scholarly journals Nicotine dependence and symptoms in schizophrenia

2005 ◽  
Vol 186 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Carmen Aguilar ◽  
Manuel Gurpegui ◽  
Francisco J. Diaz ◽  
Jose De Leon
Keyword(s):  
Nicotine Dependence ◽  
The Self ◽  
Positive Symptoms ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Syndrome Scale ◽  
Lack Of Control ◽  
Dsm Iv ◽  
Log Linear ◽  
Negative Syndrome ◽  
Antipsychotic Side Effects

BackgroundSmoking may have a beneficial effect on either schizophrenic symptoms or antipsychotic side-effects, but studies are hampered by the lack of control of confounding factors.AimsTo explore the self-medication hypothesis in a large sample of stable out-patients with schizophrenia.MethodSymptoms, assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and number of hospitalisations were compared in 250 out-patients with DSM–IV schizophrenia classified into three categories: highly dependent smokers, mildly dependent smokers and non-smokers. Log-linear analysis was used to control for potential confounding and interacting variables.ResultsHigh PANSS total scores and positive symptoms were less frequent in mildly dependent smokers than in non-smokers or highly dependent smokers. The highly dependent smokers had the worst outcome.ConclusionsThe data do not generally support the self-medication hypothesis but rather suggest a complex interaction between nicotine dependence and schizophrenic symptoms.

Sinistrality in subtypes of schizophrenia

2002 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 272-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Dollfus ◽  
Jacqueline A. Buijsrogge ◽  
Karim Benali ◽  
Pascal Delamillieure ◽  
Perrine Brazo
Keyword(s):  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Language Disorders ◽  
Normal Process ◽  
Deficit Syndrome ◽  
Syndrome Scale ◽  
Schizophrenic Patients ◽  
Dsm Iv ◽  
Negative Syndrome ◽  
Hemisphere Specialization

SummarySinistrality, characterized by an excess of non-right-handedness, has been reported in schizophrenic patients, but the findings are controversial.Aim.As sinistrality could be linked to a failure of hemisphere specialization in schizophrenia that would translate into language disorders, sinistrality was found out in disorganized and positive schizophrenic patients characterized by language disorders.Methods.Seventy-three schizophrenic patients (DSM IV) and 81 controls were evaluated with the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI). Patients were evaluated and classified into five subtypes (deficit, positive, disorganized, mixed and residual) with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Schedule for the Deficit Syndrome.Results.Disorganized patients had a significantly more severe sinistrality in comparison to the deficit, residual and mixed subtypes and controls. A negative correlation was found between the disorganization and the EHI scores (r = – 0.34; P < 0.01). A significantly more severe sinistrality was also observed in the positive subtype in comparison to controls, but there was no correlation between hallucinatory and EHI scores (r = 0.06).Conclusion.The findings provided further evidence that the defects in the normal process of lateralization observed in schizophrenia affects primarily disorganized patients.

Tobacco smoking and schizophrenia: re-examining the evidence

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 363-372
Author(s):  
Amila Isuru ◽  
Mahesh Rajasuriya
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Nicotine Dependence ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
The Self ◽  
List Type ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Genetic Vulnerability ◽  
Shared Genetic

SUMMARYTobacco smoking among people with mental illnesses can be explained by biological, psychological and social factors. The prevalence of smoking in people diagnosed with schizophrenia is higher than in people with other mental disorders and in the general population. This article explores three current hypotheses that explain this higher prevalence of smoking in schizophrenia. The first, the self-medication hypothesis, is increasingly countered by a growing body of evidence indicating that smokers experience more severe symptoms of schizophrenia. Numerous researchers have already identified smoking as a possible risk factor for the development of schizophrenia, which is the second hypothesis. The third hypothesis (shared genetic vulnerability) identifies certain genes that confer vulnerability for both schizophrenia and nicotine dependence. Understanding the reasons behind the higher prevalence of smoking among people with schizophrenia is vital in planning effective primary, secondary and tertiary smoking prevention for these individuals.LEARNING OBJECTIVESAt the end of this article, readers will be able to: •understand the self-medication hypothesis in relation to tobacco smoking by people with schizophrenia•understand the role of tobacco smoking as a possible risk factor for causation of schizophrenia•understand the role of shared genetic vulnerability in the causation of both schizophrenia and nicotine dependence.

