Facial affect recognition in individuals at clinical high risk
                        for psychosis

SummaryFacial affect discrimination and identification were assessed in 86 clinical high-risk individuals and compared with 50 individuals with first-episode psychosis, 53 with multiepisode schizophrenia and 55 non-psychiatric controls. On the identification task the non-psychiatric controls performed significantly better than all other groups, and on discrimination significantly better than both patient groups. Deficits in facial affect recognition appear to be present before the onset of psychosis and may be a vulnerability marker.

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Improved facial affect recognition in patients with first-episode psychosis

Early Intervention in Psychiatry ◽

10.1111/eip.12738 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 977-983 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Vasilios P. Bozikas ◽

Aikaterini Dardagani ◽

Eleni Parlapani ◽

Evangelos Ntouros ◽

Athanasios Lagoudis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Facial Affect ◽

First Episode ◽

Affect Recognition ◽

Facial Affect Recognition ◽

Episode Psychosis

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Brain structural abnormalities in first episode psychosis: A multimodal analysis

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(11)72655-4 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S2) ◽

pp. 950-950

Author(s):

S. Rigucci ◽

A. Comparelli ◽

A. De Carolis ◽

M.C. Rossi-Espagnet ◽

E. Ambrosi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grey Matter ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Magnetic Resonance Images ◽

Facial Affect ◽

First Episode ◽

Affect Recognition ◽

Facial Affect Recognition ◽

Data Set ◽

Episode Psychosis

IntroductionWhite matter abnormalities play a prominent role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies showed a widespread decrease in fractional anisotropy (FA) in psychotic disorders.AimsTo examine white and grey matter abnormalities in first episode psychosis (FEP).MethodsWe obtained T1-weighted and DTI magnetic resonance images (1.5 T) from 8 right-handed drug-naïve FEP patients and 8 healthy controls. The DTI data set was used to calculate FA maps; we carried-out optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis of grey matter (GM) and FA maps using SPM2.Patients were assessed with a neuropsychological battery comprising the Trail Making Test, the Stroop Colour Word Test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and a test of Facial Affect recognition.ResultsThe voxelwise analysis showed decreased FA in the superior longitudinal and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi, bilaterally, and in the left uncinate fasciculus. We observed reduced GM volume in the left frontal cortex (Brodmann areas [BA] 47, 13, 11, 10, and 9) and in right frontal (BA6), temporal (BA34) and occipital (BA 18, 19, and 30) cortex.Neuropsychological assessment showed impaired executive function and deficit in facial affect recognition.ConclusionOur findings showed fronto-temporal disconnectivity in FEP and structural alterations in both cortical and subcortical regions.Neuroanatomical findings are consistent with patients’ neuropsychological performance.Further studies to establish a relationship between white and grey matter disarray on one hand and neuropsychological testing are needed.

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Emotion Recognition and Adverse Childhood Experiences in Individuals at Clinical High Risk of Psychosis

Schizophrenia Bulletin ◽

10.1093/schbul/sbz128 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 46 (4) ◽

pp. 823-833

Author(s):

Stefania Tognin ◽

Ana Catalan ◽

Gemma Modinos ◽

Matthew J Kempton ◽

Amaia Bilbao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Facial Affect ◽

Affect Recognition ◽

Facial Affect Recognition ◽

Clinical High Risk ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Objective To investigate the association between facial affect recognition (FAR) and type of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in a sample of clinical high risk (CHR) individuals and a matched sample of healthy controls (HCs). Methods In total, 309 CHR individuals and 51 HC were recruited as part of an European Union-funded multicenter study (EU-GEI) and included in this work. During a 2-year follow-up period, 65 CHR participants made a transition to psychosis (CHR-T) and 279 did not (CHR-NT). FAR ability was measured using a computerized version of the Degraded Facial Affect Recognition (DFAR) task. ACEs were measured using the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and the Bullying Questionnaire. Generalized regression models were used to investigate the relationship between ACE and FAR. Logistic regressions were used to investigate the relationship between FAR and psychotic transition. Results In CHR individuals, having experienced emotional abuse was associated with decreased total and neutral DFAR scores. CHR individuals who had experienced bullying performed better in the total DFAR and in the frightened condition. In HC and CHR, having experienced the death of a parent during childhood was associated with lower DFAR total score and lower neutral DFAR score, respectively. Analyses revealed a modest increase of transition risk with increasing mistakes from happy to angry faces. Conclusions Adverse experiences in childhood seem to have a significant impact on emotional processing in adult life. This information could be helpful in a therapeutic setting where both difficulties in social interactions and adverse experiences are often addressed.

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Victimization, violence and facial affect recognition in a community sample of first‐episode psychosis patients

Early Intervention in Psychiatry ◽

10.1111/eip.12853 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 283-292

Author(s):

Henning Hachtel ◽

Rachael Fullam ◽

Aisling Malone ◽

Brendan P. Murphy ◽

Christian Huber ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Community Sample ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Facial Affect ◽

First Episode ◽

Affect Recognition ◽

Facial Affect Recognition ◽

Episode Psychosis

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Dysregulation of complement and coagulation pathways: emerging mechanisms in the development of psychosis

Molecular Psychiatry ◽

10.1038/s41380-021-01197-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Meike Heurich ◽

Melanie Föcking ◽

David Mongan ◽

Gerard Cagney ◽

David R. Cotter

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Psychotic Disorder ◽

Psychotic Disorders ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Specific Protein ◽

First Episode ◽

Clinical High Risk ◽

Blood Proteins ◽

Episode Psychosis

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.

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Basic symptoms and gray matter volumes of patients at clinical high risk for psychosis

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291720001282 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Daniela Hubl ◽

Chantal Michel ◽

Frauke Schultze-Lutter ◽

Martinus Hauf ◽

Benno G. Schimmelmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Gray Matter ◽

First Episode ◽

Clinical High Risk ◽

Significant Group ◽

Basic Symptoms ◽

Conversion Rates ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Ultra High Risk ◽

Gray Matter Volumes

Abstract Background Clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis is indicated by ultra-high risk (UHR) and basic symptom (BS) criteria; however, conversion rates are highest when both UHR and BS criteria are fulfilled (UHR&BS). While BSs are considered the most immediate expression of neurobiological aberrations underlying the development of psychosis, research on neurobiological correlates of BS is scarce. Methods We investigated gray matter volumes (GMV) of 20 regions of interest (ROI) previously associated with UHR criteria in 90 patients from the Bern early detection service: clinical controls (CC), first-episode psychosis (FEP), UHR, BS and UHR&BS. We expected lowest GMV in FEP and UHR&BS, and highest volume in CC with UHR and BS in-between. Results Significantly, lower GMV was detected in FEP and UHR&BS patients relative to CC with no other significant between-group differences. When ROIs were analyzed separately, seven showed a significant group effect (FDR corrected), with five (inferior parietal, medial orbitofrontal, lateral occipital, middle temporal, precuneus) showing significantly lower GM volume in the FEP and/or UHR&BS groups than in the CC group (Bonferroni corrected). In the CHR group, only COGDIS scores correlated negatively with cortical volumes. Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate that patients who fulfill both UHR and BS criteria – a population that has been associated with higher conversion rates – exhibit more severe GMV reductions relative to those who satisfy BS or UHR criteria alone. This result was mediated by the BS in the UHR&BS group, as only the severity of BS was linked to GMV reductions.

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