Negative symptoms in schizophrenia: considerations for clinical trials

There is little agreement about the methodology of clinical trials of antipsychotic drugs in patients with negative symptoms. A literature review revealed wide variation in experimental design, rating scales and study duration. This reflects differing views as to the definition and response to treatment of negative symptoms. Some degree of standardization would improve comparability of studies and aid the development of new compounds. Patients included in such studies should have displayed negative symptoms for at least 6 months. Depressive symptoms, positive schizophrenic symptoms and extrapyramidal signs may all influence or be confused with negative symptoms and may respond to treatment; they should be at a low level at baseline and should be measured during the study period. Studies should last at least 8 weeks. Several scales are available for measuring negative symptoms and are reviewed; a global impression score should be used additionally.     

行为干预对康复期精神分裂症患者应对方式和生活质量的作用

目的:探讨行为干预对精神分裂症应对方式和生活质量的作用。方法:将入组患者随机分为实验组和对照组,对实验组患者进行为期一年的行为干预,研究结束时分别用简易应对方式问卷和综合生活质量量表进行评定。结果:实验组复发率和服药依从性与对照组相比均有显著差异(X2=4.29,p<0.05 X2=8.95,p<0.005)。实验组积极、消极应对因子与对照组相比差异显著(t=2.24,p<0.05.t=-2.46,p<0.05)。实验组躯体功能、心理功能、社会功能各维度分与对照组相比均有显著差异(t=2.25～2.92,p<0.05～p<0.01)。结论:对精神分裂症患者进行行为干预可提高患者的应对能力,减少复发,提高生活质量。     

精神分裂症子女的行为问题及相关因素分析

目的 探讨精神分裂症子女的行为问题及相关因素。方法 以Achenbach儿童行为量表(CBCL)为工具，对260名精神分裂症患者的子女(研究组)行为问题及其影响因素进行调查，并与正常健康者的子女(对照组)进行对照。结果 精神分裂症子女行为问题检出率为31．2％。显著高于对照组的12．3％；其主要影响因素为儿童健康状况差、孕产期不利因素、家庭教育方式不当、亲子关系差、居住地社会风气差和学习成绩差。结论 精神分裂症子女的行为问题发生率较高，为生物、心理及社会因素共同作用的结果，并需全面干预。     

待分类的精神病性和非精神病性精神障碍与精神分裂症的对比分析

目的 探讨待分类的精神病性和非精神病性精神障碍临床特征。方法 对待分类的精神病性和非精神病性精神障碍与精神分裂症临床资料进行对比分析。结果 待分类的精神病性障碍与精神分裂症在发病年龄、复发率、阳性家族史、治疗和疗效上无显著性差异；待分类的非精神病性精神障碍在复发率、阳性家族史及治愈率上与前两者有显著性差异。结论 待分类的精神病性障碍与精神分裂症可能具有同源性，部分非精神病性精神障碍与两者可能不同源。     

一次和多次住院精神分裂症患者再住院分析

目的 :比较 1次和≥ 2次住院精神分裂症患者出院后的再住院率 ,初步探讨影响再住院的相关因素。　方法 :1999年度出院的 833例住院精神分裂症患者纳入调查 ,使用自制的再住院及其相关因素调查表 ,于 2 0 0 3年 12月底前电话或入户调查出院后至少 4 8个月的情况。　结果 :6 6 4例完成调查 ,分为 1次住院组 (333例 )和多次住院组 (331例 )。用生存分析 (Kaplan Meier公式 )比较两组未再住院率 ,12个月末 (分别为 6 7 0 %和 6 1 6 % )、2 4个月末 (5 6 2 %和 4 8 9% )、36个月末 (4 6 0和 35 1% )和 4 8个月末 (4 1 1%和 2 8 7% )。Cox回归风险比例模型分析影响再住院的相关因素显示 ,与药物依从性、生活事件、自知力和家庭照顾相关 (P <0 0 5 ) ,药物依从性对再住院的贡献值 (1 719)最大。　结论 :1次住院精神分裂症患者出院后的再住院率较多次住院者低。药物依从性是影响再住院的主要因素     

A sexually dimorphic ratio of orbitofrontal to amygdala volume is altered in schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Neuroanatomic sexual dimorphisms have been correlated with behavioral differences between healthy men and women. We have reported higher orbitofrontal cortex to amygdala ratio (OAR) in women than men. Although gender differences in schizophrenia are evident clinically and correlate with neuroanatomic measures, their relationship to OAR has not been examined. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 31 neuroleptic-na?ve schizophrenic patients (16 men) and 80 healthy volunteers (34 men), aged less than 50 years. An automated tissue segmentation procedure was combined with expert-guided parcellation of orbitofrontal and amygdala volumes. RESULTS: Men with schizophrenia had increased OAR relative to healthy men, whereas women had decreased OAR. Increased OAR in men with schizophrenia reflected abnormally low amygdala volumes, whereas decreased OAR in women reflected abnormally low orbitofrontal volumes. Less severe negative symptoms were associated with increased OAR in men but with decreased OAR in women. In men, increased amygdala volume was associated with greater symptom severity, whereas in women higher volumes of both amygdala and orbitofrontal regions were associated with lesser severity of negative symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These opposite OAR abnormalities, whereby men show feminization and women masculinization, suggest gender-mediated effects of the underlying neuropathologic processes. The correlations with symptom severity suggest that neuroanatomic abnormalities in OAR reflect compensatory brain changes.     

