Cortical morphology in patients with the deficit and non-deficit syndrome of schizophrenia: a worldwide meta- and mega-analyses.

Converging evidence suggests that schizophrenia (SZ) with primary, enduring negative symptoms (i.e., Deficit SZ (DSZ)) represents a distinct entity within the SZ spectrum while the neurobiological underpinnings remain undetermined.

A high-resolution fMRI approach to characterize functionally distinct neural pathways within dopaminergic midbrain and nucleus accumbens during reward and salience processing.

Processing of reward and salience without reward association are known to critically rely on the dopamine system. A growing body of evidence from animal studies suggests that both functions may be subserved by distinct subregions in midbrain and ventral striatum, specifically nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Yet in vivo investigation of these brain structures in humans has been rare.

Cortical Brain Abnormalities in 4474 Individuals With Schizophrenia and 5098 Control Subjects via the Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics Through Meta Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium.

Background: The profile of cortical neuroanatomical abnormalities in schizophrenia is not fully understood, despite hundreds of published structural brain imaging studies. This study presents the first meta-analysis of cortical thickness and surface area abnormalities in schizophrenia conducted by the ENIGMA (Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta Analysis) Schizophrenia Working Group.

Methods: The study included data from 4474 individuals with schizophrenia (mean age, 32.

Structural and functional hyperconnectivity within the sensorimotor system in xenomelia.

Introduction: Xenomelia is a rare condition characterized by the persistent and compulsive desire for the amputation of one or more physically healthy limbs. We highlight the neurological underpinnings of xenomelia by assessing structural and functional connectivity by means of whole-brain connectome and network analyses of regions previously implicated in empirical research in this condition.

Methods: We compared structural and functional connectivity between 13 xenomelic men with matched controls using diffusion tensor imaging combined with fiber tractography and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Novel genetic loci underlying human intracranial volume identified through genome-wide association.

Intracranial volume reflects the maximally attained brain size during development, and remains stable with loss of tissue in late life. It is highly heritable, but the underlying genes remain largely undetermined. In a genome-wide association study of 32,438 adults, we discovered five previously unknown loci for intracranial volume and confirmed two known signals.

Human subcortical brain asymmetries in 15,847 people worldwide reveal effects of age and sex.

The two hemispheres of the human brain differ functionally and structurally. Despite over a century of research, the extent to which brain asymmetry is influenced by sex, handedness, age, and genetic factors is still controversial. Here we present the largest ever analysis of subcortical brain asymmetries, in a harmonized multi-site study using meta-analysis methods.

Common genetic variants influence human subcortical brain structures.

The highly complex structure of the human brain is strongly shaped by genetic influences. Subcortical brain regions form circuits with cortical areas to coordinate movement, learning, memory and motivation, and altered circuits can lead to abnormal behaviour and disease. To investigate how common genetic variants affect the structure of these brain regions, here we conduct genome-wide association studies of the volumes of seven subcortical regions and the intracranial volume derived from magnetic resonance images of 30,717 individuals from 50 cohorts.

The desire for healthy limb amputation: structural brain correlates and clinical features of xenomelia.

Xenomelia is the oppressive feeling that one or more limbs of one's body do not belong to one's self. We present the results of a thorough examination of the characteristics of the disorder in 15 males with a strong desire for amputation of one or both legs. The feeling of estrangement had been present since early childhood and was limited to a precisely demarcated part of the leg in all individuals.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and dyslipidemia: previous research and novel findings from patients with PTSD caused by myocardial infarction.

Objectives: Based on a brief systematic review suggesting dyslipidemia in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we studied, for the first time, levels of blood lipids in patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of PTSD caused by myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: Study participants were eight patients with full PTSD, eight patients with subsyndromal PTSD, and 31 patients with no PTSD who were diagnosed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) interview after a mean of 32+/-8 months after MI. Levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were determined in plasma.

Is the stressor criterion dispensable?: a contribution to the criterion A debate from a Swiss sample of survivors of the 2004 tsunami.

Background: The stressor criterion (criterion A) in the DSM-IV diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is frequently questioned. To explore the clinical and diagnostic usefulness of criterion A, we examined its value in predicting and capturing PTSD symptom clusters (criteria B-D) in a sample of trauma survivors.

Method: We studied 342 adult German-speaking Swiss tourists affected by the 2004 tsunami.

