Effect of empathy on the insight in patients with first-episode schizophrenia / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of empathy on the insight of first-episode schizophrenia.Methods Empathy with tbe interpersonal reactivity index-C (IRI-C) was applied to 71 patients with first-episode schizophrenia and 69 healthy controls.In addition,schizophrenic patients were evaluated with scale of unawareness of mental disorder (SUMD) for the scores of clinical insight and positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) for clinical symptoms.Results Compared with the control group,the schizophrenic patients showed lower scores in the perspective taking ((13.85±1.86) vs (6.74±2.56),P＜0.01),empathic concern ((14.28±2.16) vs (17.49± 2.73),P＜0.01) of IRI-C,but higher subscale score ((10.28±2.78) vs (8.93±1.93),P＜0.01) in personal distress.Pearson correlation analysis showed that,there were negatively significant correlations between insight score and perspective taking (r=-0.429,P＜0.01),empathic concern (r=-0.709,P＜0.01) subscores of IRI-C respectively.In addition,the insight total score was positively correlated with the positive symptoms subscores (r=0.545,P＜0.01) of PANSS.Conclusion Patients with first-episode schizophrenia have significant empathy defects.And the empathic deficits are associated with the insight impairment among the schizophrenic patients,suggesting that patients' insight level can change by improving their empathy ability.

A study of attention networks in the patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate the attention network in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).Methods 31 GAD patients,31 OCD patients and 30 healthy controls (HC) were tested with attention network test.Results There were significant differences in the main effects with respect to the alerting network(15.87±5.24,26.77±4.33,34.87±3.47) (F=4.619,P=0.012)) and the executive network(114.84±9.64,122.45±5.57,96.57±5.45) (F=3.388,P=0.038) among the OCD,GAD and HC groups.The three groups did significantly differ in RT of the attention network (F=19.808,P=0.000).For the HC group,there was significant main effects with respect to cue conditions(F=29.699,P=0.000).There was a significant correlation between the executive network and Hamilton anxiety scale (r=0.351) and also a significantly negative correlation between the alerting network and Hamilton depression scale (r=-0.267).Conclusion There are attention network damages in patients with OCD and GAD,which may be involved in the impairment of emotion.

Electroconvulsive Therapy on Severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Comorbid Depressive Symptoms

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is not currently used as a first-line treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, several related case reports have demonstrated that ECT seems to be effective for severe OCD, especially when first-line therapies have failed. In this study, we describe the courses, detailed parameters, effects, and follow-up information relating to three patients with severe OCD who were treated by modified bifrontal ECT after their first-line anti-OCD treatments pharmacotherapy, behavioral therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy failed. The number of ECT procedures administered in each case is as follows: Case 1, eight; Case 2, three; and Case 3, four. In all three cases, the patients' depressive symptoms improved considerably after the ECT procedures. In addition, the condition of all three patients' OCD significantly improved and remained stable at regular follow-ups. ECT may play an effective role in treating severe OCD.

A study of prospective memory in the inpatients with abstinent male alcohol dependence / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate thc cvent-based prospective memory (EBPM)and time-based prospective memory(TBPM)in the inpatients with abstinent alcohol dependence and the relationships between prospective memory and symptoms.Methods 32 male patients with alcohol dependence and 30 normal controls matched by age,education,HAMD and HAMA were assessed with a neuropsychological battery of tests including EBPM and TBPM tasks.Results A statistically significant in EBPM was observed between patients with alcohol dependence and normal controls (3.91 ± 0.69 vs.4.47 ± 0.63,t =-3.348,P ＜ 0.0 1) and the same result in TBPM (3.28 ±0.77 vs.4.20 ±0.66,t=-5.032,P＜0.01).The positively correlation was showed between the duration of abstinence and EBPM (r =0.444,P ＜ 0.05),as well as TBPM (r =O.423,P ＜ 0.05) in the patients.Conclusion The results suggest abstinent alcohol dependence patients impairs both EBPM and TBPM.PM shows correlated with duration of abstinence moderately in the patients.

A study of prospective memory in patients with late-onset depression / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the event-based prospective memory (EBPM)and time-based prospective memory( TBPM )in late-onset depressive patients and to explore the relationships between prospective memory and depressive symptoms.Methods 32 late-onset depressive patients and 30 normal controls matched in age,gender and education were assessed with a neuropsychological battery of tests including EBPM and TBPM tasks.The patients were also assessed with Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD).ResultsA statistically significant in EBPM was observed between patients with late-onset depression and normal controls (2.31 ± 1.06 vs 3.07± 0.87,t =- 3.052,P ＜ 0.01) and the same result in TBPM (2.03 ± 0.93 vs 2.67 ± 0.92,t =- 2.695,P ＜0.01 ).The negatively correlate was showed between the total scores of HAMD and EBPM ( r =- 0.436,P =0.013 ),TBPM ( r =- 0.467,P =0.007 ) in the patients.ConclusionThe results suggest late-onset depressive patients impair both EBPM and TBPM.Prospective memory shows correlation with depressive symptoms in the patients.

Relationship between prospective memory and social functioning in patients with schizophrenia / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the event-based prospective memory (EBPM)and time-based prospective memory( TBPM )in stable patients with schizophrenia and to explore the relationships between prospective memory and social functioning.Methods40 schizophrenic patients and 40 normal controls matched in age,gender and education were assessed with a neuropsychological battery of tests including EBPM and TBPM tasks.The patients were also assessed with social disability screening schedule(SDSS).ResultsA statistically significant in EBPM was observed between patients with schizophrenia and normal controls (4.18 ± 1.04 vs 5.33 ±0.86,t=- 5.408,P ＜ 0.01) and the same result in TBPM ( 3.45 ± 1.48 vs 5.20 ± 0.82,t =- 6.522,P ＜ 0.01).In patients with schizophrenia TBPM was impaired more significantly than EBPM ( z=-3.238,P＜0.01 ).After controlling the total score of PANSS,the negatively correlate was showed between the total scores of SDSS and EBPM ( r =- 0.346,P ＜ 0.05 ),TBPM ( r =- 0.374,P ＜ 0.05 ) in the patients.ConclusionThe results suggest schizophrenic patients impairs both EBPM and TBPM,and TBPM is impaired more significantly than EBPM.PM shows positively correlated with social functioning moderately in the patient.