Exploring parenthood in first episode of psychosis: the potential role of the offspring in the outcome of women.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to explore the role of parenthood at first episode of psychosis (FEP) on recovery, with a focus on potential sex differences. METHODS: Sociodemographic, clinical, and neurocognitive information was considered on 610 FEP patients form the PAFIP cohort (Spain). Baseline and three-year follow-up comparisons were carried out. Chi-square tests and ANCOVA analysis were performed controlling for the effect of age and years of education. RESULTS: Men comprised 57.54% of the sample, with only 5.41% having offspring when compared to 36.29% of women. Parenthood was related to shorter duration of untreated illness (DUI) in women with children (12.08 months mothers vs. 27.61 months no mothers), showing mothers better premorbid adjustment as well. Childless men presented the worst premorbid adjustment and the highest cannabis and tobacco consumption rates. Mothers presented better global cognitive function, particularly in attention, motor dexterity and executive function at three-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Diminished parental rates among FEP men could be suggested as a consequence of a younger age of illness onset. Sex roles in caregiving may explain the potential role of parenthood on premorbid phase, with a better and heathier profile, and a more favorable long-term outcome in women. These characteristics may be relevant when adjusting treatment specific needs in men and women with and without offspring.

Genetic variants associated with longitudinal changes in brain structure across the lifespan.

Human brain structure changes throughout the lifespan. Altered brain growth or rates of decline are implicated in a vast range of psychiatric, developmental and neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we identified common genetic variants that affect rates of brain growth or atrophy in what is, to our knowledge, the first genome-wide association meta-analysis of changes in brain morphology across the lifespan. Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging data from 15,640 individuals were used to compute rates of change for 15 brain structures. The most robustly identified genes GPR139, DACH1 and APOE are associated with metabolic processes. We demonstrate global genetic overlap with depression, schizophrenia, cognitive functioning, insomnia, height, body mass index and smoking. Gene set findings implicate both early brain development and neurodegenerative processes in the rates of brain changes. Identifying variants involved in structural brain changes may help to determine biological pathways underlying optimal and dysfunctional brain development and aging.

Dopaminergic control of ADAMTS2 expression through cAMP/CREB and ERK: molecular effects of antipsychotics.

A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that participate in the development and clinical manifestations of schizophrenia can lead to improve our ability to diagnose and treat this disease. Previous data strongly associated the levels of deregulated ADAMTS2 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients at first episode of psychosis (up) as well as in clinical responders to treatment with antipsychotic drugs (down). In this current work, we performed an independent validation of such data and studied the mechanisms implicated in the control of ADAMTS2 gene expression. Using a new cohort of drug-naïve schizophrenia patients with clinical follow-up, we confirmed that the expression of ADAMTS2 was highly upregulated in PBMCs at the onset (drug-naïve patients) and downregulated, in clinical responders, after treatment with antipsychotics. Mechanistically, ADAMTS2 expression was activated by dopaminergic signalling (D1-class receptors) and downstream by cAMP/CREB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK signalling. Incubation with antipsychotic drugs and selective PKA and MEK inhibitors abrogated D1-mediated activation of ADAMTS2 in neuronal-like cells. Thus, D1 receptors signalling towards CREB activation might participate in the onset and clinical responses to therapy in schizophrenia patients, by controlling ADAMTS2 expression and activity. The unbiased investigation of molecular mechanisms triggered by antipsychotic drugs may provide a new landscape of novel targets potentially associated with clinical efficacy.

Quality of life, pain and anxiety in patients with nephrostomy tubes / Qualidade de vida, dor e ansiedade em pacientes com sondas de nefrostomia / Calidad de vida, dolor y ansiedad en pacientes con sondas de nefrostomía

Objective: to evaluate the impact on the quality of life as well as anxiety and pain in patients with nephrostomy tubes. Method: this is a longitudinal descriptive study performed on a sample of n=150 patients. To evaluate the quality of life, the EuroQol-5D questionnaire was used; anxiety was quantified by the Beck Anxiety Inventory; to study pain, a visual analogue scale was employed. Results: statistically significant differences were found in the quality of life, with its worsening (r = 0.51; p <0.01) when evaluated at the first tube replacement. Patients presented mild to moderate anxiety before the procedure, which was reduced at the first tube replacement, although this difference was not significant (r = 0.028, p = 0.393). Finally, the degree of pain was also significantly reduced (r = 0.13, p<0.01) after six weeks. As for gender, women presented the worst values ​​in the three variables studied (worse quality of life and greater anxiety and pain). Conclusions: nephrostomy tubes have a negative impact on the patient's quality of life. During the time they live with these tubes, patients have mild to moderate pain and anxiety.

Objetivo: avaliar o impacto na qualidade de vida, bem como a ansiedade e dor em pacientes com sondas de nefrostomia. Método: estudo descritivo longitudinal realizado em uma amostra de n=150 pacientes. Para avaliar a qualidade de vida, utilizou-se o questionário EuroQol-5D; a ansiedade foi quantificada pelo Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck; para estudar a dor, foi utilizada uma escala visual analógica. Resultados: foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas na qualidade de vida, com sua piora (r = 0,51; p <0,01) quando avaliada na primeira troca da sonda. Os pacientes apresentaram ansiedade leve a moderada antes do procedimento, que foi reduzida na primeira troca da sonda, embora esta diferença não tenha sido significativa (r = 0,028; p = 0,393). Finalmente, o grau de dor também foi significativamente reduzido (r = 0,13; p<0,01) após seis semanas. Quanto ao sexo, as mulheres apresentaram os piores valores nas três variáveis ​​estudadas (pior qualidade de vida e maior ansiedade e dor). Conclusões: Sondas de nefrostomia têm um impacto negativo na qualidade de vida do paciente. Durante o tempo que convivem com estas sondas, os pacientes têm dor e ansiedade leve a moderada.

