Effects of childhood trauma on facial recognition of fear in psychosis.

INTRODUCTION: Childhood trauma has been reported as a risk factor for psychosis. Different types of traumatic experiences in childhood could lead to different clinical manifestations in psychotic disorders. METHODS: We studied differences in social cognition (emotion recognition and theory of mind) and clinical symptoms in a sample of 62 patients with psychosis (less than five years of illness) and childhood trauma, analysing performance by trauma type. RESULTS: Psychotic patients with a history of childhood trauma other than sexual abuse were more capable of recognizing fear as a facial emotion (especially when facial stimuli were non-degraded) than participants with a history of sexual abuse or with no history of childhood trauma (P = .008). We also found that the group that had suffered sexual abuse did not show improvement in fear recognition when exposed to clearer stimuli, although this intergroup difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .064). We have not found other differences between abuse groups, neither in clinical symptoms (PANSS factors) nor in Hinting Task scores. CONCLUSION: We have found differences in fear recognition among patients with psychotic disorders who have experienced different types of childhood trauma.

Efectos del trauma infantil en el reconocimiento de la expresión facial de miedo en psicosis / Effects of childhood trauma on facial recognition of fear in psychosis

Introducción: El trauma infantil ha sido descrito como un factor de riesgo para la psicosis. Diferentes tipos de experiencias traumáticas en la infancia podrían conducir a distintas manifestaciones clínicas en los trastornos psicóticos.Material y métodos: Estudiamos las diferencias en la cognición social (reconocimiento de emociones y teoría de la mente) y los síntomas clínicos en una muestra de 62 pacientes con psicosis (menos de 5 años de enfermedad) y trauma infantil, analizando los resultados en cada tarea según el tipo de trauma.Resultados: Los pacientes psicóticos con antecedentes de trauma infantil distinto al abuso sexual fueron más capaces de reconocer el miedo en una tarea de reconocimiento facial de emociones (especialmente cuando la imagen facial no estaba degradada) que los participantes con antecedentes de abuso sexual o sin antecedentes de trauma infantil (p=0,008). También encontramos que el grupo que había sufrido abuso sexual no mostró mejora en el reconocimiento del miedo cuando se le expuso a estímulos más intensos (comparación forma degradada y no degradada), aunque esta diferencia intergrupal no alcanzó significación estadística (p=0,064). No hemos encontrado otras diferencias entre los grupos de abuso, ni en los síntomas clínicos (factores PANSS) ni en las puntuaciones de Hinting Task.Conclusión: Hemos encontrado diferencias en el reconocimiento del miedo entre pacientes con trastornos psicóticos que han experimentado diferentes tipos de trauma infantil. (AU)

Introduction: Childhood trauma has been reported as a risk factor for psychosis. Different types of traumatic experiences in childhood could lead to different clinical manifestations in psychotic disorders.Material and methods: We studied differences in social cognition (emotion recognition and theory of mind) and clinical symptoms in a sample of 62 patients with psychosis (less than 5 years of illness) and childhood trauma, analysing performance by trauma type.Results: Psychotic patients with a history of childhood trauma other than sexual abuse were more capable of recognizing fear as a facial emotion (especially when facial stimuli were non-degraded) than participants with a history of sexual abuse or with no history of childhood trauma (P=.008). We also found that the group that had suffered sexual abuse did not show improvement in fear recognition when exposed to clearer stimuli, although this intergroup difference did not reach statistical significance (P=.064). We have not found other differences between abuse groups, neither in clinical symptoms (PANSS factors) nor in Hinting Task scores.Conclusion: We have found differences in fear recognition among patients with psychotic disorders who have experienced different types of childhood trauma. (AU)

Effects of childhood trauma on facial recognition of fear in psychosis. / Efectos del trauma infantil en el reconocimiento de la expresión facial de miedo en psicosis.

