Aberrant Tendency of Noncurrent Emotional Experiences in Individuals at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether aberrant tendency of noncurrent emotion was present in individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis and to explore its associations with various clinical profiles. METHODS: Fifty-seven individuals at UHR and 49 normal controls were enrolled. The tendency of experiencing noncurrent emotion was assessed using various noncurrent emotional self-reported formats, including trait [Neuroticism and Extraversion of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire], hypothetical (Chapman’s Revised Physical and Social Anhedonia Scales), and retrospective [Anhedonia-Asociality Subscale of the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS)] measures. Self-related beliefs (Self-Perception Scale), clinical positive and negative symptoms (SA Positive Symptoms and SANS), psychosocial function (Global Functioning Scale: Role Function and Global Functioning Scale: Social Function) were also examined. RESULTS: Subjects at UHR for psychosis reported more trait unpleasant and less trait pleasant emotions, more hypothetical physical and social anhedonia, and more retrospective anhedonia than normal controls. In UHR, self-perception was correlated to trait unpleasant emotion and hypothetical physical and social anhedonia. Negative symptoms in UHR were associated with hypothetical physical anhedonia and retrospective anhedonia. Global social functioning was related to trait pleasant emotion, hypothetical physical and social anhedonia, and retrospective anhedonia. Neurocognitive function, positive symptoms, and global role functioning were not related with any noncurrent emotional experience measures in UHR. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the aberrant tendency of noncurrent emotional experience may be present at the ‘putative’ prodromal phase and are grossly associated with self-related beliefs and psychosocial functioning but not neurocognitive functioning.

Mediating effect of self-evaluation of depressive symptoms on automatic thinking and psychosocial function of patients with depression in remission / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate the mediating effects of self-evaluation of depressive symptoms between psychosocial function and negative automatic thinking in patients with depression in remission.Methods The Hamilton depression scale (HAMD-17),generic quality of life inventory(GQOLI),Beck depression inventory(BDI) and automatic thoughts questionnaire (ATQ) were applied to 122 subjects who were patients with depression in remission.Results (1) There was significantly negative correlation between self-evaluation of depressive symptoms and physical function and psychological function and social function(r=-0.559,r=-0.435,r=-0.388,all P＜0.01),and negative correlation between negative automatic thinking and physical function,psychological function and social function(r=-0.563,r=-0.449,r=-0.468,all P＜0.01).(2)The score of physical function,psychological function and social function in the group with low self-evaluation of depressive symptoms was higher than those in the group with high self-evaluation of depressive symptoms (low group:70.27±11.33,69.54±11.53,69.09±10.41;high group:53.33±9.32,57.24±13.80,57.69± 12.77),and the differences were statistically significant (t=7.40,4.82,4.48,P＜0.01).(3) Negative automatic thinking had a significant negative effect on physical function (B =-0.17,P＜0.01),which was affected by self-evaluation of depressive symptoms.The relationship between negative automatic thinking and psychological function was affected by self-evaluation of depressive symptoms.Conclusion Self-evaluation of depressive symptom plays a mediating role between negative automatic thinking and physical function,which also was a mediator in the relationship between negative automatic thinking and mental function.

Comparison of cognitive function and psychosocial function between remitted bipolar disorder and schizo phrenia / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the difference of cognitive function and psychosocial function between remitted bipolar disorder(BPD) and remitted schizophrenia.Methods 8 neuropsychological tests (17 items)which evaluate attention,verbal learning and memory,visual memery and executive function were given to 30 remitted BPD,32 remitted schizophrenia and 34 normal controls.The differences of cognitive functions between the three groups were compared using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).Psychosocial functions of remitted BPD and remitted schizophrenia were both evaluated by Global Assessment Function (GAF),and the difference of Psychosocial functions between the two groups was also tested by MANOVA.Results1.Remitted schizophrenia showed dysfunction in neuropsychological tests except Stroop C and digit span subtest-forward compared with controis.but Remitted BPD only showed dysfunction in 9 neuropsychological items compared with controls.There was no significantly differences on WCST,digit span subtest-backward,and TMT-B between remitted BPD and remitted schizophrenia,the degree of impairment of the two groups was same.But scores from logical memory sub-test and Stroop CW of remitted schizophrenia were significantly lower than that of remitted BPD( ( 8.13 ± 3.35),( 12.11 ±3.72),(6.00 ±3.09),(9.78 ±3.60);(48.61±15.73),(69.33 ±21.04),P＜0.05).There was significant difference on scores of GAF between remitted BPD and remitted schizophrenia.Conclusion There are some overlap in cognitive impairment in remitted BPD and remitted schizophrenia,but in remitted schizophrenia the cognitive profile is characterized by generalized and severer pattern of deficits.The psychosocial function of remitted BPD is better than that of remitted schizophrenia.

