Eye-movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) to prevent transition to psychosis in people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS): mixed method feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Trauma plays an important role in the development of psychosis, but no studies have investigated whether a trauma-focused therapy could prevent psychosis. AIMS: This study aimed to establish whether it would be feasible to conduct a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) to prevent psychosis in people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS), using eye-movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy (EMDR). METHOD: This started as a mixed-method randomised study comparing EMDR to treatment as usual but, as a result of low participant recruitment, was changed to a single-arm feasibility study. The proposed primary outcome for an RCT was transition to psychosis at 12-month follow-up. Data on secondary outcomes were also collected. Qualitative interviews were conducted with patients and therapists. RESULTS: Fourteen participants were recruited from the Early Intervention teams. Most people who expressed an interest in taking part attended an assessment to determine eligibility. All those eligible consented to take part. A total of 64% (7 of 11) of participants who were offered EMDR were followed up at 12 months. Of the 11 participants offered EMDR, one (11%, 95% CI: 0.2%, 48%) transitioned to psychosis. Nine patients and three therapists were interviewed. Participants who completed therapy (n = 4; mean 10.5 sessions) found EMDR helpful, but those who discontinued (n = 6; mean 5.2 sessions) said it had not benefitted them overall. Therapists said EMDR could be effective, although not for all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies recruiting people with an ARMS to an RCT may need to extend recruitment beyond Early Intervention teams. Although some individuals found EMDR helpful, reasons for discontinuing need to be addressed in future studies.

Longitudinal Trajectories of Plasma Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Associations With Psychosis Spectrum Outcomes in Early Adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Evidence supports associations between polyunsaturated fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and psychosis. However, polyunsaturated fatty acid trajectories in the general population have not been characterized, and associations with psychosis spectrum outcomes in early adulthood are unknown. METHODS: Plasma omega-6 to omega-3 ratio and DHA (expressed as percentage of total fatty acids) were measured by nuclear magnetic spectroscopy at 7, 15, 17, and 24 years of age in participants of ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Curvilinear growth mixture modeling evaluated body mass index-adjusted trajectories of both measures. Outcomes were assessed at 24 years. Psychotic experiences (PEs), at-risk mental state status, psychotic disorder, and number of PEs were assessed using the Psychosis-Like Symptoms interview (n = 3635; 2247 [61.8%] female). Negative symptoms score was measured using the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (n = 3484; 2161 [62.0%] female). Associations were adjusted for sex, ethnicity, parental social class, and cumulative smoking and alcohol use. RESULTS: Relative to stable average, the persistently high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio trajectory was associated with increased odds of PEs and psychotic disorder, but attenuated on adjustment for covariates (PEs adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.63, 95% CI = 0.92-2.89; psychotic disorder aOR = 1.69, 95% CI = 0.71-4.07). This was also the case for persistently low DHA (PEs aOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.84-2.37; psychotic disorder aOR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.49-2.67). Following adjustment, persistently high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio was associated with increased number of PEs (ß = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.05-0.78) and negative symptoms score (ß = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.14-0.72), as was persistently low DHA (number of PEs ß = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.14-0.76; negative symptoms ß = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.12-0.58). CONCLUSIONS: Optimization of polyunsaturated fatty acid status during development warrants further investigation in relation to psychotic symptoms in early adulthood.

Provision of online eye movement and desensitisation therapy (EMDR) for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): a multi-method service evaluation.

Background: The evidence for the effectiveness of online EMDR for PTSD is scarce.Objective: This service evaluation aimed to assess how online EMDR compared to in-person EMDR, in terms of its potential effectiveness and acceptability to therapists and patients.Method: The evaluation was carried out in the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board Traumatic Stress Service. We compared the outcome of therapy (PTSD scores at end of treatment), number of sessions, drop-out rate, and adverse events using linear/logistic regression in those receiving online EMDR over a 12-month period with those who had received in-person therapy in the year previous to that. Interviews with therapists and clients who had provided or undertaken online EMDR explored their views and experiences of treatment. Interviews were analysed thematically.Results: 33 people received in-person EMDR (15.3 sessions, SD = 1.4), and 45 received online EMDR (12.4 sessions, SD = 0.9). 24 individuals completed therapy in-person, and 32 online. There was no evidence of a difference in therapy completion, drop-out rates or adverse events between the two delivery modes. There was weak evidence that those who completed EMDR online and had available data (N = 29), had slightly lower PTSD scores at the end of therapy compared to those who received in-person EMDR (N = 24) (17.1 (SD = 3.2) versus 24.5 (SD = 3.0), mean difference = 7.8, 95% CI -0.3, 15.9, p = .06). However, groups were not randomised and only those who completed treatment were analysed, so estimates may be biased. 11 patients and five therapists were interviewed. Overall, both therapists and clients viewed online EMDR as safe and effective. Benefits mentioned by clients included feeling more in control and not having to travel. Clients' concerns related to lack of privacy and 'transition time/space' between therapy and their daily lives.Conclusion: Results suggest that online EMDR is an acceptable, safe and effective alternative to in-person EMDR for PTSD in this service.