An alternative mechanism of actions for neuroleptic and antidepressant drugs

It has earlier been proposed by the author that the aetiology of schizophrenic symptomatology may be due to the presence of abnormally connected interhemispheric fibres which link specialised functions in the brains of schizophrenics that are not connected in normal subjects, and that the neuroleptic drugs may produce their action through a local anaesthetic-like effect in suppression of conduction in these fibres. This line of thought has been extended here to consider the possible mechanism of action of the neuroleptic drugs in more detail, as well as that of the tricyclic antidepressant drugs which are derivatives of the phenothiazine group. Pharmacological similarities with the local anaesthetics both structurally and functionally have been considered, as well as the effects that these drug groups may have in common with the lithium salts. It has been suggested that these drugs all produce their primary effect on cell membranes, though not necessarily at the synapse, that the time course of their clinical effect may correlate with their incorporation into various cell membranes within the CNS, and that they may thus bring about a fundamental alteration in cell membrane microstructure. The possible role of electroconvulsive therapy has also been considered. The corollary of this argument is that the affective disorders may be genetically determined diseases of cell membrane microstructure.     

精神分裂症患者事件相关电位P300改变对语词记忆能力的影响

目的探讨精神分裂症患者的语词记忆能力与认知电位之间的相互关系。方法对102例精神分裂症患者首先进行了听觉诱发电位P300测定，然后按有无P300潜伏期延长或/和波幅降低分为P300正常与异常组，再采用选择性提醒测验方法对其进行语词记忆测验。结果P300正常组30例在10次语词记忆测验中通过总例数28例，占93.3%，前6次通过的比例为56.7%；而P300异常组72例在10次语词记忆测验中通过的总例数只有43例，占59.7%，前6次通过的比例只有25%；两组之间的差异非常显著（P〈0.001）。P300异常组回忆总数、保持数、长时再现数及恒定长时再现数减少，而不恒定长时再现数、提醒总数及插入数显著增多，两组比较有显著性差异（P〈0.01）。结论P300异常的精神分裂症患者较P300正常的精神分裂症患者存在更严重的语词记忆障碍。     

穴位注药治疗精神分裂症的研究

目的　观察穴位注射丹参合并小剂量抗精神病药物与单用抗精神病药物治疗精神分裂症的疗效。方法16 0例患者随机分为治疗组 10 0例 ,对照组 6 0例 ;辨证分为 5型 ,用阴阳经相配取穴的方法 ,根据疾病的虚实 ,用迎随和徐疾补泻手法 ,治疗组每日注射 1次 ,10次为 1疗程 ,共治疗 3个疗程 ;用简明精神症状量表 (BPRS)和药物副反应量表 (TESS)评定疗效和副反应 ,治疗结束后随访两年。结果　治疗组痊愈率、显效率与对照组间差异有显著性意义 (P <0 0 5 )。BPRS和TESS量表于每疗程结束后两组评分比较差异均有显著性意义 (P <0 0 5 ) ;复发率与对照组间差异有显著性意义 (P <0 0 5 )。结论　穴位注射丹参具有见效快、副作用少、远期疗效好的特点。实施有效的护理 ,适时的健康教育是提高患者依从性 ,保证有效治疗、取得良好效果的重要手段。     

精神分裂症患者的记忆功能障碍与精神症状和疗效的关系

目的　探讨精神分裂症记忆功能与精神症状和疗效的关系。方法　对 88例精神分裂症患者分别给予奎的平、舒必利、维思通治疗。采用PANSS量表评定精神症状 ,修订韦氏成人记忆量表 (WMS -RC)测查记忆功能(治疗前用甲式 ,治疗后用乙式 )分别于治疗前、治疗后第 6周末各评一次 ,并采用Pearson相关分析和多元逐步回归进行分析。结果　治疗前记忆商数与阴性症状、一般病理性症状、PANSS总分呈显著负相关 ,与阳性症状无相关性 ;多元逐步回归分析显示治疗前记忆商数与阴性症状关系最密切 ;治疗后记忆商数增加值与阴性症状的减分值呈显著正相关 (r=0 337,P <0 0 1,88例 ) ;治疗前记忆商数与治疗第 6周末的阴性症状减分值、一般病理性症状减分值呈显著负相关 (r =- 0 2 6 5 ,P <0 0 5 ;r =- 0 2 35 ,P <0 0 5 ,88例 )。结论　本研究支持精神分裂症记忆损害与阴性症状存在相似的病理机制假说。