The psychological outcome of religious coping with stressful life events in a Swiss sample of church attendees.

Background: Recent research suggested that religious coping, based on dispositional religiousness and spirituality (R/S), is an important modulating factor in the process of dealing with adversity. In contrast to the United States, the effect of R/S on psychological adjustment to stress is a widely unexplored area in Europe.

Methods: We examined a Swiss sample of 328 church attendees in the aftermath of stressful life events to explore associations of positive or negative religious coping with the psychological outcome.

2004 Tsunami: long-term psychological consequences for Swiss tourists in the area at the time of the disaster.

Objective: Most of the data on psychological outcome and the mental health treatment available following natural disasters originate from the indigenous population of the region destroyed. Examining tourists returning from the area affected by the 2004 tsunami presents an opportunity of studying the impact of natural disasters on psychological outcome and mental health treatment in their countries of origin. The aim of the present study was to extend the current knowledge on psychiatric morbidity and potential positive outcomes, as well as subsequent mental health treatment following a natural disaster, based on the results from a sample of home-coming Swiss tourists.

[Partner relationship and sexuality of female-to-male transsexuals].

Partnership and sexuality have received little attention in research on transsexualism. In particular, the viewpoints of partners of transsexual individuals were scarcely taken into consideration. We conducted a qualitative study on five long-term partnerships of female-to-male transsexuals and their female partners, using a semi-structured interview to explore relationship and sexuality.

Development of chronic pain following severe accidental injury. Results of a 3-year follow-up study.

Objective: Motor vehicle accidents (MVA) and work-related injuries are two of the more common causes of chronic pain. Nevertheless, there is little evidence on predicting factors regarding the development of chronic pain following physical injury.

Methods: The present study investigated temporal associations between accident-related factors, psychological factors [symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, coping], and the development of chronic pain in a sample of individuals who had sustained severe accidental injuries (N=90).

Post-traumatic stress disorder in serious accidental injury: 3-year follow-up study.

Background: Long-term data on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following accidents are scarce.

Aims: To assess and predict PTSD in people 3 years after severe accidental injury.

Method: Severely injured patients were recruited consecutively from the intensive care unit (n=121) and assessed within 1 month of the trauma.

Measures of endothelial dysfunction in plasma of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) confers an increased cardiovascular risk. In 14 otherwise healthy patients with PTSD and in 14 age- and gender-matched non-PTSD controls, we investigated whether the categorical diagnosis of PTSD and severity of PTSD symptom clusters (i.e.

Body image and transsexualism.

Background: To achieve a detailed view of the body image of transsexual patients, an assessment of perception, attitudes and experiences about one's own body is necessary. To date, research on the body image of transsexual patients has mostly covered body dissatisfaction with respect to body perception.

Sampling And Methods: We investigated 23 preoperative (16 male-to-female and 7 female-to-male transsexual patients) and 22 postoperative (14 male-to-female and 8 female-to-male) transsexual patients using a validated psychological measure for body image variables.

Contribution of initial heart rate to the prediction of posttraumatic stress symptom level in accident victims.

Earlier findings of a positive correlation between heart rate (HR) and posttraumatic symptom level have recently been brought into question. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between resting HR and symptom scores of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in physically injured accident survivors, controlling for well established predictors for (PTSD and factors influencing HR. A representative sample of 255 accident victims was assessed measuring PRIME-MD, PDEQ, trauma-related cognitions and CAPS.

Evidence for low-grade systemic proinflammatory activity in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may increase cardiovascular risk but the psychophysiological mechanisms involved are elusive. We hypothesized that proinflammatory activity is elevated in patients with PTSD as diagnosed by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) interview. Plasma levels of proinflammatory C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and of anti-inflammatory IL-4 and IL-10 were measured in 14 otherwise healthy PTSD patients and in 14 age- and gender-matched healthy non-PTSD controls.

Finger length ratio (2D:4D) and dimensions of sexual orientation.

Background: It has been suggested that both adult sexual orientation and the 2nd to 4th finger length ratio (2D:4D) are influenced by prenatal testosterone levels. Bearing this in mind, 2D:4D has been tested as a proxy measure of the putative prenatal testosterone impact on adult human homosexuality, but the results are inconsistent. To date, most studies in this field of research comprise categorical group comparison of heterosexuals and homosexuals with respect to their 2D:4D.