This service evaluation assessed how online Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) compared to in-person EMDR in people with PTSD.Individuals receiving online EMDR had lower PTSD scores at the end of therapy, but the evidence for this was weak and as this was not a randomised trial we do not know whether this was due to the mode of therapy or other characteristics of clients receiving online therapy.Clients and therapists generally viewed online EMDR as being safe and effective, and supported the availability of online EMDR for PTSD.

Trauma-specific mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for women with post-traumatic stress disorder and a history of domestic abuse: intervention refinement and a randomised feasibility trial (coMforT study).

BACKGROUND: Women who have experienced domestic violence and abuse (DVA) are at increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD). In 2014-2015, we developed a prototype trauma-specific mindfulness-based cognitive therapy curriculum (TS-MBCT) for the treatment of PTSD in a DVA population. This study aimed to refine the prototype TS-MBCT and evaluate the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) testing its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. METHODS: Intervention refinement phase was informed by evidence synthesis from a literature review, qualitative interviews with professionals and DVA survivors, and a consensus exercise with experts in trauma and mindfulness. We tested the refined TS-MBCT intervention in an individually randomised parallel group feasibility trial with pre-specified progression criteria, a traffic light system, and embedded process and health economics evaluations. RESULTS: The TS-MBCT intervention consisted of eight group sessions and home practice. We screened 109 women in a DVA agency and recruited 20 (15 TS-MBCT, 5 self-referral to National Health Service (NHS) psychological treatment), with 80% follow-up at 6 months. Our TS-MBCT intervention had 73% uptake, 100% retention, and high acceptability. Participants suggested recruitment via multiple agencies, and additional safety measures. Randomisation into the NHS control arm did not work due to long waiting lists and previous negative experiences. Three self-administered PTSD/CPTSD questionnaires produced differing outcomes thus a clinician administered measure might work better. We met six out of nine feasibility progression criteria at green and three at amber targets demonstrating that it is possible to conduct a full-size RCT of the TS-MBCT intervention after making minor amendments to recruitment and randomisation procedures, the control intervention, primary outcomes measures, and intervention content. At 6 months, none of the PTSD/CPTSD outcomes ruled out a clinically important difference between trial arms indicating that it is reasonable to proceed to a full-size RCT to estimate these outcomes with greater precision. CONCLUSIONS: A future RCT of the coMforT TS-MBCT intervention should have an internal pilot, recruit from multiple DVA agencies, NHS and non-NHS settings, have an active control psychological treatment, use robust randomisation and safety procedures, and clinician-administered measures for PTSD/CPTSD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN64458065 11/01/2019.

Examining the Relationship Between Trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Psychosis in Patients in a UK Secondary Care Service.

Objective: Traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common in schizophrenia. However, few studies screening for PTSD have established the temporality of PTSD-related traumatic events to psychosis onset. Furthermore, it is unclear how many patients attribute a trauma-based contribution to their psychosis or would find trauma-focused therapy acceptable. We examine the prevalence and timing of trauma in psychosis, as well as patient views on the relationship between their trauma experiences and mental health difficulties, and on receiving trauma-focused therapy. Methods: Sixty-eight patients with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) or psychotic disorder in a UK secondary-care setting completed self-report measures of trauma and PTSD, and undertook research interviews. Proportions and odds ratios were derived with 95% confidence intervals. Results: We recruited 68 participants (estimated response rate 62%; psychotic disorder n = 61, ARMS n = 7). Sixty three (95%) reported traumatic events and 32 (47%) reported childhood abuse. Twenty-six individuals (38%) met criteria for PTSD, though for >95% this was not recorded in their notes, and 25 (37%) had sub-threshold PTSD. For 69% of participants, their worst trauma occurred before the onset of their psychosis symptoms. Most (65%) believed their psychosis symptoms were related to past traumas and 82% of these were interested in receiving trauma-focused therapy. Conclusions: PTSD is common in and often pre-dates onset of psychosis. Most patients believe their symptoms and traumas are related and would be interested in trauma-focused therapy if available. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of trauma-focused therapies for those with or at high-risk of psychosis are required.

