Transformative Outcomes With Paliperidone Long-Acting Injection in Severe Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) presents considerable challenges in contemporary psychiatric practice due to inadequate response to conventional antipsychotic treatments. Paliperidone, the primary active metabolite of risperidone, particularly in its long-acting injectable (LAI) form, has emerged as a promising option for TRS due to its consistent medication delivery, reducing symptom exacerbation and relapse associated with oral dosing fluctuations. This case report presents the clinical journey of a 42-year-old female diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 15. Despite numerous hospital admissions and trials of various oral and injectable antipsychotics, including clozapine and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), her symptoms persisted. During her last admission, her condition showed minimal improvement despite extensive pharmacological interventions. Introducing paliperidone LAI while tapering off other antipsychotics led to significant improvements within four weeks. The patient exhibited reduced hallucinatory behaviour, delusions, and disorganized behaviour. Follow-up assessments confirmed sustained progress, with the patient showing increased engagement in daily activities and reduced irritability and suspiciousness. This case underscores the potential efficacy of paliperidone LAI in managing TRS. The patient's notable improvement highlights the importance of personalized treatment plans and continuous monitoring in complex psychiatric conditions. Its favourable safety and tolerability profile further supports its use as a long-term treatment option for TRS, potentially leading to enhanced patient compliance and overall quality of life. The significant symptomatic relief and functional improvement observed advocate for the consideration of paliperidone LAI as a promising therapeutic option for TRS, with the potential to be considered in the future among the first-line treatments for TRS.

Clinical features and comorbidity in very early-onset schizophrenia: a systematic review.

Background: Very early-onset schizophrenia (VEOS) is a form of schizophrenia that manifests before the age of 13 years and is characterized by the presence of positive, negative, and disorganized symptoms. The condition is exceptionally rare and, to date, limited studies have been conducted, resulting in incomplete information about its clinical features. Methods: The present study involves a systematic review of the existing literature regarding the clinical features and comorbidities of VEOS. Results: The first search retrieved 384 studies. Of these, 366 were removed following the application of exclusion criteria, resulting in 18 studies for the final set. Conclusion: The results highlight that VEOS shares similarities with early-onset and adult-onset schizophrenia but also exhibits distinct and recognizable characteristics, including a more severe clinical profile (particularly in females), increased visual hallucinations, and high comorbidities with neurodevelopmental disorders. These findings may support clinicians in formulating early diagnoses and developing effective treatment strategies for pediatric and adolescent patients with psychosis.

Autism spectrum disorder, very-early onset schizophrenia, and child disintegrative disorder: the challenge of diagnosis. A case-report study.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5) contains several disorders previously present as distinct diagnoses in the DSM Revised Fourth Edition (DSM-IV-TR). These include child disintegrative disorder (CDD). The latter presents typical features, such as a late regression of developmental acquisitions. However, it also shows symptoms similar to ASD, and psychotic symptoms, such as very-early onset schizophrenia (VEOS), are described in the literature. Case report: In this case report we deepen the case of P., a child who presents a late regression, at 7 years old, associated with psychotic symptoms in the absence of organic alterations. The child was treated with antipsychotic drug therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. P. was diagnosed with ASD with acute and late regression associated with psychotic symptoms. During the follow-up, there was a gradual improvement in the clinical conditions. Improvements were possible due to therapeutic intervention (pharmacological and psychotherapeutic) and/or the natural course of the disorder. Conclusion: The diagnostic difficulty of this case reflects a clinical complexity in which it is not easy to distinguish between neurodevelopmental and psychiatric aspects. Clinical cases such as that of P. emphasize the theme of the neurodevelopment continuum model in which neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disturbances can be considered within a pattern of pathological continuity.

Lost in Translation: Challenges in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Early-Onset Schizophrenia.

Early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) is a heterogeneous condition that has a serious, insidious clinical course and poor long-term mental health outcomes. The clinical presentations are highly complex due to the overlapping symptomatology with other illnesses, which contributes to a delay in the diagnosis. The objective of the review is to study if an earlier age of onset (AAO) of EOS has poor clinical outcomes, the diagnostic challenges of EOS, and effective treatment strategies. The review provides a comprehensive literature search of 5966 articles and summarizes 126 selected for empirical evidence to methodically consider challenges in diagnosing and treating EOS for practicing clinicians. The risk factors of EOS are unique but have been shared with many other neuropsychiatric illnesses. Most of the risk factors, including genetics and obstetric complications, are nonmodifiable. The role of early diagnosis in reducing the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) remains critical to reducing overall morbidity. Many specific issues contribute to the risk and clinical outcomes. Therefore, issues around diagnostic ambiguity, treatment resistance, nonadherence, and rehospitalizations further extend the DUP. There is hesitancy to initiate clozapine early, even though the empirical evidence strongly supports its use. There is a growing body of research that suggests the use of long-acting injectables to address nonadherence, and these measures are largely underutilized in acute settings. The clinical presentations of EOS are complex. In addition to the presence of specific risk factors, patients with an early onset of illness are also at a higher risk for treatment resistance. While there is a need to develop tools for early diagnosis, established evidence-based measures to address nonadherence, psychoeducation, and resistance must be incorporated into the treatment planning.

