Investigating the relationship between autistic traits and symptoms and Catatonia Spectrum.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, numerous studies have highlighted the overlap between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and catatonia, both from a clinical and pathophysiological perspective. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the autism spectrum (autistic traits and ASD signs, symptoms, and behavioral manifestation) and Catatonia Spectrum (CS). METHODS: A total sample of 376 subjects was distributed in four diagnostic groups. Subjects were assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5, Research Version, the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum), and CS. In the statistical analyses, the total sample was also divided into three groups according to the degree of autism severity, based on the AdAS Spectrum total score. RESULTS: A statistically significant positive correlation was found between AdAS Spectrum and CS total score within the total sample, the gender subgroups, and the diagnostic categories. The AdAS Spectrum domains found to be significantly and strongly correlated with the total CS score were hyper-hypo reactivity to sensory input, verbal communication, nonverbal communication, restricted interests and rumination, and inflexibility and adherence to routine. The three groups of different autistic severity were found to be distributed across all diagnostic groups and the CS score increased significantly from the group without autistic traits to the group with ASD. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reports a strong correlation between autism spectrum and CS.

Effects of all-on-four implant designs in mandible on implants and the surrounding bone: A 3-D finite element analysis.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to observe the stresses of all-on-four implant designs in an edentulous mandible in the implant, surrounding bone, and monolithic ceramics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In mandibular all-on-four implant models, anterior implants were placed vertically, and posterior implants were differently inclined. On the full-arch fixed prosthetic restoration monolithic zirconia framework, monolithic lithium disilicate was prepared as the superstructure. Model 1M (1M-15.5); posterior implants angled at 15° to the occlusion plane and a cantilever length of 5 mm, Model 2M; (2M-15.9), Model 3M; (3M-30.5), and Model 4M; (4M-30.9) were prepared. A total of 300 N bilateral force was applied at an angle of 30° and oblique to the occlusion plane. Stress values on dental implants, abutments, the surrounding bone, and prosthetic restorations were calculated. RESULTS: The highest stress concentration was observed in the 2nd connector region between the canine and the 1st premolar tooth in the monolithic zirconia frameworks (457.21 MPa). Stress concentration in the cortical bone was 60.93 MPa in posterior implants. Stress was higher in posterior angled implants than straight implants. Stress at posterior angulation increased by 21 MPa in implants angled at 15°. CONCLUSION: In bilateral loading, the force applied to anterior implants does not have a significant effect on the bone structure. Stress concentration increases in posterior angled implants and surrounding bone. Moreover, stress concentration increases as the length of the cantilever, the weakest part in all-on-four implants, increases. As posterior implant angulation increases, stress concentration level and localization are affected.

Maxillary and mandibular all-on-four implant designs: A review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to evaluate maxillary and mandibular all-on-four implant designs, their indications and contraindications, advantages and disadvantages. METHODS: By using Pubmed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, data from January 2003 to February 2018 were scanned electronically and manually as the title, abstract, and full text. The keywords specified were determined to be the all-on-four concept, full-arch implant prostheses, 4-implant full-arch, and tilted implants. The inclusion criteria consisted of the all-on-four implant design, its use in completely edentulous maxillary and mandibular cases, advantages and disadvantages of the technique, and changes observed in the maxilla and mandible in completely edentulous cases. Clinical trials and laboratory studies on the subject using the full text and English language were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 176 articles were found as a result of Google Scholar, Pubmed, and Cochrane Library. Thirty-seven articles were selected according to inclusion criteria; of these, 20 were related to the clinical trials. In addition, a total of 13 articles were found as a result of an additional hand search by screening the reference list of all included publications; of these, 11 was related to the clinical trials. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to carry out longer-term clinical and laboratory studies to determine long-term success criteria in all-on-four implant designs and to use new ceramic systems.

Autistic traits in a sample of adult patients with schizophrenia: prevalence and correlates.

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are currently conceptualized as distinct disorders. However, the relationship between these two disorders has been revisited in recent years due to evidence that they share phenotypic and genotypic expressions. This study aimed to identify ASD traits in patients with schizophrenia, and to define their demographic, psychopathological, cognitive and functional correlates. METHOD: Seventy-five schizophrenia patients (20 females, mean age 42 ± 12) were evaluated with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). Participants were also assessed with clinical, neuropsychological, and psychosocial functioning measures. RESULTS: Of the 75 patients, 47 were negative to all the autism scales administered (ADOS-TOT-NEG), 21 patients were positive to the ADOS Language sub-domain (ADOS-L-POS), 21 patients were positive to the ADOS Reciprocal Social Interaction (RSI) sub-domain (ADOS-RSI-POS), 14 patients were positive to the ADOS Total scale (ADOS-TOT-POS), and nine patients were positive to the ADI-R scale (ADI-R-POS). Demographic (duration of illness), psychopathological (negative symptoms and general psychopathology), and cognitive (working memory and processing speed) differences emerged between schizophrenic patients with and without ASD traits, while no differences in psychosocial functioning were detected. Results of this study indicate the existence, in a sample of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, of a distinct group of subjects with ASD features, characterized by specific symptomatological and cognitive profile. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may contribute to better characterize patients with schizophrenia in order to develop new procedures and therapeutic tools in a more personalized perspective.