Adverse childhood experiences and adolescent cannabis use trajectories: findings from a longitudinal UK birth cohort.

BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are classically defined as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, bullying, parental substance use or abuse, violence between parents, parental mental health problems or suicide, parental separation, or a parent convicted of criminal offence. Exposure to ACEs can be associated with cannabis use, but no comparisons across all adversities have been made while also considering timing and frequency of cannabis use. We aimed to explore the association between ACEs and cannabis use timing and frequency in adolescence, considering the cumulative number of ACEs and individual ACEs. METHODS: We used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a longitudinal UK birth cohort study. Longitudinal latent classes of cannabis use frequency were derived from self-reported data at multiple timepoints in participants aged 13-24 years. ACEs between ages 0 years and 12 years were derived from prospective and retrospective reports at multiple timepoints by parents and the participant. Multinomial regression was used to analyse the effect of both cumulative exposure to all ACEs and the ten individual ACEs on cannabis use outcomes. FINDINGS: 5212 participants (3132 [60·0%] were female and 2080 [40·0%] were male; 5044 [96·0%] were White and 168 [4·0%] were Black, Asian, or minority ethnic) were included in this study. After adjustment for polygenic risk and environmental risk factors, participants who had 4 or more ACEs at age 0-12 years were at increased risk of early persisting regular cannabis use (relative risk ratio [RRR] 3·15 [95% CI 1·81-5·50]), later onset regular use (1·99 [1·14-3·74]), and early persisting occasional use (2·55 [1·74-3·73]) compared with low or no cannabis use. After adjustment, early persisting regular use was associated with parental substance use or abuse (RRR 3·90 [95% CI 2·10-7·24]), parental mental health problems (2·02 [1·26-3·24]), physical abuse (2·27 [1·31-3·98]), emotional abuse (2·44 [1·49-3·99]), and parental separation (1·88 [1·08-3·27]) compared with low or no cannabis use. INTERPRETATION: Risks for problematic adolescent cannabis use are highest for individuals reporting 4 or more ACEs, and were particularly raised for those with parental substance use or abuse. Public health measures to address ACEs might reduce adolescent cannabis use. FUNDING: The Wellcome Trust, UK Medical Research Council, Alcohol Research UK.

Associations between plasma inflammatory markers and psychotic disorder, depressive disorder and generalised anxiety disorder in early adulthood: A nested case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Low-grade inflammation may occur in association with several mental disorders of early adulthood, though associations with markers of chronic inflammation such as soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) are less well-established. We aimed to examine associations between acute and chronic inflammatory markers and mental disorders, as well as psychiatric co-morbidity, in young adults aged 24 years in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. METHODS: Included were 781 participants (of 4019 who attended at age 24 years) who completed psychiatric assessments and provided plasma samples. Of these, 377 met criteria for psychotic disorder, depressive disorder or generalised anxiety disorder and 404 did not. Plasma concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, CRP, sVCAM1, sICAM1, suPAR and alpha-2-macroglobulin were measured using immunoassays. Logistic regression compared standardised inflammatory marker levels in cases and controls. Negative binomial regression evaluated associations between inflammatory markers and co-morbidity (number of mental disorders). Models were adjusted for sex, body mass index, cigarette smoking, cannabis use and employment status, then additionally for childhood trauma. RESULTS: For psychotic disorder, there was evidence for associations with IL-6 (odds ratio[OR] 1.68, 95 %CI 1.20-2.34) and suPAR (OR 1.74, 95 %CI 1.17-2.58). There was weaker evidence for an association between suPAR and depressive disorder (OR 1.31, 95 %CI 1.05-1.62). There was little evidence for associations between inflammatory markers and generalised anxiety disorder. There was weak evidence for an association between suPAR and co-morbidity (ß 0.10, 95 %CI 0.01-0.19). There was little evidence for additional confounding by childhood trauma. CONCLUSIONS: There was evidence that 24-year-olds with psychotic disorder had raised plasma IL-6 and suPAR concentrations compared to controls. These findings have implications regarding the role of inflammation in mental disorders in early adulthood.

The identification and management of people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis in primary and secondary care services: A qualitative interview study.

