'Theory of Mind', psychotic-like experiences and psychometric schizotypy in adolescents from the general population.

This study examined 'Theory of Mind' (ToM) functioning, its association with psychometric schizotypy and with self-reported psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and depressive symptoms, in a community sample of adolescents. Seventy-two adolescents (mean age 14.51years) from Barcelona, Spain, completed questionnaires assessing PLEs, depressive symptoms, and schizotypy. A verbal ToM task and a vocabulary test were administered. The effect of symptomatology, vocabulary ability, age, and gender on task performance was explored. Neither total score on schizotypy nor PLEs were associated with ToM performance. A significant effect of vocabulary on adolescent's performance of both ToM and control stories was found. ToM showed significant negative associations with positive schizotypy, and with one cluster of positive PLEs: first-rank experiences. Positive significant associations between ToM and persecutory delusions and the impulsive aspects of schizotypy were found. Depressive symptoms did not affect ToM performance. Positive schizotypal traits and first-rank symptoms are associated with ToM deficits in adolescents. Results support the trait-(versus state-) dependent notion of ToM impairments in schizophrenia. ToM may be a developmental impairment associated with positive schizotypy and PLEs.

Persisting psychotic-like experiences are associated with both externalising and internalising psychopathology in a longitudinal general population child cohort.

BACKGROUND: Persisting psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are associated with an increased risk of internalising symptoms in adolescence. Whether this association holds similarly for externalising symptoms, and from mid-childhood, is unclear. This prospective study investigated the extent to which PLE persistence was associated with internalising and externalising psychopathology in a community sample of children aged 9-11years at study commencement. METHODS: 8099 children (mean age 10.4years) completed questionnaires assessing PLEs, externalising and internalising symptoms. A subsample of 547 children completed reassessment, on average, two years later. RESULTS: Two-thirds (66%) of children reported PLEs at baseline. Approximately two years later, PLEs persisted in 39% of those children. After adjustment for previous psychopathology and other potential confounds, children with persisting PLEs were at higher risk for internalising (odds ratio [OR]=1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-3.34) and externalising (OR=1.97; 95% CI 1.19-3.26) psychopathology than children whose PLEs remitted; and, than children who never presented PLEs. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent PLEs from mid-childhood are associated with later internalising and externalising psychopathology in the general population, whereas transitory PLEs may be part of a spectrum of normative childhood development. Interventions that target persistent PLEs may contribute to a reduction in common childhood psychopathology.

Pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 and respiratory syncytial virus associated hospitalizations.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the contribution of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as the cause of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) associated hospitalizations during the first year of the influenza A(H1N1) 2009 pandemic and to assess the severity of illness during the second pandemic wave. METHODS: Patients admitted with LRTI from April 2009 through March 2010 were assessed for the presence of influenza and RSV. Pandemic influenza virus was detected by means of a nested RT-PCR assay and/or the CDC's real time-PCR protocol. RSV was detected using a one-step RT-PCR assay. The characteristics of patients admitted during the first and second pandemic outbreaks were compared. RESULTS: 657 patients with LRTI were admitted during the study period. Pandemic influenza virus was detected in 180 and RSV in 133. Influenza was the most common cause of infection in adults, while RSV was more common in children. There were no differences in disease severity between the first and second pandemic outbreaks. CONCLUSIONS: Pandemic influenza virus was associated to increased numbers of hospitalizations and deaths; particularly in adults. The severity of the first and second pandemic outbreaks was similar. RSV continues to be the main pathogen responsible for hospitalizations in young children.