BACKGROUND There is growing evidence to suggest that delusions associated with schizophrenia arise from altered structural brain connectivity. The present study investigated whether structural changes in three major fasciculi that interconnect the limbic system - the cingulum bundle, uncinate fasciculus and fornix - are associated with delusions in chronic schizophrenia patients. METHODS Free...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether or not risperidone is efficacious in treating self-induced water intoxication in patients with chronic schizophrenia. METHOD We carried out a prospective 11-month open-label study using risperidone to treat 8 men with chronic schizophrenia and self-induced water intoxication. RESULTS The 8 men were not able to reduce their fluid consumption compared with their...

The N1 auditory event-related potential (ERP) is reduced in chronic schizophrenia, as is the P2 to attended tones. N1 reduction may be endophenotypic for schizophrenia, being reduced in twins of schizophrenic patients and showing heritability. Results in family members, however, are equivocal, with abnormally small N1 (consistent with an endophenotype) and abnormally large N1 (inconsistent with...

BACKGROUND Reduced hippocampal volume in schizophrenia is a well-replicated finding. New imaging techniques allow delineation of hippocampal subfield volumes. Studies including predominantly chronic patients demonstrate differences between subfields in sensitivity to illness, and in associations with clinical features. We carried out a cross-sectional and longitudinal study of first episode, su...

OBJECTIVE Previous reports suggest that cytokines act as potential mediators of the interaction between the immune and neuroendocrine systems, and that a proinflammatory state may be associated with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The aim is to compare cytokine levels in both disorders. METHOD Twenty euthymic bipolar disorder patients, 53 chronic stabilized schizophrenia patients and 80 h...

BACKGROUND General practitioners (GPs) have an important role in the care of patients with chronic schizophrenia and of those in the early phases of this disorder. AIMS To obtain information about the number of patients in the early and chronic stages of schizophrenia seen in general practice; the needs and attitudes of GPs, their diagnostic knowledge concerning early phases of schizophrenia ...

Treating chronic hepatitis C with pegylated interferon alpha may induce or exacerbate psychiatric illness including depression, mania and aggressive behaviour. There is limited data regarding treatment in the context of chronic schizophrenia. We sought to establish the safety and efficacy of treating patients with schizophrenia. Patient and treatment data, prospectively collected on the Scottis...

Introduction Plasma zonulin is acknowledged to be a biomarker for intestinal permeability. Previous studies have demonstrated significant relationships regarding potential effects of in several major psychiatric conditions including attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder depression, however its role schizophrenia still remains unclear. Objectives We aimed identif...

Neurodegenerative processes may be involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the most widely distributed neurotrophin and oxidative stress (OS) may be critical for several pathological manifestations of neurodegenerative disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests that both BDNF and OS may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. However,...

Numerous studies have identified many specific structural alterations in the brains of patients with schizophrenia and depression. Schizophrenia is associated with gray matter volume (GMV) impairment in certain key brain regions, which progresses in the first 2–3 years after the first episode of schizophrenic symptoms.[1] Schizophrenia has also been shown to be associated with concurrent white ...