AIMS: Early intervention in people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis can prevent the onset of psychosis. Clinical guidelines recommend that ARMS are referred to triage services, and then to Early Intervention (EI) teams in secondary care for assessment and treatment. However, little is known about how ARMS patients are identified and managed in UK primary and secondary care. This study explored patients' and clinicians' views of ARMS patients' care pathways. METHODS: Eleven patients, 20 GPs, 11 clinicians from the triaging Primary Care Liaison Services (PCLS) and 10 EI clinicians were interviewed. Data were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Most patients said their symptoms started in adolescence with depression and anxiety. Before being referred to EI teams, most patients were referred by their GP to well-being services for talking therapies, which they had not found helpful. Some GPs said secondary care's high acceptance thresholds and scarce treatment availability made them reluctant to refer to EI teams. Triage in PCLS was influenced by patients' risk of self-harm, and formulation of psychotic symptoms; only those without clear evidence of other pathology and not at high risk of self-harm were referred to EI teams, the others being referred to Recovery/Crisis services. Although patients referred to EI teams were offered an assessment, only some EI teams were commissioned to treat ARMS. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals meeting ARMS criteria might not receive early intervention due to high treatment thresholds and limited treatment availability in secondary care, suggesting clinical guidelines are not being met for this patient group.

Polygenic risk of Social-isolation and its influence on social behavior, psychosis, depression and autism spectrum disorder.

Social-isolation has been linked to a range of psychiatric issues, but the behavioral component that drives it is not well understood. Here, a GWAS is carried out to identify genetic variants which contribute to Social-isolation behaviors in up to 449,609 participants from the UK Biobank. 17 loci were identified at genome-wide significance, contributing to a 4% SNP heritability estimate. Using the Social-isolation GWAS, polygenic risk scores (PRS) were derived in ALSPAC, an independent, developmental cohort, and used to test for association with friendship quality. At age 18, friendship scores were associated with the Social-isolation PRS, demonstrating that the genetic factors are able to predict related social traits. LD score regression using the GWAS demonstrated genetic correlation with autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder. However, no evidence of causality was found using a conservative Mendelian randomization approach other than that of autism spectrum disorder on Social-isolation. Our results show that Social-isolation has a small heritable component which may drive those behaviors which is associated genetically with other social traits such as friendship satisfaction as well as psychiatric disorders.

Childhood Trauma As a Mediator of the Association Between Autistic Traits and Psychotic Experiences: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Little is known on whether associations between childhood autistic traits and psychotic experiences persist into adulthood and whether genetic confounding and childhood trauma influence them. Here we investigate the associations between childhood autistic traits and psychotic experiences until young adulthood and assess the influence of schizophrenia polygenic risk and childhood traumatic experiences, using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) population-based birth cohort. STUDY DESIGN: We used a measure of broad autistic traits (autism factor mean score), and four dichotomised measures of autistic traits capturing social communication difficulties (age 7), repetitive behaviours (age 5), sociability (age 3), and pragmatic language (age 9). Psychotic experiences were assessed at ages 18 and 24 using the semi-structured Psychosis-Like Symptoms interview (PLIKSi). Traumatic experiences between ages 5 and 11 were assessed with questionnaires and interviews administered to children and parents at multiple ages. STUDY RESULTS: Broad autistic traits, as well as social communication difficulties, were associated with psychotic experiences that were distressing and/or frequent until age 24 (autism factor mean score, n = 3707: OR 1.19, 95%CI 1.01-1.39; social communication difficulties, n = 3384: OR 1.54, 95%CI 0.97-2.45). Childhood trauma mediated a substantial proportion of the identified associations (~28% and 36% respectively, maximum n = 3577). Schizophrenia polygenic risk did not appear to confound the associations. Multiple imputation analyses (maximum n = 13 105) yielded comparable results. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood trauma may be an important, potentially modifiable pathway between autistic features and later onset of psychotic psychopathology.

Association of trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder and non-affective psychosis across the life course: a nationwide prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine the temporal relationships between traumatic events (TE), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and non-affective psychotic disorders (NAPD). METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 1 965 214 individuals born in Sweden between 1971 and 1990 examining the independent effects of interpersonal and non-interpersonal TE on incidence of PTSD and NAPD using data from linked register data (Psychiatry-Sweden). Mediation analyses tested the hypothesis that PTSD lies on a causal pathway between interpersonal trauma and NAPD. RESULTS: Increasing doses of interpersonal and non-interpersonal TE were independently associated with increased risk of NAPD [linear-trend incidence rate ratios (IRR)adjusted = 2.17 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.02-2.33] and IRRadjusted = 1.27 (95% CI 1.23-1.31), respectively]. These attenuated to a relatively small degree in 5-year time-lagged models. A similar pattern of results was observed for PTSD [linear-trend IRRadjusted = 3.43 (95% CI 3.21-3.66) and IRRadjusted = 1.45 (95% CI 1.39-1.50)]. PTSD was associated with increased risk of NAPD [IRRadjusted = 8.06 (95% CI 7.23-8.99)], which was substantially attenuated in 5-year time-lagged analyses [IRRadjusted = 4.62 (95% CI 3.65-5.87)]. There was little evidence that PTSD diagnosis mediated the relationship between interpersonal TE and NAPD [IRRadjusted = 0.92 (percentile CI 0.80-1.07)]. CONCLUSION: Despite the limitations to causal inference inherent in observational designs, the large effect-sizes observed between trauma, PTSD and NAPD in this study, consistent across sensitivity analyses, suggest that trauma may be a component cause of psychotic disorders. However, PTSD diagnosis might not be a good proxy for the likely complex psychological mechanisms mediating this association.

