Category Archives: Schizophr Res

Effect of rTMS on brain activation in schizophrenia with negative symptoms: A proof-of-principle study.

Schizophr Res. 2015 Jul 14;

Authors: Dlabac-de Lange JJ, Liemburg EJ, Bais L, Renken RJ, Knegtering H, Aleman A

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Prefrontal cortical dysfunction is frequently reported in schizophrenia and is thought to underlie negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) can modulate neuronal activity and has been shown to improve negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, but the underlying neural mechanism is unknown.
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether 3weeks of 10Hz rTMS treatment of the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) would improve frontal brain activation in patients with negative symptoms of schizophrenia, as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during the Tower of London (ToL) task.
METHODS: 24 patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia with moderate to severe negative symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) negative subscale≥15) participated. Patients were randomized to a 3-week (15day) course of active or sham rTMS. All patients performed the ToL task during fMRI scanning both pre-treatment and post-treatment. Differences in brain activation between the two groups were compared non-parametrically.
RESULTS: After rTMS treatment, brain activity in the active group increased in the right DLPFC and the right medial frontal gyrus as compared to the sham group. In addition, the groups significantly differed with regard to activation change in the left posterior cingulate, with decreased activation in the active and increased activation in the sham group.
CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with rTMS over the DLPFC may have the potential for increasing task-related activation in frontal areas in patients with schizophrenia. Effects of different rTMS parameters and fMRI tasks targeting relevant brain circuitry deserve further investigation.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: Nederlands Trial Register, registration number: NTR1261.

PMID: 26187147 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

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The Arcuate Fasciculus in auditory-verbal hallucinations: a meta-analysis of diffusion-tensor-imaging studies.

Schizophr Res. 2014 Oct;159(1):234-7

Authors: Geoffroy PA, Houenou J, Duhamel A, Amad A, De Weijer AD, Curčić-Blake B, Linden DE, Thomas P, Jardri R

Abstract
Auditory-verbal hallucinations (AVHs) are associated with an impaired connectivity of large-scale networks. To examine the relationship between white-matter integrity and AVHs, we conducted a meta-analysis of diffusion-tensor-imaging studies that compared patients with schizophrenia and AVHs with matched healthy controls (HCs). Five studies were retained gathering 256 DTI data points, divided into AVHs (n=106) and HCs (n=150). The meta-analysis demonstrated a reduced fractional anisotropy in the left Arcuate Fasciculus (AF) of hallucinators (hg= -0.42; CI[-0.69,-0.16]; p<10(-3)). The current meta-analysis confirmed disruptions of white matter integrity in the left AF bundle of schizophrenia patients with AVHs.

PMID: 25112160 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

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Psychotic experiences in the population: Association with functioning and mental distress.
Schizophr Res. 2015 Apr 10;
Authors: Kelleher I, Wigman JT, Harley M, O’Hanlon E, Coughlan H, Rawdon C, Murphy J, Power E, Hi… Continue reading →

Emotion processing in schizophrenia is state and trait dependent.

Schizophr Res. 2014 Dec 24;

Authors: Maat A, van Montfort SJ, de Nijs J, Derks EM, Kahn RS, Linszen DH, van Os J, Wiersma D, Bruggeman R, Cahn W, de Haan L, Krabbendam L, Myin-Germeys I, GROUP Investigators

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Substantial evidence exists about emotion processing (EP) impairments in schizophrenia patients. However, whether these deficits are present primarily during psychosis (i.e., state dependent) or an integral part of the disorder (i.e., trait dependent) remains unclear.
METHODS: EP was assessed with the degraded facial affect recognition task in schizophrenia patients (N=521) and healthy controls (N=312) at baseline (T1) and after a three year follow-up (T2). In schizophrenia patients symptomatic remission was assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) remission tool. Patients were divided into four groups: remission T1 and remission T2 (RR); remission T1 and non-remission T2 (RN); non-remission T1 and non-remission T2 (NN) and non-remission T1 and remission T2 (NR). Factorial repeated measures ANCOVA was used to compare EP performance over time between groups. Age, gender and general cognition were included as covariates.
RESULTS: Schizophrenia patients performed worse than healthy controls on EP at T1 (p=0.001). The patients that were in symptomatic remission at both time points (the RR group) performed worse than the healthy controls at T2 (p<0.001). Significant group×time interactions were found between RR and RN (p=0.001), and between NR and RN (p=0.04), indicating a differential EP performance over time. No group×time interaction was found between NN and NR.
CONCLUSION: The results show relatively poor EP performance in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls. EP performance in schizophrenia patients was associated with symptomatic remission. The results provide support for the hypothesis that EP deficits in schizophrenia are both state and trait dependent.

PMID: 25543332 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

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Neural correlates of planning performance in patients with schizophrenia – Relationship with apathy.
Schizophr Res. 2014 Dec 9;
Authors: Liemburg EJ, Dlabac-De Lange JJ, Bais L, Knegtering H, van Osch MJ, Renken RJ, … Continue reading →

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A brief version of the Subjects’ Response to Antipsychotics questionnaire to evaluate treatment effects.
Schizophr Res. 2013 Jun;147(1):175-80
Authors: Lako IM, Bruggeman R, Liemburg EJ, van den Heuvel ER, Kne… Continue reading →