Rikus Knegtering

A randomized open-label study of the impact of quetiapine versus risperidone on sexual functioning

Objective: To compare sexual functioning in patients treated with quetiapine or risperidone. Methods: This open-label study included patients with schizophrenia or a related psychotic illness who were randomized to quetiapine (200-1200 mg/d) or risperidone (1-6 mg/d) for 6 weeks. Sexual dysfunction was assessed by a semistructured interview, the Antipsychotics and Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (ASFQ), based upon the Utvalg for Kliniske Undersogelser (UKU). Results: Four of 25 quetiapine-treated patients (16%) and 12 of 24 risperidone-treated patients (50%) reported sexual dysfunction (χ 2 = 6.4; df = 1; P = 0.006) on the ASFQ. Six patients (11.7%; 4 on risperidone, 2 on quetiapine) spontaneously reported sexual dysfunction. The mean ± SD dose was 580 ± 224 mg/d for quetiapine and 3.2 ± 1.3 mg/d for risperidone. Mean ± SD prolactin levels in quetiapine- and risperidone-treated patients were 13.8 ± 17.9 and 57.7 ± 39.7 ng/mL, respectively. Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction was less common in patients treated with quetiapine than with risperidone. Direct questioning about sexual functioning is necessary to avoid underestimating the frequency of sexual side effects in patients with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders.

The specificity of neurological signs in schizophrenia: a review.

This review examines the extent to which neurological signs are more prevalent in schizophrenia patients, compared to mood-disorder patients and healthy subjects, and whether there is a pattern in any of the differences that may be found. We included 17 studies and calculated the weighted mean prevalence of 30 neurological signs. The prevalence of most signs appears to be significantly different between schizophrenia patients and normal controls, but there are fewer differences between schizophrenia and mood-disorder patients. Several signs - poor stereognosis and rhythm tapping - are even more prevalent in mood-disorder patients than in schizophrenia patients. Only lack of extinction, dysdiadochokinesia, poor tandem walk, finger-thumb-opposition and articulation are significantly more prevalent in schizophrenia compared to mood-disorder patients. Impaired motor coordination seems most specific to schizophrenia. The discriminating power of motor sequencing still needs to be studied. So far, there is no evidence of a clearly interpretable pattern of neurological signs distinguishing schizophrenia patients from mood-disorder patients.

Neurological soft signs discriminating mood disorders from first episode schizophrenia

Objective:  To investigate the specificity of neurological soft signs (NSS) for first episode schizophrenia compared with mood disorders.

Psychopathology and cognition in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: the role of depressive symptoms

The cognitive correlates of five symptom dimensions based on PANSS ratings were examined in a group of 50 recent onset psychotic patients, using both objective and subjective cognitive measures. We were particularly interested in the depression dimension, since it has not been studied extensively thus far. The depression dimension showed a high number of correlations with both objective and subjective cognitive measures, such as problems with simple and divided attention, psychomotor slowing and subjectively experienced distractibility, overload and diminished attentional control. The other dimensions, including negative symptoms, have less cognitive correlates. It is possible that previous studies based on a three-dimensional model confounded correlates of negative symptoms with correlates of depressive symptoms. The results of this study suggest the need for more research into the mechanisms underlying the relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning in schizophrenia, and that patients with depressive symptoms are less efficient in information processing, but can compensate by investing more mental effort. Because subjective cognitive measures were related to mental effort in previous research, they can be a useful tool in future research.

Niacin skin flushing in schizophrenic and depressed patients and healthy controls

This study compares the skin reactions to the niacin flushing test of 16 schizophrenic patients with those of 17 depressed patients and 16 healthy controls. Methyl nicotinate (niacin) in a concentration of 0.1 M was applied to the forearm for 5 min. Significant differences could be observed between the group of schizophrenic patients (less flushing) in comparison to the other groups. There were no statistical differences in niacin flushing between patients with depression and healthy controls. Gender, age and the use of antipsychotic agents did not appear to be confounders. The differences in flushing within the group of schizophrenic patients were striking, however. Most patients showed little or no flushing, but some patients reacted strongly. Although the three groups could be differentiated by the niacin flushing test, to develop a reliable clinical application of this test, further research is necessary.