Transdiagnostic inflammatory subgroups among psychiatric disorders and their relevance to role functioning: a nested case-control study of the ALSPAC cohort.

Individuals with psychotic disorders and depressive disorder exhibit altered concentrations of peripheral inflammatory markers. It has been suggested that clinical trials of anti-inflammatory therapies for psychiatric disorders should stratify patients by their inflammatory profile. Hence, we investigated whether different subgroups of individuals exist across psychiatric disorders, based on their inflammatory biomarker signatures. We measured the plasma concentrations of 17 inflammatory markers and receptors in 380 participants with psychotic disorder, depressive disorder or generalised anxiety disorder and 399 controls without psychiatric symptoms from the ALSPAC cohort at age 24. We employed a semi-supervised clustering algorithm, which discriminates multiple clusters of psychiatric disorder cases from controls. The best fit was for a two-cluster model of participants with psychiatric disorders (Adjusted Rand Index (ARI) = 0.52 ± 0.01) based on the inflammatory markers. Permutation analysis indicated the stability of the clustering solution performed better than chance (ARI = 0.43 ± 0.11; p < 0.001), and the clusters explained the inflammatory marker data better than a Gaussian distribution (p = 0.021). Cluster 2 exhibited marked increases in sTNFR1/2, suPAR, sCD93 and sIL-2RA, compared to cluster 1. Participants in the cluster exhibiting higher inflammation were less likely to be in employment, education or training, indicating poorer role functioning. This study found evidence for a novel pattern of inflammatory markers specific to psychiatric disorders and strongly associated with a transdiagnostic measure of illness severity. sTNFR1/2, suPAR, sCD93 and sIL-2RA could be used to stratify clinical trials of anti-inflammatory therapies for psychiatric disorders.

Prevalence and correlates of self-stigma in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Background: Self-stigma refers to the internalisation of negative societal views and stereotypes. Self-stigma has been well-characterised in the context of mental disorders such as schizophrenia but has received little attention in relation to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Objective: This work aimed to determine the prevalence of self-stigma in a sample of adults with PTSD and to establish factors associated with the internalisation of stigma in this population. Method: Participants were 194 adults (mean age 46.07 (SD = 12.39); 64.4% female; 96.6% white Caucasian; residing in the UK), who self-reported a diagnosis of PTSD and currently screened positive for the disorder according to the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Structured interviews and validated self-report questionnaires were used to ascertain clinical and sociodemographic information for analysis. Results: The prevalence of self-stigma measured by the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMIS) was 41.2% (95% CI 34.24-48.22). There was no evidence of an association between self-stigma and gender (ß = -2.975 (95% CI -7.046-1.097) p = .151), age (ß = 0.007 (95% CI -0.152-0.165) p = .953), sexual trauma (ß = 0.904 (95% CI -3.668-5.476) p = .697), military trauma (ß = -0.571 (95% CI -4.027-7.287) p = .571). Self-stigma was associated with lower income and higher levels of anxiety (ß = 5.722 (95% CI 2.922-8.522) p = <.001), depression (ß = 6.937 (95% CI 4.287-9.588) p = <.000), and traumatic stress symptoms (ß = 3.880 (95% CI 1.401-6.359) p = .002). Conclusions: The results indicate that self-stigma may be a significant issue among people with a diagnosis of PTSD. Further work is needed to understand the long-term impact and to develop interventions to address the internalisation of stigma in this population. HIGHLIGHTS: The prevalence of self-stigma among a sample of participants with PTSD was 41.2%.There was no evidence of an association between self-stigma and gender, age or sexual / military trauma.Self-stigma was associated with lower income and higher levels of anxiety, depression, and traumatic stress symptoms.

