Automated characterization and identification of schizophrenia in writing.

Prominent formal thought disorder, expressed as unusual language in speech and writing, is often a central feature of Schizophrenia. Since a more comprehensive understanding of phenomenology surrounding thought disorder is needed, this study investigates these processes by examining writing in Schizophrenia by novel computer-aided analysis. Thirty-six patients with DSM-IV criteria chronic Schizophrenia provided a page of writing (300-500 words) on a designated subject. Writing was examined by automated text categorization and compared with nonpsychiatrically ill individuals, investigating any differences with regards to lexical and syntactical features. Computerized methods used included extracting relevant text features, and utilizing machine learning techniques to induce mathematical models distinguishing between texts belonging to different categories. Observations indicated that automated methods distinguish schizophrenia writing with 83.3% accuracy. Results reflect underlying impaired processes including semantic deficit, independently establishing connection between primary pathology and language.

Increased suicidal risk among smoking schizophrenia patients.

INTRODUCTION: Schizophrenia patients display a high suicidal risk, although this risk is difficult to predict. One of the variables associated with increased suicide risk is smoking. In the present study, we assessed the suicidal risk in schizophrenia patients, smokers and nonsmokers. We also evaluated the impact of various variables such as psychotic symptoms, impulsivity, and extra-pyramidal side effects on suicidal risk. METHODS: Sixty-one schizophrenia patients responded to a battery of measures, including the suicidal risk scale (SRS), the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS), the impulsivity control scale, and the Simpson Angus Scale for extrapyramidal side effects. The effect of smoking on the various measures, especially suicidal risk, was examined. RESULTS: Schizophrenia patients who smoke obtained higher PANSS scores (both total score and positive and negative subscales), but did not differ on the Simpson Angus scale of extrapyramidal side effects. They also exhibited higher suicide risk as reflected by higher scores on the SRS, and a trend for higher impulsivity as measured by the impulsivity control scale. Women that smoked had higher SRS scores as compared with female nonsmokers, and also higher than in males, smokers and nonsmokers. Smoking and a history of suicide attempt predicted in our regression analysis a higher SRS score. When conducting separate analyses for the male and female patients, the significant contributors were the PANSS total score among the males and the number of pack-years among the female patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite hints toward the role of smoking in suicidal behavior in Schizophrenia, especially among female patients, more studies are needed to elucidate the association between smoking and suicidality in schizophrenia patients.

Beneficial effect of donepezil augmentation for the management of comorbid schizophrenia and dementia.

Comorbid schizophrenia and dementia is a common clinical phenomenon; however, management of the coexisting illnesses remains incomplete. Donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor, may be beneficial for the management of symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, a disease in which cholinergic pathways in the cerebral cortex and basal forebrain are well known to be compromised. Furthermore, impaired cognition in elderly schizophrenic patients has been observed to be more than two thirds; however, there are no published controlled studies reporting the use of cholinesterase inhibitors in the management of schizophrenia in patients with associated dementia. In this study, six patients with chronic schizophrenia and comorbid dementia were administered donepezil, 5 mg, in single-blind fashion as augmentation to their standard antipsychotic medication for a 4-week period. Patients were evaluated with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE); Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale, Cognitive subscale; Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS); and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scales. A significant improvement was noted in MMSE scores (P < 0.01) and for CGI scores (P < 0.01). In addition, three patients demonstrated improvement on the PANSS. Donepezil appears to be an effective treatment for the management of symptoms of dementia accompanying patients with comorbid schizophrenia and dementia. Since cholinergic dysfunction may be present in some patients with schizophrenia, the authors' findings further demonstrate the possibility that this disorder may be managed with cholinergic medications as augmenting agents, at least in this specific subpopulation of patients with comorbid dementia. To confirm the findings of this preliminary trial, further investigation is mandated with a larger sample of subjects in the context of a double-blind medication trial.

Amantadine as augmentation therapy in the management of treatment-resistant depression.