Influence of antipsychotic agents on neurological soft signs and dyskinesia in first episode psychosis

First episode psychosis patients treated with atypical antipsychotics had significantly fewer signs of dyskinesia than patients treated with classical antipsychotics, but there were no significant differences regarding the total number of neurological soft signs (NSS). This suggests that the type of antipsychotic medication does not influence NSS, but that atypical antipsychotics are associated with less dyskinesia in the early stages of treatment.

The spectrum of subjective effects of antipsychotic medication.

Background: This study examined the spectrum of subjective experiences which patients attribute to the use of antipsychotic medication. Methods: We collected interview data and answers to structured questions based on a comprehensive checklist in 77 patients using various types of classical or atypical antipsychotic drugs. Results: The responses of the patients could be categorized into psychological and somatic domains. The psychological domain could be subdivided into emotional, cognitive and sociability domains. The somatic set could be subdivided into activation and physiological domains. Conclusions: Our data reveal that the same effects may be experienced in either a positive or a negative way by different patients. We conclude that existing scales for measuring subjective effects of antipsychotic medication are incomplete.

6.1 Psychofarmacologie, van een historisch perspectief tot hedendaagse toepassing

Om de hoofdlijnen van de psychofarmacologie op een toegankelijke en wetenschappelijk verantwoorde manier te bespreken schetsen wij eerst in grote lijnen de geschiedenis van psychofarmacologie en daarna de geschiedenis van de neurobiologie.

Natural medicines for schizophrenia

Introduction Despite important progress, the results of pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia are frequently unsatisfactory. Therefore some patients use natural medicines although it is unclear whether natural medicines are effective and safe. We assessed the evidence for natural medicines with and without antipsychotics in treating symptoms or reducing side effects of antipsychotics in schizophrenia. Method A systematic review until April 2013. Only RCTs with a Jadad score of 3 or higher, were included. Results 105 RCTs were identified. Evidence was found for glycine, sarcosine, NAC, some Chinese and ayurvedic herbs, ginkgo biloba, estradiol and vitamin B6 for improving symptoms of schizophrenia when added to antipsychotics. Inconclusive or no evidence was found for omega-3, Dserine, D-alanine, D-cycloserine, B vitamins, vitamin C, dehydroepiandrosteron (DHEA), pregnenolone (PREG), inositol, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and des-tyr-gamma-endorphin when added to antipsychotics. Omega-3 without antipsychotics might be beneficial in the prevention of schizophrenia. Only ayurvedic herbs (in one study), no other agents, seemed effective without antipsychotics. Ginkgo and vitamin B6 seemed to be effective in reducing side effects of antipsychotics. All natural agents produced only mild or no side-effects. Conclusion High quality research on natural medicines for schizophrenia is scarce. However, there is emerging evidence for improved outcome for glycine, sarcosine, NAC, some Chinese and ayurvedic herbs, ginkgo biloba, estradiol and vitamin B6, all with only mild or no side effects. Most study samples are small, the study periods are generally short, the studies only cover a modest part of the worlds population and most results need replication.

355 – Stigmatising attitudes of mental health care professionals, forensic psychiatric professionals and general practitioners: a pilot study

Objective Studying stigma in health care professionals may be helpful to address stigma in people with mental illness. The purpose of this study is to assess (stigmatising) attitudes of mental health care professionals (MHC), forensic psychiatric professionals (FP) and general practitioners (GP) in the Netherlands. Method The Mental Illness Clinicians Attitude (MICA) questionnaire is used to assess stigmatising attitudes in three different groups of health care professionals. Scores range from 16 (minimum stigma) to 96 (maximum stigma). Additionally, background information was obtained including gender, age, work and personal experience. Results All three groups of health care professionals had a positive attitude towards psychiatry and patients with a mental health problem. However, the total MICA score differed significantly between the three groups (p Conclusion General practitioners showed in comparison to mental health care professionals a significantly higher stigmatising attitude. The scores still represent a mild positive attitude towards psychiatry and psychiatric patients. Although all three groups have a relatively positive attitude, there is still room for improvement.