The prevalence, incidence, and admission rate of diagnosed schizophrenia spectrum disorders in Korea, 2008-2017: A nationwide population-based study using claims big data analysis.

This study estimated the prevalence and incidence rate of schizophrenia, schizotypal, and delusional disorders (SSDD) in Korea from 2008 to 2017 and analyzed the hospital admission rate, re-admission rate, and hospitalization period. It used the Korean nationwide National Health Insurance Service claims database. SSDD patients who had at least one visit to Korea's primary, secondary, or tertiary referral hospitals with a diagnosis of SSDD, according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), were identified as SSDD cases if coded as F20-F29. Data were analyzed using frequency statistics. Results showed that the 12-month prevalence rate of SSDD increased steadily from 0.40% in 2008 to 0.45% in 2017. Analysis of the three-year cumulative prevalence rate of SSDD showed an increase from 0.51% in 2011 to 0.54% in 2017. In 2017, the five-year cumulative prevalence rate was 0.61%, and the 10-year cumulative prevalence rate was 0.75%. The hospital admission rate among SSDD patients decreased from 2008 (30.04%) to 2017 (28.53%). The incidence of SSDD was 0.05% and no yearly change was observed. The proportion of SSDD inpatients whose first hospital visit resulted in immediate hospitalization was 22.4% in 2017. Epidemiological indicators such as prevalence, incidence, and hospitalization rate play an important role in planning social and financial resource allocation. Therefore, efforts to produce more accurate epidemiological indicators are very important and this study's findings could have a significant social impact.

Midline Brain Abnormalities Across Psychotic and Mood Disorders.

Patients with schizophrenia are known to have increased prevalence of abnormalities in midline brain structures, such as a failure of the septum pellucidum to fuse (cavum septum pellucidum) and the absence of the adhesio interthalamica. This is the first study to investigate the prevalence of these abnormalities across a large multidiagnostic sample. Presence of cavum septum pellucidum and absence of the adhesio interthalamica was assessed in 639 patients with chronic schizophrenia, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, or a first episode of psychosis, mania or unipolar depression. This was compared with 223 healthy controls using logistic-regression-derived odds ratios (OR). Patients with psychotic or mood disorders showed an increased prevalence of both abnormalities (OR of cavum septum pellucidum = 2.1, OR of absence of the adhesio interthalamica = 2.6, OR of both cavum septum pellucidum and absence of the adhesio interthalamica = 3.8, all P < .001). This increased prevalence was separately observed in nearly all disorders as well as after controlling for potential confounding factors. This study supports a general increased prevalence of midline brain abnormalities across mood and psychotic disorders. This nonspecificity may suggest that these disorders share a common neurodevelopmental etiology.

Mindfulness groups for distressing voices and paranoia: a replication and randomized feasibility trial.

BACKGROUND: The clinical literature cautions against use of meditation by people with psychosis. There is, however, evidence for acceptance-based therapy reducing relapse, and some evidence for clinical benefits of mindfulness groups for people with distressing psychosis, though no data on whether participants became more mindful. AIMS: To assess feasibility of randomized evaluation of group mindfulness therapy for psychosis, to replicate clinical gains observed in one small uncontrolled study, and to assess for changes in mindfulness. METHOD: Twenty-two participants with current distressing psychotic experiences were allocated at random between group-based mindfulness training and a waiting list for this therapy. Mindfulness training comprised twice-weekly sessions for 5 weeks, plus home practice (meditation CDs were supplied), followed by 5 weeks of home practice. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between intervention and waiting-list participants. Secondary analyses combining both groups and comparing scores before and after mindfulness training revealed significant improvement in clinical functioning (p = .013) and mindfulness of distressing thoughts and images (p = .037). CONCLUSIONS: Findings on feasibility are encouraging and secondary analyses replicated earlier clinical benefits and showed improved mindfulness of thoughts and images, but not voices.

[Schizophrenia and religiousness--a comparative study at the time of the two German states]. / Schizophrenie und Religiosität--Eine Vergleichsstudie zur Zeit der innerdeutschen Teilung.

OBJECTIVE: Religious delusions are prevalent symptoms in schizophrenia. It is unclear, however, whether religious delusions reflect illness- or culture-related factors. METHODS: Cross-cultural retrospective comparison of the prevalence of religious delusions in 132 patients treated for paranoid schizophrenia in East Berlin (former GDR) from 1980 to 1985, and 151 patients from Regensburg (FRG) who were treated as in-patients from 1980 to 1983. RESULTS: Prior to the German re-unification, religious delusions were significantly less frequent in East Berlin compared to Regensburg (11.6% as opposed to 28.6 %, chi2 = 8.029; p = 0.0046). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of religious delusions in schizophrenia is, above all, associated with cultural factors. Religious delusions are therefore secondary phenomena in schizophrenia, and not inherent to the illness process.

Análisis descriptivo de enfermos y familias de esquizofrenicos ligados por lazos de primer orden de consaguinidad / Descriptive analysis of schizophrenic patients and their families, linked by first degree consanguinity

Se muestran los antecedentes de 47 pacientes esquizofrénicos pertenecientes a 22 diferentes familias. El común denominador de estas familias es tener entre sus componentes a lo menos 2 personas con lazos de primer orden de consanguinidad portadores de esquizofrenia. Las relaciones de consaguinidad se agruparon en: Hermanos entre sí - Progenitor/hijo - Progenitor/hijo/hermanos. El vínculo de consaguinidad más importante en número esta dado por la presencia de Hermano entre sí, presente en 13 de las 22 familias (59,1 por ciento) y en 31 de los 47 enfermos (65,9 por ciento). Se destaca en estos pacientes el rasgo paranoide de la enfermedad esquizofrénica, con evolución crónica, defecto continuo, mayor número de hospitalizaciones y edad más tardia para establecimiento del diagnóstico