Antecedentes: El autoestigma se refiere a la internalización de opiniones y estereotipos sociales negativos. El autoestigma ha sido bien caracterizado en los contextos de trastornos mentales como la esquizofrenia, pero ha recibido poca atención en relación al trastorno de estrés postraumático (TEPT).Objetivo: Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo determinar la prevalencia del autoestigma en una muestra de adultos con TEPT y establecer los factores asociados con la internalización del estigma en esta población.Método: Los participantes fueron 194 adultos (edad media 46,09 (DE = 12.39); 64.4% mujeres; 96.6% caucásicos blancos; que residían en el Reino Unido), quienes autoinformaron un diagnóstico de TEPT y que actualmente dieron positivo para el trastorno de acuerdo a la Lista de chequeo de TEPT para el DSM-5 (PCL-5). Se usaron entrevistas estructuradas y cuestionarios de auto-reporte validados para determinar la información clínica y sociodemográfica para el análisis.Resultados: La prevalencia del autoestigma medido por la Escala de Estigma Internalizado de Enfermedad Mental (ISMIS por sus siglas en inglés) fue de 41,2% (95% IC 34.24­48.22). No hubo evidencia de asociación entre estigma y género (ß = −2.975 (95% IC −7.046­1.097) p = .151), edad (ß = 0.007 (95% IC −0.152­0.165) p = .953), trauma sexual (ß = 0.904 (95% IC −3.668­5.476) p = .697), trauma militar (ß = −0.571 (95% IC −4.027­7.287) p = .571). El autoestigma se asoció con menores ingresos y mayores niveles de ansiedad (ß = 5.722 (95% IC 2.922­8.522), p = <.001), depresión (ß = 6.937 (95% IC 4.287­9.588) p = <.000) y síntomas de estrés traumático (ß = 3.880 (95% IC 1.401­6.359) p = .002).Conclusiones: Los resultados indican que el autoestigma puede ser un problema importante entre las personas con un diagnóstico de TEPT. Se necesita más trabajo para comprender el impacto a largo plazo y desarrollar intervenciones que se dirijan a la internalización del estigma en esta población.

Study development and protocol for a cohort study examining the impact of baseline social cognition on response to treatment for people living with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Background: Social cognitive impairments, specifically in facial emotion processing and mental state attribution, are common in post-traumatic stress disorder. However few studies so far have examined whether social cognitive ability impacts on PTSD recovery. Objective: To examine whether baseline social cognitive abilities are associated with treatment outcomes following trauma-focused therapy for PTSD. Method: This is a cohort study that will relate treatment outcomes post-discharge to baseline measures of social cognition (five tasks: Emotion Odd-One-Out Task (Oddity), Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task (RMET), Social Shapes Test (SST), Spontaneous Theory of Mind Protocol (STOMP), and Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8)) in people starting a course of psychological therapy for PTSD (target N = 60). The primary outcome will be pre- to post-treatment change in PTSD symptom severity (assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5). Secondary outcomes include functional impairment (assessed using the Work and Social Adjustment Scale), drop-out rate, and analyses differentiating participants with DSM-5 PTSD and ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD. Regression models will be used to examine associations between baseline social cognitive performance and outcome measures while adjusting for potential confounders. Two pilot studies informed the development of our study protocol. The first involved qualitative analysis of interviews with nine participants with lived experience of mental health problems to inform our research questions and study protocol. The second involved trialling social cognitive tasks on 20 non-clinical participants to refine our test battery. Discussion: This study will address a gap in the literature about whether abilities in social cognition in people living with PTSD are associated with treatment-related recovery. HIGHLIGHTS: Impairments in social cognition are recognised in people with PTSD.Few studies have examined whether social cognitive ability is associated with recovery from PTSD.We present a study protocol, developed after pilot testing, to address this question.

