C.T. Kollias

Physical anhedonia in the acute phase of schizophrenia

BackgroundThe aim of the current study is to investigate the relationship between physical anhedonia and psychopathological parameters, pharmacological parameters or motor side-effects in a sample of inpatients with schizophrenia in an acute episode of their illness.MethodEighty one patients with schizophrenia, consecutively admitted, with an acute episode of their illness, at the Eginition Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens, during a one-year period were investigated regarding possible relationships between physical anhedonia, social-demographic data and clinical parameters as well as motor side-effects, induced by antipsychotic agents. All patients were assessed using the Chapman Revised Physical Anhedonia Scale (RPAS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side-Effects (EPSE), the Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale (BARS) and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). Simple cross tabulations were initially employed. Subsequently, multiple regression analysis was performed.ResultsBoth positive and negative symptoms were associated with physical anhedonia. A positive association between physical anhedonia and the non-paranoid sub-category of schizophrenia was also proved.ConclusionAccording to these results, it seems that in the acute phase of schizophrenia, physical anhedonia may be a contributing factor to patients psychopathology.

The Greek version of the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity, as well as the specificity, of the Greek version of the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS). Schizophrenic inpatients consecutively admitted at the Eginition Hospital, University of Athens, were included in the study. Patients were assessed on admission using the CDSS, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side Effects (RSESE), the Rating Scale for Drug-Induced Akathisia (RSDIA) and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). The CDSS was found to have a high inter-rater reliability, as well as test-retest reliability or split-half reliability. The internal consistency of the CDSS was good (a=0.87). There were positive correlations between the CDSS and the HDRS, or the depression cluster of the PANSS. The mean score on the CDSS showed no significant correlations with that of the PANSS negative subscale (r=0.123); a negative but not significant correlation with that of the PANSS positive subscale (r=-0.036); a weak correlation with that of the PANSS general psychopathology subscale (r=0.218); and no significant correlations with that of the RSESE (r=0.197), the RSDIA (r=0.160) or the AIMS (r=0.031). Our results give further support to the reliability, the validity, and the specificity of the CDSS.

Association of Physical and Social Anhedonia with Depression in the Acute Phase of Schizophrenia

Background/Aims: Researchers have shown interest in the association between anhedonia and depression in schizophrenia. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between physical and social anhedonia with depression in a sample of inpatients with schizophrenia in the acute phase of their illness. Methods: Sixty-two patients with acute schizophrenia consecutively admitted at the Eginition Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens were assessed using the revised Physical Anhedonia Scale, the revised Social Anhedonia Scale and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia. Results: The Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia score correlated with both physical anhedonia and social anhedonia ratings. The revised Social Anhedonia Scale score significantly correlated to self-depreciation, guilty ideas of reference, pathological guilt, early wakening, suicidality and observed depression. The revised Physical Anhedonia Scale score significantly correlated with depressive mood, self-depreciation, pathological guilt and observed depression. Self-depreciation, pathological guilt and observed depression were correlated with both social and physical anhedonia. Conclusion: Depression in schizophrenia and anhedonia may overlap, and it could therefore be difficult to clinically differentiate them, especially in acute schizophrenia patients.

Contents Vol. 41, 2008

R. Bentall, Manchester C.E. Berganza, Guatemala City D. Bhugra, London C. Brewin, London Y.-F. Chen, Ginan D. Clark, London H. Fabisch, Graz K. Fabisch, Graz P. Falkai, Homburg/Saar H.J. Freyberger, Greifswald/Stralsund N. Ghaemi, Atlanta, Ga. C. Haasen, Hamburg A. Heerlein, Santiago P. Henningsen, München P. Hoff , Zürich Y. Kim, Tokyo A. Marneros, Halle/Saale M. Musalek, Wien F. Poustka, Frankfurt/Main J. Raboch, Prague P. Salkovskis, London I.M. Salloum, Miami, Fla. F. Schneider, Aachen J.C. Soares, Chapel Hill, N.C. J.S. Strauss, New Haven, Conn. E. Vieta, Barcelona M. Weisbrod, Karlsbad Official Journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA),

Randomized control trials testing the efficacy of psychotherapy in individuals at Ultra High Risk for developing psychosis: a review

Meeting abstracts - A single PDF containing all abstracts in this Supplement is available here .