Treatment-resistant depression is an important clinical problem presenting a major challenge to clinical psychiatry. While several strategies have been attempted, including medication switch, antidepressant polypharmacy and various augmentative regimens, success remains limited. Amantadine (AMN), an agent traditionally used in the treatment and prophylaxis of influenza, is now known to exhibit prominent effects at the level of dopaminergic, monoamine oxidase and N-methyl-D-aspartate systems. The present reports on the efficacy of AMN as augmentation to standard antidepressant treatment in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Eight patients with treatment-resistant depression consented to receive AMN, titrated up to a dose of 300 mg, over a period of 4 weeks in a non-blinded fashion. Improvement in both depression and anxiety scores were observed from week 1, with patients exhibiting improvement of depressive scores of up to 49% by study completion. Females appeared to exhibit a stronger response, and within a shorter period of time. Side-effects reported included dry mouth and sedation. AMN appears to demonstrate efficacy as a safe and effective augmentative agent in treatment-resistant depression. Further studies are clearly mandated to test these preliminary observations in a double-blinded manner.

Psychiatric care in the Middle East: a "mental health supermarket" in the town of Lod.

It is often in times of political tension and hostilities that community mental health care is neglected. We describe a novel and creative community mental health program where a combination of professional mental health workers and an innovative mental health system network combine to provide a remarkably successful and tension free mental health care arrangement in an area of high political and intergroup hostility. The system, termed the "mental health supermarket," encompasses multi-component rehabilitation, hospital liaison and interagency collaborative care. The framework succeeds in settling fears and insecurities between various communities as well as catering to a fragmented and lower income community, while introducing an element of self-determination in personal mental health care.

Reboxetine versus fluvoxamine in the treatment of motor vehicle accident-related posttraumatic stress disorder: a double-blind, fixed-dosage, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are a leading cause of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the general population. Alterations in norepinephrine and serotonin systems have been proposed as mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of the condition, with treatment directed at these neurotransmitter systems. Reboxetine, a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, exhibits high affinity and selectivity for the human norepinephrine transporter. Inasmuch as PTSD may be associated with dysregulation of noradrenergic activity, the present double-blind randomized clinical trial intended to evaluate reboxetine's efficacy in the management of MVA-related PTSD and to compare its efficacy with a medication commonly used in PTSD, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluvoxamine. METHODS: Forty patients with MVA-related PTSD attending a local community mental health outpatient clinic were randomized to receive a fixed dose of either reboxetine (8 mg/d) or fluvoxamine (150 mg/d) in a double-blind fashion for a period of 8 weeks. RESULTS: At baseline and at study end point, the 2 subgroups demonstrated no statistical differences in scores on PTSD, depression, and anxiety rating scales. Both medications led to significant improvements in all clinical scales measured. Nine patients receiving reboxetine and 3 receiving fluvoxamine withdrew from the study because of side effects. CONCLUSIONS: Study observations indicate comparable efficacy of reboxetine and fluvoxamine in the management of MVA-related PTSD despite reboxetine's selective noradrenergic activity. Reboxetine appears to be at least as effective as fluvoxamine and may offer an alternative management option in this often difficult-to-treat and disabling condition. A lower and flexible reboxetine dosing schedule will be recommended for future research to improve its tolerability in PTSD patients.

Donepezil augmentation of clozapine monotherapy in schizophrenia patients: a double blind cross-over study.

Increasing evidence suggests that the cholinergic system is involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Donepezil, a central cholinesterase inhibitor, improves psychotic symptomatology in demented patients, however, evidence for its role in the management of active psychosis in schizophrenia remains limited. An 18-week double blind cross-over study was conducted in which eight patients were randomly assigned to either donepezil (5 mg/day for the first 4 weeks and 10 mg/day for the following 4 weeks) or placebo as augmentation treatment to clozapine. After this initial phase, there was a 2-week washout period of the study medication after which the same regimen was crossed over at the same dose and for the same period (8 weeks). No significant difference was noted in the total positive and negative symptom scale scores when donepezil was compared with placebo (16.7%+12.97% vs 3.20%+13.94% respectively, p = 0.18). However, three patients improved (>15%) in the total PANSS scores (37.03%, 16.6% and 25.33%) during the donepezil treatment phase, while only one patient improved (20.87%) during the placebo phase. No differences were noted in the Calgary depression scale (p = 0.305), Simpson Angus scale (p = 0.374), clinical global impression-improvement scale (p = 0.23) and clinical global impression-severity of illness scores (p = 0.116). Although this preliminary study failed to demonstrate a clear effect of donepezil augmentation in clozapine treated chronic schizophrenia patients, it seems that the subtle positive effect of donepezil observed in some of our patients should encourage further investigation in a larger sample of this patient subpopulation.