Antecedentes: Las deficiencias en la cognición social, específicamente en el procesamiento de las emociones faciales y de la atribución de estados mentales, son comunes en el trastorno de estrés postraumático (TEPT). Sin embargo, hasta el momento pocos estudios han evaluado si la habilidad cognitiva social tiene un impacto en la recuperación del TEPT.Objetivo: Evaluar si las habilidades de cognición social de base están asociadas con los resultados del tratamiento después de la terapia centrada en el trauma para el TEPT.Métodos: Este es un estudio de cohortes que relacionará los resultados posteriores al alta del tratamiento con las medidas de referencia de la cognición social mediante cinco pruebas: la tarea de la emoción no correspondiente ('Emotion Odd-One-Out Task (Oddity)'), la tarea de lectura de la mente a través de la mirada ('Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task (RMET)'), la prueba de las figuras sociales ('Social Shapes Test (SST)'), el protocolo para la teoría de la mente espontánea ('Spontaneous Theory of Mind Protocol (STOMP)'), y el cuestionario de funcionamiento reflexivo ('Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8)'. Estas pruebas fueron realizadas en personas al iniciar el transcurso de la terapia psicológica para el TEPT (N objetivo = 60). El resultado principal será el cambio en la severidad de los síntomas del TEPT antes y después del tratamiento (evaluado utilizando la lista de verificación de síntomas de TEPT del DSM-5). Los resultados secundarios incluyen al deterioro funcional (evaluado mediante el cuestionario de trabajo y ajuste social, 'Work and Social Adjustment Scale' en inglés), la tasa de abandono, así como los análisis que diferencien a los participantes con TEPT según el DSM-5, y diferencien el TEPT y el TEPT complejo (TEPT-C) según la CIE-11. Se utilizarán modelos de regresión para examinar las asociaciones entre el rendimiento cognitivo social de referencia y las medidas de resultado mientras se ajustan por posibles variables de confusión. Dos estudios piloto sustentaron el desarrollo del protocolo del estudio. El primero involucró un análisis cualitativo de las entrevistas realizadas a nueve participantes con experiencias de problemas de salud mental para sustentar nuestras preguntas de investigación y el protocolo de estudio. El segundo involucró evaluar las pruebas de cognición social en veinte participantes sin condiciones clínicas para refinar la batería de pruebas.Discusión: Este estudio busca estrechar la brecha en la literatura sobre si las habilidades en la cognición social en personas que viven con TEPT están asociadas con la recuperación vinculada al tratamiento.

Parental inflammatory bowel disease and autism in children.

Evidence linking parental inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with autism in children is inconclusive. We conducted four complementary studies to investigate associations between parental IBD and autism in children, and elucidated their underlying etiology. Conducting a nationwide population-based cohort study using Swedish registers, we found evidence of associations between parental diagnoses of IBD and autism in children. Polygenic risk score analyses of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children suggested associations between maternal genetic liability to IBD and autistic traits in children. Two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses provided evidence of a potential causal effect of genetic liability to IBD, especially ulcerative colitis, on autism. Linkage disequilibrium score regression did not indicate a genetic correlation between IBD and autism. Triangulating evidence from these four complementary approaches, we found evidence of a potential causal link between parental, particularly maternal, IBD and autism in children. Perinatal immune dysregulation, micronutrient malabsorption and anemia may be implicated.

A Computational Analysis of Abnormal Belief Updating Processes and Their Association With Psychotic Experiences and Childhood Trauma in a UK Birth Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Psychotic experiences emerge from abnormalities in perception and belief formation and occur more commonly in those experiencing childhood trauma. However, which precise aspects of belief formation are atypical in psychosis is not well understood. We used a computational modeling approach to characterize belief updating in young adults in the general population, examine their relationship with psychotic outcomes and trauma, and determine the extent to which they mediate the trauma-psychosis relationship. METHODS: We used data from 3360 individuals from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children birth cohort who completed assessments for psychotic outcomes, depression, anxiety, and two belief updating tasks at age 24 and had data available on traumatic events assessed from birth to late adolescence. Unadjusted and adjusted regression and counterfactual mediation methods were used for the analyses. RESULTS: Basic behavioral measures of belief updating (draws-to-decision and disconfirmatory updating) were not associated with psychotic experiences. However, computational modeling revealed an association between increased decision noise with both psychotic experiences and trauma exposure, although <3% of the trauma-psychotic experience association was mediated by decision noise. Belief updating measures were also associated with intelligence and sociodemographic characteristics, confounding most of the associations with psychotic experiences. There was little evidence that belief updating parameters were differentially associated with delusions compared with hallucinations or that they were differentially associated with psychotic outcomes compared with depression or anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: These findings challenge the hypothesis that atypical belief updating mechanisms (as indexed by the computational models and behavioral measures we used) underlie the development of psychotic phenomena.

Morphometric Analysis of Structural MRI Using Schizophrenia Meta-analytic Priors Distinguish Patients from Controls in Two Independent Samples and in a Sample of Individuals With High Polygenic Risk.