Objetivo: valorar el impacto en la calidad de vida, así como la ansiedad y el dolor que presentan los pacientes portadores de sondas de nefrostomía. Método: estudio descriptivo longitudinal que se llevó a cabo sobre una muestra de n=150 pacientes. Para valorar la calidad de vida se empleó el cuestionario EuroQol-5D; la ansiedad fue cuantificada mediante el Inventario de Ansiedad de Beck; para estudiar el dolor se empleó una escala visual analógica. Resultados: encontramos diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la calidad de vida, produciéndose su empeoramiento (r=0.51; p<0.01) cuando fue valorada en el primer cambio de sonda. Los pacientes presentaron una ansiedad leve a moderada previa al procedimiento, que se vio reducida en el primer cambio de sonda, si bien esta diferencia no resultó significativa (r=0.028; p=0.393). Por último, el grado de dolor también se vio disminuido de forma significativa (r=0.13; p<0.01) al cabo de seis semanas. Por sexos, las mujeres presentaron peores valores en las tres variables estudiadas (peor calidad de vida, y mayor ansiedad y dolor). Conclusiones: las sondas de nefrostomía suponen un impacto negativo en la calidad de vida del paciente. Durante el tiempo que conviven con dichas sondas, los pacientes presentan dolor y ansiedad leve a moderada.

Tobacco smoking and its association with cognition in first episode psychosis patients.

Available evidence suggests that nicotine may enhance cognitive functioning. Moreover, it has been suggested that the high prevalence of smoking in people with schizophrenia is in part due to self-medication behaviour to alleviate cognitive deficits. We assessed the association between tobacco smoking and cognitive functioning in a large population of first episode psychosis (FEP) patients (n=304) and healthy controls (n=156). Smokers were not tobacco deprived, or were minimally deprived (≤2h). Verbal memory, visual memory, working memory, processing speed, executive function, motor dexterity and attention were assessed. The smoking prevalence among the FEP group was 57% (n=174). The age at which patients began smoking cigarettes regularly was 16.2years (SD=3.1), an average of 12years before experiencing the first frank symptoms of psychosis (age of onset=28.8; SD=9.3). The number of cigarettes smoked per day was 19.6 (SD=9.4), significantly more than healthy controls [11.0 (SD=7.6); p<0.001]. ANCOVA analysis did not show any significant difference between smokers and non-smokers in in the performance of any of the cognitive tasks in the FEP group or in the healthy control group, independent of gender, age, education or premorbid IQ. This suggests chronic exposure to nicotine through cigarette smoking is not associated with cognitive functioning in first-episode psychosis. These findings do not support the nicotine self-medication hypothesis as a contributor to the high prevalence of smoking among individuals suffering from serious mental illness.

Cannabis use in male and female first episode of non-affective psychosis patients: Long-term clinical, neuropsychological and functional differences.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies show the existence of a high prevalence of cannabis use among patients with psychosis. However, the differences between men and women who debut with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) regarding cannabis use have not been largely explored. The aim of this study was to identify the specific sex factors and differences in clinical evolution associated with cannabis use. METHOD: Sociodemographic characteristics at baseline were considered in our sample of FEP patients to find differences depending on sex and the use of cannabis. Clinical, functional and neurocognitive variables at baseline, 1-year, and 3-years follow-up were also explored. RESULTS: A total of 549 patients, of whom 43% (N = 236) were cannabis users, 79% (N = 186) male and 21% (N = 50) female, were included in the study. There was a clear relationship between being male and being a user of cannabis (OR = 5.6). Cannabis users were younger at illness onset. Longitudinal analysis showed that women significantly improved in all three dimensions of psychotic symptoms, both in the subgroup of cannabis users and in the non-users subgroup. Conversely, subgroups of men did not show improvement in the negative dimension. In cognitive function, only men presented a significant time by group interaction in processing speed, showing a greater improvement in the subgroup of cannabis users. CONCLUSION: Despite knowing that there is a relationship between cannabis use and psychosis, due to the high prevalence of cannabis use among male FEP patients, the results showed that there were very few differences in clinical and neurocognitive outcomes between men and women who used cannabis at the start of treatment compared to those who did not.

The effects of tobacco smoking on age of onset of psychosis and psychotic symptoms in a first-episode psychosis population.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Research suggests that tobacco smokers may develop psychosis at an earlier age than non-smokers, with effects on psychotic symptoms. We aimed to test the difference in age of onset of psychosis between smokers and non-smokers. DESIGN: Self-report data were collected from smokers and non-smokers in a population of first-episode psychosis patients. SETTING: Out-patient first-episode psychosis programme in Santander (Cantabria), Spain. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred and ninety-seven patients (226 male, 171 female) who agreed to take part between 2001 and 2011. MEASUREMENTS: Age of onset of psychosis, age of smoking initiation, demographics, family history of psychosis and cannabis use were collected by self-report. FINDINGS: Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that smokers had a significantly lower mean age of psychosis onset [smokers = 27.4 (± 8.1) years, non-smokers = 30.5 (± 9.9) years] than non-smokers (χ2(1)  = 11.72, P = 0.001). The Cox proportional hazard model showed no significant difference in the age of psychosis onset between smokers and non-smokers adjusted for covariates [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.034, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.828-1.291]. Age of psychosis onset was predicted significantly by cannabis use (HR = 2.073, 95% CI = 1.633-2.633) and gender (HR = 1.706, 95% CI = 1.363-2.135). CONCLUSIONS: Smokers do not appear to have a significantly earlier age of psychosis onset than non-smokers after taking into account cannabis use and gender.