Correlations between cortical gyrification and schizophrenia symptoms with and without comorbid hostility symptoms.

Introduction: Interest in identifying the clinical implications of the neuropathophysiological background of schizophrenia is rising, including changes in cortical gyrification that may be due to neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Inpatients with schizophrenia can show abnormal gyrification of cortical regions correlated with the symptom severity.

Methods: Our study included 36 patients that suffered an acute episode of schizophrenia and have undergone structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to calculate the local gyrification index (LGI).

Perceived Stress and Life Events in Patients Affected by Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective and Bipolar Disorder: Is There a Role for Self-Reported Basic Symptoms?

Introduction: The stress-diathesis model of psychotic disorders describes, in vulnerable individuals, the role of psychosocial stress in the onset and exacerbation of psychotic symptoms. Another interesting approach to the study of vulnerability in the development of psychosis is represented by the basic symptoms concept.

Objective: The present study aims at proposing an integration between these two models and investigating possible associations between psychotic symptoms, basic symptoms, perceived stress, and life events in a sample of patients affected by schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective (SA), and bipolar disorder with and without psychotic symptoms.

Lurasidone: efficacy and safety in the treatment of psychotic and mood disorders.

Lurasidone ([3aR,4S,7R,7aS]-2-[(1R,2R)-2-[4-(1,2-benzisothiazol-3-yl)piperazin-1yl-methyl] cyclohexylmethyl]-hexahydro-4,7-methano-2H-isoindole-1,3-dione hydrochloride; Latuda®) is a novel benzisothiazole, second-generation antipsychotic drug developed by Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Corporation in Japan. Similar to other atypical antipsychotics it has a distinctive pharmacodynamic profile, Areas covered: This review updates reported research findings on the efficacy, safety and tolerability of LRSD for treatment of psychotic and major affective disorders, with meta-analyses. Short-term efficacy of LRSD in schizophrenia is supported by several randomized, controlled trials with daily doses of 40-160 mg, yielding relatively modest symptomatic improvements.