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is associated with structural brain changes, with considerable variation in the extent to which these cortical regions are influenced. We present a novel metric that summarises individual structural variation across the brain, while considering prior effect sizes, established via meta-analysis. We determine individual participant deviation from a within-sample-norm across structural MRI regions of interest (ROIs). For each participant, we weight the normalised deviation of each ROI by the effect size (Cohen's d) of the difference between SCZ/control for the corresponding ROI from the SCZ Enhancing Neuroimaging Genomics through Meta-Analysis working group. We generate a morphometric risk score (MRS) representing the average of these weighted deviations. We investigate if SCZ-MRS is elevated in a SCZ case/control sample (NCASE = 50; NCONTROL = 125), a replication sample (NCASE = 23; NCONTROL = 20) and a sample of asymptomatic young adults with extreme SCZ polygenic risk (NHIGH-SCZ-PRS = 95; NLOW-SCZ-PRS = 94). SCZ cases had higher SCZ-MRS than healthy controls in both samples (Study 1: ß = 0.62, P < 0.001; Study 2: ß = 0.81, P = 0.018). The high liability SCZ-PRS group also had a higher SCZ-MRS (Study 3: ß = 0.29, P = 0.044). Furthermore, the SCZ-MRS was uniquely associated with SCZ status, but not attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), whereas an ADHD-MRS was linked to ADHD status, but not SCZ. This approach provides a promising solution when considering individual heterogeneity in SCZ-related brain alterations by identifying individual's patterns of structural brain-wide alterations.

Abuse in Childhood and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.

Background Although childhood abuse has been consistently associated with cardiovascular disease in later adulthood, its associations with cardiometabolic health in younger adults are poorly understood. We assessed associations between childhood physical, sexual, and psychological abuse and cardiometabolic outcomes at 18 and 25 years. Methods and Results We used data on 3223 participants of the ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Exposure to childhood abuse was self-reported retrospectively at 22 years. We used linear regression to assess the associations between childhood abuse and cardiometabolic outcomes at 18 and 25 years. At 18 years, physical (ß 1.35 kg/m2; 95% CI, 0.66-2.05), sexual (ß 0.57 kg/m2; 95% CI 0.04-1.11), and psychological (ß 0.47 kg/m2; 95% CI 0.01-0.92) abuse were associated with higher body mass index. Physical abuse was also associated with lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (ß -0.07 mmol/L; 95% CI, -0.13 to -0.01) and higher C-reactive protein (31%; 95% CI, 1%-69%), and sexual abuse was associated with higher heart rate (ß 1.92 bpm; 95% CI 0.26-3.58). At age 25, all 3 types of abuse were additionally associated with higher insulin, and sexual abuse was associated with lower cholesterol (-0.14 mmol/L; 95% CI, -0.26 to -0.01). The age at which abuse occurred (<11or 11-17 years) had little influence on the associations, and when sex differences were evident, associations were stronger in men. Conclusions Childhood abuse is associated with negative cardiometabolic outcomes even by young adulthood. Further follow-up will determine whether associations strengthen across the life course and whether sex differences persist, which is essential for targeting effective screening programs and early interventions in those who suffered abuse in childhood.

Examining the relationship between early childhood temperament, trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

A greater understanding of why some people are more at risk of developing PTSD is required. We examine the relationship between temperament traits in early childhood and subsequent trauma exposure and risk of PTSD. We used data on 2017 participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Temperament was measured using the Carey Infant Temperament Scale (average score from ages 6 and 24 months). This provided data on 9 individuals traits, and Easy, Medium, and Difficult temperament clusters. Trauma exposure was measured from 0 to 17 years, and PTSD at age 23 years using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-V (PCL-5). Regression models were used to estimate associations between temperament and both trauma and PTSD, and to examine mediation (of temperament to PTSD pathway) and interaction (temperament X trauma on PTSD) effects. 1178 (58.4%) individuals were exposed to a trauma in childhood and 112 (5.5%) had PTSD. Higher levels of Intensity were associated with a small increase in trauma exposure (ORadjusted 1.23, 95% CI 1.12, 1.34; p < 0.001) and PTSD (ORadjusted 1.27, 95% CI 1.05, 1.54; p = 0.012). Higher levels of Activity, Adaptability, Mood and Threshold temperament traits were also associated with trauma exposure. Medium (ORadjusted 1.49, 95% CI 1.21, 1.84; p < 0.001) and Difficult (ORadjusted 1.47, 95% CI 1.18, 1.84; p = 0.001) temperament clusters were associated with increased trauma exposure compared to an Easy cluster, but were not associated with PTSD. The relationship between trait Intensity and adult PTSD was partially mediated by childhood/adolescent trauma (Indirect ORadjusted 1.08, 95% CI 1.01, 1.16, p = 0.024, proportion mediated 26.2%). There was some evidence that trait Intensity modified the relationship between trauma and PTSD (ORadjusted 1.66, 95% CI 1.07, 2.55, p = 0.023). PTSD in early adulthood is more common in those with intense stimuli responsiveness in childhood. Temperament traits might be useful predictors of trauma exposure and mental health outcomes and offer potential targets for supportive interventions.