Role of traditional healers in the pathway to care of patients with schizophrenia in Egypt

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 382-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Ibrahim Awaad ◽  
Nesreen Mohsen Ibrahim ◽  
Rehab Mohamed Naguib ◽  
Sherien Ahmed Khalil ◽  
Mahmoud Elhabiby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Help Seeking ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Clinical Correlates ◽  
Syndrome Scale ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Axis I ◽  
Dsm Iv ◽  
Negative Syndrome ◽  
Pathway To Care

Background: Traditional healers are considered one of the important stages in the pathway to care of schizophrenia patients because of the confidence in the system, affordability and accessibility of the service, exposing patients to hazardous management, delay in seeking psychiatric help and bad prognosis. Aim: To assess the pathway to care of schizophrenia patients and role of traditional healers into it, the sociodemographic and clinical correlates of those patients. Methods: We assessed 232 patients with schizophrenia after confirmation of diagnosis with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorder (SCID-I) research version using a questionnaire designed by authors to assess help seeking behavior in schizophrenia patients and its sociodemographic and clinical correlates. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale to identify the presence and severity of symptoms. Results: A total of 41.8% sought traditional healers first, 58.1% sought a psychiatric consultation first, main symptoms related to traditional healers seeking were hallucinations in 51.5%, delusions 29.9%, 9.28% bizarre behavior and 9.28% formal though disorder. Main causes of traditional healers’ preference were society acceptance 30.39%, affordability 24.74% and accessibility 16.49%. Conclusion: This study shows that a significant percentage of the patients suffering from schizophrenia prefer to approach faith healers first due to their own beliefs, society acceptance, affordability and easy accessibility.

Spanish Adaptation of the NDSS (Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale) and Assessment of Nicotine-Dependent Individuals at Primary Care Health Centers in Spain

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 951-960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisardo Becoña ◽  
Ana López ◽  
Elena Fernández del Río ◽  
Mª Carmen Míguez ◽  
Josefina Castro
Keyword(s):  
Nicotine Dependence ◽  
General Factor ◽  
Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Spanish Validation ◽  
Five Factors ◽  
Syndrome Scale ◽  
Primary Care Health ◽  
Dsm Iv ◽  
Primary Health Care Centers

The availability of adequate instruments for the assessment of nicotine dependence is an important factor that is relevant in the area of tobacco addiction. In this study, we present a Spanish validation of the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS) (Shiffman, Waters, & Hickcox, 2004). The sample was composed of patients, all daily smokers, who visited their General Practitioner (GP) at five Primary Health Care Centers in different cities of Spain (N = 637). The results indicated adequate reliability for the general factor that assesses nicotine dependence (NDSS-Total) (Cronbach's α = .76). Factor analysis confirms the five factors of the original validation: Drive, Continuity, Stereotypy, Priority, and Tolerance. It must be noted that reliability is adequate for the first, and moderate or low for the rest. The NDSS-T and its scales correlate significantly with the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), with the nicotine dependence criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) as assessed through the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID), with carbon monoxide levels in expired air (CO), and with the number of cigarettes smoked. The ROC curve indicates that the NDSS-T has a score of .79 which is under the curve (.69 for the FTND), thus the prediction of nicotine dependence is adequate. We conclude that this instrument is useful (in terms of its total score NDSS-T) for assessing nicotine dependence for Spanish smokers (in Spain), as has been found in other countries, language groups, and cultures.

scholarly journals Nicotine dependence and illness severity in schizophrenia

2012 ◽  
Vol 201 (4) ◽  
pp. 306-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajeev Krishnadas ◽  
Sameer Jauhar ◽  
Susan Telfer ◽  
Somashekara Shivashankar ◽  
Robin G. McCreadie
Keyword(s):  
Nicotine Dependence ◽  
Social Adjustment ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Syndrome Scale ◽  
Never Smokers ◽  
Negative Syndrome ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Higher Doses

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.

scholarly journals Sex-dependent effect on the association of COMT Val158Met polymorphism with schizophrenia clinical symptoms and cognitive impairment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hang Xu ◽  
Yongjie Zhou ◽  
Jiesi Wang ◽  
Meihong Xiu ◽  
Dachun Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Chronic Schizophrenia ◽  
Positive Symptoms ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Genotype Distribution ◽  
Immediate Memory ◽  
Neuropsychological Status ◽  
Syndrome Scale ◽  
Negative Syndrome

Abstract Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met (rs4680) polymorphism is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, which is related to the regulation of dopamine transmission in the prefrontal cortex. Recent studies have shown that the influence of COMT Val158Met variation is sexually dimorphic. This study aims to explore the possible effect of the interaction between COMT Val158Met polymorphism and sex on patients’ clinical characteristics and cognitive function. 367 inpatients with chronic schizophrenia (246 males and 121 females) and 419 healthy controls (172 males and 247 females) are recruited. The cognitive performances are assessed by Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), and the COMT Val158Met polymorphism is genotyped. The psychopathological symptoms of the patients are assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). We find that: 1) sex difference in the allele frequency and genotype distribution of COMT Val158Met are found only in schizophrenia patients; 2) there is sex × COMT genotype interaction in positive symptoms, immediate memory, attention, and RBANS total score indexes in patients with schizophrenia; 3) mainly in the male patients’ sample, Val/Val carriers exhibit more positive symptoms and more severe cognitive impairment than Met carriers. These findings suggest that COMT Val158Met polymorphism is associated with the risk and severity of schizophrenia in a sexually dimorphic way, which is helpful to understand the factors that may lead to different manifestations of male and female patients with schizophrenia.

scholarly journals Abnormally low prolactin levels in schizophrenia patients after switching to aripiprazole in a randomized trial: a biomarker for rebound in psychotic symptoms?