[A clinical case of continuous schizophrenia with onset in early childhood]. / Klinicheskii sluchai nepreryvnotekushchei shizofrenii s nachalom v rannem detskom vozraste.

Cases of very early-onset schizophrenia are poorly described in the modern literature due to the ambiguous attribution of these conditions to a number of schizophrenic disorders. The diagnosis is complicated by the atypical presentation of the disease in early childhood. This clinical case reflects the manifestation, dynamics and outcome of the disease, which is important for early diagnosis and initiation of adequate drug intervention and habilitation.

Early and very early-onset schizophrenia compared with adult-onset schizophrenia: French FACE-SZ database.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical symptomatology in patients with Early-Onset Schizophrenia (EOS, N = 176), especially the subgroup Very Early Onset Schizophrenia (VEOS) and Adult Onset Schizophrenia (AOS, N = 551). METHOD: In a large French multicentric sample, 727 stable schizophrenia patients, classified by age at onset of the disorder, were assessed using standardized and extensive clinical and neuropsychological batteries: AOS with onset ≥ 18 years and EOS with onset < 18 years (including 22 VEOS < 13 years). RESULTS: The importance of better diagnosing EOS group, and in particularly VEOS, appeared in a longer DUP Duration of Untreated Psychosis (respectively, 2.6 years ± 4.1 and 8.1 years ± 5.7 vs. 1.0 years ± 2.5), more severe symptomatology (PANSS Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale scores), and lower educational level than the AOS group. In addition, the VEOS subgroup had a more frequent childhood history of learning disabilities and lower prevalence of right-handedness quotient than the AOS. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates the existence of an increased gradient of clinical severity from AOS to VEOS. In order to improve the prognosis of the early forms of schizophrenia and to reduce the DUP, clinicians need to pay attention to the prodromal manifestations of the disease.

Lack of Resources for Aftercare for Children With Psychosis: A System's Failure.

Very early-onset schizophrenia (VEOS) is a rare disorder that is associated with poor outcomes, especially with securing aftercare plans that will lead to stabilization of illness and prevent recidivism. There is a scarcity of resources available to patients with VEOS and their families once they leave inpatient treatment to achieve long-term success. Here we report a case of a 12-year-old-female who was diagnosed with VEOS at age 11 and since that diagnosis has struggled with finding appropriate resources to meet her needs, requiring frequent hospitalizations and displaying a continued decline in functioning.

[Very early onset schizophrenia]. / Schizophrénie à début très précoce.

Very early onset schizophrenia begins before the age of 13. This form of schizophrenia is particularly difficult to diagnose. The differential diagnosis is difficult because some psychotic signs can be passing or be representative of an anxious or depressive disorder. The differential diagnosis with the autistic spectrum disorder is also complex. Finally, other disorders are associated in the majority of the cases. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder with premature cerebral anomalies engendered by the interaction of genetic factors and environmental factors. There seems be a real continuity between the very early form and the adult form although very early onset schizophrenia is a severe form of the disorder which carries a relatively poor prognosis. Its outcome depends both on early screening, the quality of diagnosis and on the speed of multidisciplinary interventions offered.

Very Early-onset Schizophrenia with Secondary Onset Tic Disorder.

Very early-onset schizophrenia (defined as an onset of psychosis before 13 years of age) is a rare and severe form of the disorder which is clinically and neurobiologically continuous with the adult-onset disorder. It is rarely reported <12 years of age in Indian literature. Here, we present a 15-year-old boy who developed psychosis at 9 years of age and during illness developed tic disorder.

