-squared = .39, F[5, 92] = 11.92, p &lt; .001). When assessing demographic differences on outcomes, GSF was rated significantly higher in non-Hispanic White (M = 7.03, SD = 1.80) compared to other non-White participants (M = 6.28, SD = 1.64; t[94] = -2.08, p = .04). With the inclusion of race as a predictor, only poverty and disorganization predicted GSF (R-squared = .40, F[6, 89] = 10.04, p &lt; .001). Poverty symptoms predicted current GRF, while childhood ADHD and other psychosis symptoms did not predict GRF (R-squared = .31, F[5, 92] = 8.09, p &lt; .001). Age significantly correlated with GRF (r = -.31, p = .002). Poverty remained a significant predictor of GRF after including age (R-squared = .37, F[6, 89] = 8.84, p &lt; .001). Additional cognitive correlates, collateral report of childhood ADHD symptoms, prior diagnoses, date of psychosis illness onset, and medication history will also be examined. Discussion Social functioning was predicted by childhood self-rated inattention and current negative and disorganized symptoms; however, the relation with childhood inattention did not remain after controlling for race/ethnicity. Additional analyses will be conducted to assess if race is presenting as a proxy for other social determinants, including insurance designation, in this sample. Individuals with ADHD experience more difficulty in social settings compared to typically developing peers, possibly due to increased need to use environmental cues; for individuals who go on to develop psychosis, these childhood events are possibly perceived as more stressful, adding to risk for psychosis. However, it is unclear if self-report childhood inattention – captured here as a putative symptom of ADHD – may be better accounted for by premorbid cognitive impairment associated with risk for psychosis. Additional research is required to establish this connection.


2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (10) ◽  
pp. S191-S192
Author(s):  
Jenny Lepock ◽  
Romina Mizrahi ◽  
Margaret Maheandiran ◽  
Sarah Ahmed ◽  
Michele Korostil ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Birkedal Glenthøj ◽  
Tina Dam Kristensen ◽  
Christina Wenneberg ◽  
Carsten Hjorthøj ◽  
Merete Nordentoft

Abstract A substantial proportion of individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis show long-term functional impairments, which may have profound consequences for the individual and society. Finding predictors of these functional impairments is critical to inform on the individual’s functional prognosis and potentially develop targeted interventions. This study used data from 91 UHR individuals participating in a randomized, clinical trial, that were followed up at 12 months, to elucidate on clinical, neuro- and social-cognitive predictors of UHR individuals’ functional outcome in the domains of social- and role functioning, quality of life, and functional capacity. The proportion of UHR individuals showing a poor social- and role outcome at 12-month follow-up was 50% and 63%, respectively. Worse social outcome was predicted by higher levels of negative symptoms, reduced processing speed, and impaired baseline social functioning explaining 52% of the variance. Worse role outcome was predicted by impaired role functioning at baseline, explaining 25% of the variance. Quality of life impairments were predicted by better theory of mind explaining 4% of the variance, and functional capacity social skills deficits were predicted by impaired baseline social skills explaining 20% of the variance. Our findings indicate that processing speed and negative symptoms may contribute to social- and role-functioning deficits, and while aspects of social cognition may also relate to social- and role functioning, baseline-functional impairments seem to be a strong contributor to persistent impairments in functioning and quality of life. If replicated, our findings suggest the need for future studies investigating the effect of pro-functional interventions targeting baseline functioning and targeted cognitive domains in UHR.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Ana Catalan ◽  
Stefania Tognin ◽  
Matthew J. Kempton ◽  
Daniel Stahl ◽  
Gonzalo Salazar de Pablo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Psychosis is associated with a reasoning bias, which manifests as a tendency to ‘jump to conclusions’. We examined this bias in people at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR) and investigated its relationship with their clinical outcomes. Methods In total, 303 CHR subjects and 57 healthy controls (HC) were included. Both groups were assessed at baseline, and after 1 and 2 years. A ‘beads’ task was used to assess reasoning bias. Symptoms and level of functioning were assessed using the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States scale (CAARMS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), respectively. During follow up, 58 (16.1%) of the CHR group developed psychosis (CHR-T), and 245 did not (CHR-NT). Logistic regressions, multilevel mixed models, and Cox regression were used to analyse the relationship between reasoning bias and transition to psychosis and level of functioning, at each time point. Results There was no association between reasoning bias at baseline and the subsequent onset of psychosis. However, when assessed after the transition to psychosis, CHR-T participants showed a greater tendency to jump to conclusions than CHR-NT and HC participants (55, 17, 17%; χ2 = 8.13, p = 0.012). There was a significant association between jumping to conclusions (JTC) at baseline and a reduced level of functioning at 2-year follow-up in the CHR group after adjusting for transition, gender, ethnicity, age, and IQ. Conclusions In CHR participants, JTC at baseline was associated with adverse functioning at the follow-up. Interventions designed to improve JTC could be beneficial in the CHR population.


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