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ya-Wen Jen ◽  
Tzung-Jeng Hwang ◽  
Hung-Yu Chan ◽  
Ming H. Hsieh ◽  
Chen-Chung Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prolactin Level ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Warning Sign ◽  
Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Early Age ◽  
Positive Symptoms ◽  
Cumulative Proportion ◽  
Syndrome Scale ◽  
Negative Syndrome

Abstract Background Switching to aripiprazole from other antipsychotics can avoid antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia but may result in an abnormally low prolactin level. This study aimed to assess whether the aripiprazole-induced abnormally low prolactin level was a biomarker for subsequent rebound of positive symptoms in schizophrenia patients. Methods Participants were 63 patients in an 8-week trial of switching to aripiprazole, in which preswitching antipsychotics were maintained for the first 2 weeks and aripiprazole was fixed at 15 mg orally throughout the trial. A prolactin level of < 3.7 ng/ml was defined as abnormally low, and an increase of two or more points in the positive subscore of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale at two adjacent ratings was defined as a psychotic rebound. Results Among 63 patients, 25 (39.7%) had an abnormally low prolactin level and 21 (33.3%) had a psychotic rebound after switching to aripiprazole. In patients with abnormally low prolactin levels, 48.0% of them had a rebound in psychotic symptoms, whereas in those without abnormally low prolactin levels 23.7% did so. Multivariable logistic regression analysis with adjustment for sex, early age at onset, and preswitching medications revealed that abnormally low prolactin levels were associated with psychotic rebound (adjusted odds ratio = 3.55, 95% confidence interval = 1.02, 12.5). Furthermore, there was concurrency between the trend of the cumulative proportion of patients having an abnormally low prolactin level and that of the cumulative proportion of patients having a rebound in psychotic symptoms. Conclusions An abnormally low prolactin level after switching to aripiprazole in schizophrenia patients was a potential warning sign of a psychotic rebound. Hence, monitoring of prolactin levels after switching to aripiprazole may help avoid such rebound in schizophrenia. Trial registration NCT00545467; Date of registration: 17/10/2007.

Cognitive Group Therapy for Paranoid Schizophrenics: Applying Cognitive Dissonance

1998 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Levine ◽  
Yoram Barak ◽  
Ilana Granek
Keyword(s):  
Group Therapy ◽  
Cognitive Dissonance ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Positive Symptoms ◽  
Wide Acceptance ◽  
Syndrome Scale ◽  
Schizophrenic Patients ◽  
Supportive Group ◽  
Negative Syndrome

Psychotherapy with paranoid schizophrenics is a hard and often unrewarding task. Individual and group therapies are usually supportive only and are not aimed at changing the paranoid mode of thinking. Although cognitive therapy has been applied in schizophrenic patients, it has not gained wide acceptance. Cognitive dissonance postulates that individuals experience discomfort and tension when holding two dissonant beliefs simultaneously. We here present the group therapy of six schizophrenic paranoids treated by modified cognitive group therapy implementing cognitive dissonance as the vector of change. A control group of six age- and sex-matched paranoid schizophrenics was treated by supportive group therapy. Analysis of the results, using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), during therapy and at follow-up of 4 weeks demonstrates statistically significant improvement in total PANSS score as well as in the positive symptoms subscale.

scholarly journals Symptom Outcome 1 Year after Admission to an Early Psychosis Program

2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 204-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Addington ◽  
Erin Leriger ◽  
Donald Addington
Keyword(s):  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Early Psychosis ◽  
First Episode ◽  
First Year ◽  
Positive Symptoms ◽  
Syndrome Scale ◽  
Assessment Measures ◽  
Symptom Outcome ◽  
Negative Syndrome

Objective: To determine the change in positive, negative, and depressive symptoms after 1 year in an early psychosis program. Method: One hundred and eighty subjects were included from the first 257 admissions for a first episode of psychosis to a comprehensive early psychosis program. Most had a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder. Subjects were assessed on admission to the program and at 3, 6, and 12 months after admission. All 180 subjects completed the 1-year assessment. Assessment measures included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia. Results: There was a clinically and statistically significant improvement in positive symptoms by 3 months, depression increased at 3 months but significantly improved by 12 months, and negative symptoms changed little over the first year. Conclusions: The differential changes in symptoms in the first year after admission have implications for treatment.

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