Demographic Characteristics, Medication Profile and Treatment Outcome of Patients with Very Early-Onset Schizophrenia in One Hospital

OBJECTIVES: Very early-onset schizophrenia (VEOS) is a type of psychosis having a low frequency, insidious onset, and devastating clinical outcome. In this study, the demographic features, information on medication, clinical outcomes, and intellectual capability of patients diagnosed with VEOS in a hospital were analyzed to provide therapeutic strategies for this type of schizophrenia. METHODS: Using the electronic medical records of the National Center for Mental Health, 69 patients with VEOS were identified based on the DSM-5 criteria of schizophrenia. The data were summarized and analyzed according to the demographic characteristics, medications used, intellectual strength measured by the full intelligence quotient (FIQ) score, and current clinical status measured by the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) and various combinations of these parameters. RESULTS: The screened study group contained similar numbers of males and females. The younger the onset of psychosis, the lower the frequency. The study population included a significantly higher proportion of births in the winter season than that of the general population. The 3 most frequently used antipsychotic medications were risperidone and its derivatives, clozapine and olanzapine. Valproic acid and divalproex sodium were the most commonly added drugs for outcome augmentation. 53.5% of the study population had received benzodiazepines and/or hypnotics. The average FIQ of the study population was 69.4, which is quite low compared to previous Korean studies with similar populations. There was a weak negative correlation between FIQ and CGI-S, but it was not statistically significant. The average CGI-S score was 4.2, which meant that the patients were moderately ill. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that patients with VEOS showed more frequent intellectual deficits at baseline and poorer outcomes than the control group. Risperidone, clozapine, valproic acid and their combinations were the most preferred medications for the treatment of psychosis. Benzodiazepines were quite commonly added for various reasons.

A Retrospective Investigation of Clozapine Treatment in Autistic and Nonautistic Children and Adolescents in an Inpatient Clinic in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study is to examine the clinical outcomes and safety of clozapine in children and adolescents with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders/autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or affective disorders. METHODS: The inpatient and outpatient files of all children and adolescents treated with clozapine over a period of 34 months (from October 2011 to July 2014) were reviewed. Demographic and clinical data were examined to describe clinical and metabolic findings, dosing, and tolerability of clozapine treatment in youth with schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders, ASD, or bipolar disorder. RESULTS: The 37 pediatric patients included 26 patients with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, 7 patients with ASD complicated by schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders or affective disorders, and 4 patients with ASD only. In all groups (n = 37) there was a significant reduction (p < 0.001) in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) points after clozapine treatment during the inpatient period (38.78 ± 27.75 days). In patients with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders co-occurring with ASD or not (n = 31), there was a significant improvement in psychotic symptoms according to Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total scores and subscores (p < 0.001). Of the 26 patients with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, 8 (30.8%) showed a positive response (>30% symptom reduction on BPRS). In patients with ASD complicated by schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders or bipolar disorders (n = 7), there was a significant reduction (p = 0.017) in BPRS scores after clozapine treatment. The discontinuation rate for clozapine was 10.8%, and the most frequently observed side effect was hypersalivation (54.1%). Neutropenia associated with clozapine was observed in only one patient (2.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Clozapine seems to be effective and safe in children and adolescents with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders co-occuring with ASD or not. There is a need for further studies for determining the efficacy of clozapine in children and adolescents with bipolar affective disorder or ASD.

Facial, vocal and cross-modal emotion processing in early-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Recognition of emotional expressions plays an essential role in children's healthy development. Anomalies in these skills may result in empathy deficits, social interaction difficulties and premorbid emotional problems in children and adolescents with schizophrenia. Twenty-six subjects with early onset schizophrenia spectrum (EOSS) disorders and twenty-eight matched healthy controls (HC) were instructed to identify five basic emotions and a neutral expression. The assessment entailed presenting visual, auditory and congruent cross-modal stimuli. Using a generalized linear mixed model, we found no significant association for handedness, age or gender. However, significant associations emerged for emotion type, perception modality, and group. EOSS patients performed worse than HC in uni- and cross-modal emotional tasks with a specific negative emotion processing impairment pattern. There was no relationship between emotion identification scores and positive or negative symptoms, self-reported empathy traits or a positive history of developmental disorders. However, we found a significant association between emotional identification scores and nonverbal communication impairments. We conclude that cumulative dysfunctions in both nonverbal communication and emotion processing contribute to the social vulnerability and morbidity found in youths who display EOSS disorder.

Very early onset and greater vulnerability in schizophrenia: A clinical and neuroimaging study.

Although schizophrenia has been diagnosed in children, this group of disorders has received too little attention in the clinical and research literature. Preliminary data suggest that early onset schizophrenia (EOS) and very early onset schizophrenia (VEOS) tend to have a worse outcome than adult onset schizophrenia, and seem to be related to a greater familial vulnerability, due to genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors. Recently, advanced neuroimaging techniques have revealed structural and functional brain abnormalities in some cerebral areas. This paper reports on a case diagnosed as VEOS, with premorbid year-long psychopathological history. The patient showed atypical proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings, and normal brain and spine computer tomography and brain magnetic resonance images.