The polygenic basis of relapse after a first episode of schizophrenia.

Little is known about genetic predisposition to relapse. Previous studies have linked cognitive and psychopathological (mainly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) polygenic risk scores (PRS) with clinical manifestations of the disease. This study aims to explore the potential role of PRS from major mental disorders and cognition on schizophrenia relapse. 114 patients recruited in the 2EPs Project were included (56 patients who had not experienced relapse after 3 years of enrollment and 58 patients who relapsed during the 3-year follow-up). PRS for schizophrenia (PRS-SZ), bipolar disorder (PRS-BD), education attainment (PRS-EA) and cognitive performance (PRS-CP) were used to assess the genetic risk of schizophrenia relapse.Patients with higher PRS-EA, showed both a lower risk (OR=0.29, 95% CI [0.11-0.73]) and a later onset of relapse (30.96± 1.74 vs. 23.12± 1.14 months, p=0.007. Our study provides evidence that the genetic burden of neurocognitive function is a potentially predictors of relapse that could be incorporated into future risk prediction models. Moreover, appropriate treatments for cognitive symptoms appear to be important for improving the long-term clinical outcome of relapse.

The relationship between negative symptoms, social cognition, and social functioning in patients with first episode psychosis.

INTRODUCTION: Social functioning is severely affected in psychotic disorders. Negative symptoms and social cognition seem to play an important role in social functioning, although the preponderance and relationship between these three domains is not clear. In this study, we sought to assess the interrelation between social cognition, social functioning, and the expressiveness and experiential factors of negative symptoms in first-episode psychosis (FEP). SAMPLE AND METHODS: 216 patients, participants in a multicentre study (AGES-CM), comprised our study sample. The WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) was used to assess functioning, whereas the Positive and Negative Schizophrenia Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to measure the severity of negative symptoms, and the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) was applied to assess the emotional processing component of social cognition. Network analyses were conducted with the aim of analysing the patterns of relationships between social cognition, social functioning, and the expressiveness and experiential factors of negative symptoms. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that there is a direct relationship between social cognition and social functioning (weight = -.077), but also an indirect connection between them, mediated by the experiential (but not the expressiveness) factor of negative symptoms (weight = 0.300). DISCUSSION: The importance of the affectation of subdomains of social cognition, as well as the role of negative symptoms, specifically the experiential factor, in the functioning of patients with FEP seems to be relevant. The inclusion of these factors in prevention and treatment programs would thus allow us to reduce their impact on the social functioning of these patients.

Emotional Processing Profile in Patients with First Episode Schizophrenia: The Influence of Neurocognition.

This study sought to investigate the influence of neurocognition on the emotional processing profiles of patients with first-episode schizophrenia, using the 4-branch Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) (Perceiving Emotions; Facilitating Emotions; Understanding Emotions and Managing Emotions). A sample of 78 patients with first-episode schizophrenia and a group of 90 non-psychiatric control subjects were included in this work. The initial results showed that patients had lower scores than controls for the "Understanding Emotions" and "Managing Emotions" MSCEIT branches. However, after controlling for neurocognition, the only deficits were found on the "Managing Emotions" branch of the MSCEIT. This branch can be considered as measuring a more sophisticated level of emotional processing, which may constitute a deficit in itself. In conclusion, patients with first-episode schizophrenia present deficits in social cognition at the highest level that seem to be independent from neurocognition. These findings support the inclusion of the "Managing Emotions" branch of the MSCEIT as part of the MCCB.

Impact of Negative Symptoms on Functioning and Quality of Life in First Psychotic Episodes of Schizophrenia.