Psychosocial Outcome 5 Years after Assessment of Disability in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate the long-term psychosocial outcome of the patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) about five years after initial assessment of disability. The psychosocial outcome was evaluated in the areas of cognitive function, neurobehavioral symptoms, socio-occupational function, purpose of life, and quality of life. METHODS: Twenty seven patients with TBI (TBI-S) were selected, who had admitted to the department of Neuropsychiatry of the Wonkwang University Hospital with a primary diagnosis of TBI for the initial assessment of disability during the period 1994-1998. At first, the author assessed their functions with the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale, Social Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, and Quality of Life Index. And the patients completed the Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Rey-Kim Memory Test and Kims Executive Function Test, the Head Injury Symptom Checklist, Korean version of SmithKline Beecham Quality of Life Scale and Purpose-in-Life Test. The data from the TBI-S were compared between those from the TBI patients (TBI-C) who had received brain injury at the similar time and the TBI-S and admitted for the assessment of disability. RESULTS: Although there was no significant difference between the two TBI groups in the areas of cognitive function, such as general intelligence, verbal comprehension, visuo-spatial function, attention, memory, and executive function, the TBI-S showed significantly lower neurobehavioral symptoms, higher socio-occupational functioning, and higher purpose in life and quality of life levels than the TBI-C. Though 5 years had passed since injury the TBI-S still had various emotional and somatic symptoms and remained at the relatively lower levels in psychosocial functioning. CONCLUSION: The overall long-term psychosocial outcome of the TBI patients depends significantly on the status at the initial assessment of disability about 5 years ago. The improvement was seen in the areas of neurobehavioral symptoms and socio-occupational functioning but not in cognitive function. In spite of the improvement in some areas they still remained at relatively low levels in purpose-in-life and quality of life. This findings suggest that the specialized medical and social support is needed for their rehabilitation.

Psychosocial Outcome 5 Years after Assessment of Disability in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate the long-term psychosocial outcome of the patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) about five years after initial assessment of disability. The psychosocial outcome was evaluated in the areas of cognitive function, neurobehavioral symptoms, socio-occupational function, purpose of life, and quality of life. METHODS: Twenty seven patients with TBI (TBI-S) were selected, who had admitted to the department of Neuropsychiatry of the Wonkwang University Hospital with a primary diagnosis of TBI for the initial assessment of disability during the period 1994-1998. At first, the author assessed their functions with the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale, Social Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, and Quality of Life Index. And the patients completed the Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Rey-Kim Memory Test and Kims Executive Function Test, the Head Injury Symptom Checklist, Korean version of SmithKline Beecham Quality of Life Scale and Purpose-in-Life Test. The data from the TBI-S were compared between those from the TBI patients (TBI-C) who had received brain injury at the similar time and the TBI-S and admitted for the assessment of disability. RESULTS: Although there was no significant difference between the two TBI groups in the areas of cognitive function, such as general intelligence, verbal comprehension, visuo-spatial function, attention, memory, and executive function, the TBI-S showed significantly lower neurobehavioral symptoms, higher socio-occupational functioning, and higher purpose in life and quality of life levels than the TBI-C. Though 5 years had passed since injury the TBI-S still had various emotional and somatic symptoms and remained at the relatively lower levels in psychosocial functioning. CONCLUSION: The overall long-term psychosocial outcome of the TBI patients depends significantly on the status at the initial assessment of disability about 5 years ago. The improvement was seen in the areas of neurobehavioral symptoms and socio-occupational functioning but not in cognitive function. In spite of the improvement in some areas they still remained at relatively low levels in purpose-in-life and quality of life. This findings suggest that the specialized medical and social support is needed for their rehabilitation.

Chronic Pain and Psychosocial Functions in Adults with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of chronic pain on psychosocial functions in adults with athetoid cerebral palsy. METHOD: Thirty-five adults with athetoid cerebral palsy were recruited as subjects, then the radiologic and electrodi agnostic studies were assessed. The characteristics of pain in severity and disability status with Von Korff's chronic pain grade classification system and psychosocial functional status using affect balance scale, Beck depression inventory, social adjustment scale and satisfaction with life scale were evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-eight (80.0%) subjects had the pain lasting more than 3 months. The mean score of characteristic pain intensity was 65.5+/-11.5. Eleven subjects (31.4%) showed both abnormal radiologic and electrodiagnostic findings, and these subjects had higher disability score among the subjects who complaint of chronic pain (p<0.05). The pain intensity had significant relationship with negative affects such as depression and dissatisfaction with life style (p<0.05). In addition, social adjustment tended to be lower in subjects with severe chronic pain. CONCLUSION: Chronic pain was commonly observed in adults with athetoid cerebral palsy, and the pain adversely affected psychosocial functions. Therefore, proper management of chronic pain might be helpful for enhancing their psycho social functions in these subjects.