Progressive loss of cortical gray matter in schizophrenia: a meta-analysis and meta-regression of longitudinal MRI studies.

Cortical gray matter deficits have been found in patients with schizophrenia, with evidence of progression over time. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of progressive cortical gray matter volume changes over time in schizophrenia, their site and time of occurrence, and the role of potential moderators of brain changes. English language articles published between 1 January 1983 and 31 March 2012 in the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched. Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging studies comparing changes in cortical gray matter volume over time between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls were included. Hedges g was calculated for each study. Analyses were performed using fixed- and random-effects models. A subgroup analysis was run to explore the pattern of brain changes in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. A meta-regression statistic was adopted to investigate the role of potential moderators of the effect sizes (ESs). A total of 19 studies, analyzing 813 patients with schizophrenia and 718 healthy controls, were included. Over time, patients with schizophrenia showed a significantly higher volume loss of total cortical gray matter, left superior temporal gyrus (STG), left anterior STG, left Heschl gyrus, left planum temporale and posterior STG bilaterally. Meta-analysis of first-episode schizophrenic patients showed a more significant pattern of progressive loss of whole cerebral gray matter volume involving the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes, and left Heschl gyrus compared with healthy controls. Clinical, pharmacologic and neuroradiological variables were found to be significant moderators of brain volume changes in patients with schizophrenia. The meta-analysis demonstrates that progressive cortical gray matter changes in schizophrenia occur with regional and temporal specificity. The underlying pathological process appears to be especially active in the first stages of the disease, affects the left hemisphere and the superior temporal structures more and is at least partly moderated by the type of pharmacological treatment received.

Psychopathologic, neuropsychological and functional outcome measures during cognitive rehabilitation in schizophrenia: a prospective controlled study in a real-world setting.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive dysfunction has been demonstrated in patients with schizophrenia, and this may affect patients' functional outcome. The improvement of such dysfunction by means of cognitive remediation interventions has become a relevant target in the care of schizophrenia. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of the cognitive subprograms of Integrated Psychological Therapy (IPT) on symptomatological, neuropsychological and functional outcome variables and to analyze the relationships between cognitive and functional outcome changes in schizophrenia. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with schizophrenia were assigned to cognitive remediation (IPT-cog) or usual rehabilitative interventions in a naturalistic setting of care. Clinical, neuropsychological and functional outcome variables were assessed at baseline and after 24 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: The IPT-cog group improved significantly more than the comparison group with respect to psychopathological and functional outcome variables. Moreover, only the IPT-cog group improved significantly in the neuropsychological domains of verbal and working memory, with specific significant correlations between neurocognitive performance and functional outcome changes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study confirm the effectiveness of the cognitive remediation component of IPT in schizophrenia, and indicate that some of the changes in functional outcome may be mediated by improvement in specific cognitive domains.

Neuroanatomy of vulnerability to psychosis: a voxel-based meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Individual structural imaging studies in the pre-psychotic phases deliver contrasting findings and are unable to definitively characterize the neuroanatomical correlates of an increased liability to psychosis and to predict transition to psychosis. METHOD: Ninenteen voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies of subjects at enhanced risk for psychosis and healthy controls were included in an activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis. RESULTS: The overall sample consisted of 701 controls and 896 high risk subjects. Subjects at high risk for psychosis showed reduced gray matter (GM) volume as compared to controls in the right superior temporal gyrus, left precuneus, left medial frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, bilateral parahippocampal/hippocampal regions and bilateral anterior cingulate. High risk subjects who later developed a psychotic episode showed baseline GM volume reductions in the right inferior frontal gyrus and in the right superior temporal gyrus. CONCLUSIONS: GM volume reductions in temporo-parietal, bilateral prefrontal and limbic cortex are neuroanatomical correlates of an enhanced vulnerability to psychosis. Baseline GM reductions in superior temporal and inferior frontal areas are associated with later transition to psychosis.