Negative symptoms are not considered a unitary construct encompassing two different domains, diminished expression, and avolition-apathy. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between each domain and psychosocial functioning and quality of life in people with a first psychotic episode of schizophrenia. In total, 61 outpatients were assessed with the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS), The Functioning Assesment Short Test (FAST) and The Quality of Life Scale (QLS). The mean global score for CAINS was 21.5 (SD: 15.6), with a CAINS Avolition-Apathy (MAP) score of 17.0 (SD: 11.8), and CAINS Diminished Expression (EXP) score of 4.5 (SD: 5.0). The mean FAST score was 31.9 (SD: 18.9), and 41.1 (SD: 17.9) for QLS. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant (F(4,53) = 15.65, p < 0.001) relationship between MAP and EXP CAINS' score and FAST score. CAINS-MAP was more predictive of FAST scores (ß = 0.44, p = 0.001) than CAINS-EXP (ß = 0.37, p = 0.007). Linear regression analysis for QLS revealed a significant model (F(4,56) = 29.29, p < 0.001). The standardized regression weight for the CAINS-MAP was around three times greater (ß = -0.63, p < 0.001) than for CAINS-EXP (ß = -0.24, p = 0.024). The two different domains are associated differently with functionality and quality of life.

Antidepressant effect r TMS during pregnancy in a case of Major Depression Resistant to Pharmacological Treatment.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common complication of pregnancy and the postpartum period. Approximately 5% of women who have MDD during pregnancy or the postpartum period meet criteria for resistant depression, associated with increased morbidity in both the newborn and the pregnant woman. Currently we have different therapeutic options for the treatment of MDD during pregnancy, although in cases of resistance during that period the treatment criteria are not that well established.

Nota clínica: Efecto antidepresivo de la EMTrdurante el embarazo en un caso de Depresión Mayor Resistente al Tratamiento Farmacológico / Clinical note: Antidepressant effect of rTMS during pregnancy in a case of drug-resistant major depression. during pregnancy in a case of Medication-Resistant Major Depression

El trastorno depresivo mayor (TDM) constituye una complicación común del embarazo y el período posparto. Aproximadamente un 5% de mujeres que presentan un TDM durante la gestación o el periodo postparto cumplen criterios paradepresión resistente, asociándose con un incremento de lamorbilidad tanto en el recién nacido como en la propia gestante. En la actualidad disponemos de diferentes opcionesterapéuticas para el tratamiento del TDM durante el embarazo si bien en los casos de resistencia durante el embarazolos criterios de tratamiento no se encuentran tan bien establecidos.Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 36 años de edadque desarrolló un episodio de depresión mayor resistente altratamiento farmacológico. Durante el episodio actual y trascuatro ciclos de tratamiento farmacológico fallido se quedóembarazada. A las 16 semanas de gestación fue tratada conestimulación magnética transcraneal repetitiva (EMTr) debaja frecuencia. Tras 30 sesiones de tratamiento, con buenatolerancia, la paciente presentó una recuperación completade la sintomatología depresiva, dando a luz a un recién nacido sano. La EMTr constituye una buena alternativa frente a laTerapia Electroconvulsiva en algunos casos de TDM resistentedurante la gestación. A pesar de estos hallazgos prometedores, se requiere de un mayor número de estudios controlados,doble ciego que incluyan muestras amplias de pacientes embarazadas, con parámetros EMTr bien diseñados, e inclusoestudios prospectivos (siguiendo a mujeres embarazadas ysus descendientes) para confirmar la ausencia de efectos secundarios a largo plazo. (AU)

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common complication of pregnancy and the postpartum period. Approximately 5% of women who have MDD during pregnancy orthe postpartum period meet criteria for resistant depression,associated with increased morbidity in both the newbornand the pregnant woman. Currently we have different therapeutic options for the treatment of MDD during pregnancy,although in cases of resistance during that period the treatment criteria are not that well established.We set out the case of a 36-year-old woman who presents an episode of major depression resistant to pharmacotherapy. During the current episode and after four cycles offailed pharmacological treatment she became pregnant. Inthe 16th week of gestation, she was treated with low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).After 30 treatment sessions, with good tolerance, the patient presented a complete recovery from the depressivesymptoms, giving birth to a healthy newborn. rTMS is a goodalternative to Electroconvulsive Therapy in some cases ofresistant MDD during pregnancy. Despite these promisingfindings, further double-blind controlled studies with broadsamples of pregnant women are required, with well-designed rTMS parameters, and even prospective studies (following pregnant women and their offspring) to confirm theabsence of long-term side effects. (AU)