INTRODUCTION: Childhood trauma has been reported as a risk factor for psychosis. Different types of traumatic experiences in childhood could lead to different clinical manifestations in psychotic disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied differences in social cognition (emotion recognition and theory of mind) and clinical symptoms in a sample of 62 patients with psychosis (less than 5 years of illness) and childhood trauma, analysing performance by trauma type. RESULTS: Psychotic patients with a history of childhood trauma other than sexual abuse were more capable of recognizing fear as a facial emotion (especially when facial stimuli were non-degraded) than participants with a history of sexual abuse or with no history of childhood trauma (P=.008). We also found that the group that had suffered sexual abuse did not show improvement in fear recognition when exposed to clearer stimuli, although this intergroup difference did not reach statistical significance (P=.064). We have not found other differences between abuse groups, neither in clinical symptoms (PANSS factors) nor in Hinting Task scores. CONCLUSION: We have found differences in fear recognition among patients with psychotic disorders who have experienced different types of childhood trauma.

Tiempo de reacción, velocidad de procesamiento y atención sostenida en esquizofrenia: impacto sobre el funcionamiento social / Reaction time, processing speed and sustained attention in schizophrenia: impact on social functioning

Introducción. Estudios previos han relacionado la velocidad de procesamiento con la funcionalidad y la cognición social de los pacientes con esquizofrenia. Se necesita un análisis más discriminativo de los diferentes componentes de este constructo neuropsicológico. El presente trabajo analiza el impacto de la velocidad de procesamiento, del tiempo de reacción y de la atención sostenida sobre el funcionamiento social. Material y métodos. Un total de 98 pacientes ambulatorios de entre 18 y 65 años con diagnóstico DSM-5 de esquizofrenia, con un período de 3 meses de estabilidad clínica, fueron reclutados. Se recogieron datos sociodemográficos y clínicos, y se midieron: velocidad de procesamiento (Test del Trazo [TMT], codificación de símbolos [BACS], fluidez verbal), tiempos de reacción simple y electiva, atención sostenida, reconocimiento de emociones faciales y funcionalidad. Resultados. Las medidas que se asociaron con funcionalidad fueron: velocidad de procesamiento (medida solo a través de la BACS), atención sostenida (CPT) y tiempo de reacción electiva (pero no simple). El reconocimiento de emociones faciales (FEIT) se correlacionó de forma significativa con la puntuación en las medidas de velocidad de procesamiento (BACS, Animales, TMT), atención sostenida (CPT) y tiempo de reacción simple. El modelo de regresión lineal mostró una relación significativa entre funcionalidad, reconocimiento de emociones (p=0,015) y velocidad de procesamiento (p=0,029). Conclusiones. El déficit en velocidad de procesamiento y reconocimiento facial de emociones se asocia a peor funcionamiento global en pacientes con esquizofrenia (AU)

Introduction. Previous studies have linked processing speed with social cognition and functioning of patients with schizophrenia. A discriminant analysis is needed to determine the different components of this neuropsychological construct. This paper analyzes the impact of processing speed, reaction time and sustained attention on social functioning. Material and methods. 98 outpatients between 18 and 65 with DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia, with a period of 3 months of clinical stability, were recruited. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, and the following variables were measured: processing speed (Trail Making Test [TMT], symbol coding [BACS], verbal fluency), simple and elective reaction time, sustained attention, recognition of facial emotions and global functioning. Results. Processing speed (measured only through the BACS), sustained attention (CPT) and elective reaction time (but not simple) were associated with functioning. Recognizing facial emotions (FEIT) correlated significantly with scores on measures of processing speed (BACS, Animals, TMT), sustained attention (CPT) and reaction time. The linear regression model showed a significant relationship between functioning, emotion recognition (P=.015) and processing speed (P=.029). Conclusions. A deficit in processing speed and facial emotion recognition are associated with worse global functioning in patients with schizophrenia (AU)

Influence of depressive symptoms on distress related to positive psychotic-like experiences in women.

The Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) is an effective instrument for detection of the presence of psychotic symptoms and associated distress in the general population. However, little research has studied distress associated with positive psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). Our aim is to study PLE-related distress using the CAPE. In this study we analysed factors associated with differences in PLE-related distress in a sample of 200 non-clinical participants recruited by snowball sampling. Presence of PLEs and related psychological distress was measured using the CAPE questionnaire. The influence of age, gender, educational level and drug use was studied. In univariate analysis we found that gender and CAPE positive, depressive and negative scores, were associated with CAPE positive distress. Using multiple linear regression, we found that only the effect of gender, and the interaction between frequency of depression and gender, remained statistically significant. In our sample interaction between gender and depressive symptoms is a determining factor in distress associated with positive PLEs. The results of this study may be useful for the implementation of prevention programs.

Reaction time, processing speed and sustained attention in schizophrenia: impact on social functioning. / Tiempo de reacción, velocidad de procesamiento y atención sostenida en esquizofrenia: impacto sobre el funcionamiento social.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have linked processing speed with social cognition and functioning of patients with schizophrenia. A discriminant analysis is needed to determine the different components of this neuropsychological construct. This paper analyzes the impact of processing speed, reaction time and sustained attention on social functioning. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 98 outpatients between 18 and 65 with DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia, with a period of 3 months of clinical stability, were recruited. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, and the following variables were measured: processing speed (Trail Making Test [TMT], symbol coding [BACS], verbal fluency), simple and elective reaction time, sustained attention, recognition of facial emotions and global functioning. RESULTS: Processing speed (measured only through the BACS), sustained attention (CPT) and elective reaction time (but not simple) were associated with functioning. Recognizing facial emotions (FEIT) correlated significantly with scores on measures of processing speed (BACS, Animals, TMT), sustained attention (CPT) and reaction time. The linear regression model showed a significant relationship between functioning, emotion recognition (P=.015) and processing speed (P=.029). CONCLUSIONS: A deficit in processing speed and facial emotion recognition are associated with worse global functioning in patients with schizophrenia.

U-shaped curve of psychosis according to cannabis use: New evidence from a snowball sample.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) assessed using the Community Assessment of Psychic Experience (CAPE) questionnaire and the pattern of cannabis use in a non-clinical sample collected by snowball sampling. METHODS: Our sample was composed of 204 subjects, distributed into three groups by their cannabis use pattern: 68 were non-cannabis users, 40 were moderate cannabis users and 96 were daily cannabis users. We assessed the psychotic experiences in each group with the CAPE questionnaire; and then controlled for the effect of possible confounding factors like sex, age, social exclusion, age of onset of cannabis use, alcohol use and other drug use. RESULTS: We found a significant quadratic association between the frequency of cannabis use and positive (ß = -1.8; p = 0.004) and negative dimension scores (ß = -1.2; p = 0.04). The first-rank and mania factors showed a significant quadratic association (p < 0.05), while the voices factor showed a trend (p = 0.07). Scores for the different groups tended to maintain a U-shape in their values for the different factors. When we adjusted for gender, age, social exclusion, age of onset of cannabis use, and use of alcohol and other drugs, only the first-rank experiences remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: We found there was a U-shaped curve in the association between cannabis use and the positive and negative dimensions of the CAPE score. We also found this association in mania and first-rank experiences.

Neurodevelopmental markers in different psychopathological dimensions of first episode psychosis: the ESPIGAS study.

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to explore whether specific groups of patients with first episode non-affective psychosis could be identified on a psychopathological basis and, then, whether such identified groups could be validated by exploring their correlation with a variety of neurodevelopmental markers. METHOD: Eighty-seven patients with a first episode of non-affective psychotic disorder were consecutively recruited. We assessed psychopathology and neurological soft signs using the PANSS and the Neurological Evaluation Scale, respectively. We collected information on obstetric complications, premorbid adjustment and family history. RESULTS: All PANSS symptoms were analysed using principal component analysis and four factors were obtained (negative, disorganization, positive and paranoid). Subsequently, the four factors were subjected to a cluster analysis where three groups emerged: "paranoid" (n=40), "low score" (n=29) and "negative" (n=18) subtype. After adjusting by sex and age, we found that the "negative group" had poorer social premorbid adjustment, worse verbal fluency and higher prevalence of both obstetric complications and neurological soft signs, when compared with the "low score" group. Similarly, the "negative group" showed significantly poorer social premorbid adjustment and higher number of neurological soft signs than the "paranoid group". CONCLUSIONS: Our results support that, among non-affective first onset psychotic patients, those with predominant negative symptoms are more likely to correlate with higher presence of neurodevelopmental markers.