Social Disconnection in Late Life Mental Illness - Commentary From the National Institute of Mental Health.

• Social disconnection – both social isolation as well as social isolation (otherwise known as loneliness) – is a prevalent affliction among older adults, with profound effects on mental health. • Mechanistic understanding of how mental illness contributes to, is exacerbated by, or is otherwise linked to social disconnection remains elusive, and therapeutic interventions which leverage social connection to enhance compliance with or efficacy of mental health treatment, though promising, remain scarce. • The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is committed to transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure.

Conceptual and methodological issues in designing a randomized, controlled treatment trial for geriatric bipolar disorder: GERI-BD.

Aim: This report considers the conceptual and methodological concerns confronting clinical investigators seeking to generate knowledge regarding the tolerability and benefits of pharmacotherapy in geriatric bipolar disorder (BD) patients.

Method: There is continuing need for evidence-based guidelines derived from randomized controlled trials that will enhance drug treatment of geriatric BD patients. Therefore, we present the complex conceptual and methodological choices encountered in designing a multisite clinical trial and the decisions reached by the investigators with the intention that study findings be pertinent to, and can facilitate, routine treatment decisions.

Translational research in late-life mood disorders: implications for future intervention and prevention research.

Clinical and epidemiological studies have consistently observed the heterogeneous symptomatology and course of geriatric depression. Given the importance of genetic and environmental risk factors, aging processes, neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular disease processes, and medical comorbidity, the integration of basic and clinical neuroscience research approaches is critical for the understanding of the variability in illness course, as well as the development of prevention and intervention strategies that are more effective. These considerations were the impetus for a workshop, sponsored by the Geriatrics Research Branch in the Division of Adult Translational Research and Treatment Development of the National Institute of Mental Health that was held on September 7-8, 2005.

Contributions of subtype and spectral frequency analyses to the study of P50 ERP amplitude and suppression in schizophrenia.

Background: Poor suppression of P50 event-related potential (ERP) amplitudes to paired-click stimuli may indicate genetic liability for schizophrenia and weak "sensory gating." Evidence suggests, however, that P50 amplitude is selectively impaired in nonparanoid, but not paranoid, schizophrenia subtypes. Furthermore, paired-click suppression can appear deficient in schizophrenia due to smaller evoked responses to the first stimulus (S1), rather than larger, less effectively "gated" responses to the second (S2).

Psychiatric disorder and unmet service needs among welfare clients in a representative payee program.

This study assessed psychiatric problems, needs for psychiatric and social services, and service utilization among clients of a public assistance program. Sixty-five clients were assessed using a structured clinical interview to determine the presence of a psychiatric disorder (using the CIDI-A), extent of social service need, and health-related quality of life (RAND SF-36). Seventy-seven percent of the sample met criteria for at least one current or lifetime psychiatric disorder.

Cognitive status in hemodialysis as a function of fluid adherence.

Previous work has shown that dialysis improves cognitive functioning in hemodialysis patients, perhaps due to improvements in anemia among these patients. Such improvements in cognitive performance may lead to better levels of self-care and adherence with treatment. This study examined the relationship between fluid adherence and cognitive functioning in patients receiving hemodialysis.

Racial and ethnic diversity among trainees and professionals in psychology and neuropsychology: needs, trends, and challenges.

The United States is rapidly becoming a more racially and ethnically diverse nation, bringing the challenge of ensuring that health care specialties, including neuropsychology, are representative of and competent to serve the needs of this population. Initiatives have been undertaken to increase minority representation in training for psychology and neuropsychology. However, tracking progress requires reliable race/ethnicity data collection and reporting.

Cognitive and clinical predictors of success in vocational rehabilitation in schizophrenia.

Cognitive impairments in schizophrenia appear to be associated with social problem solving, social and vocational functioning, and psychosocial skill acquisition. The present study examined the relationship of cognitive functioning, as well as clinical symptoms, to vocational outcomes among individuals with schizophrenia. One hundred and twelve participants with DSM-IV schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses underwent a comprehensive neuropsychiatric evaluation after enrolling in one of several employment programs.

Comparative neuropsychological function in obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia with and without obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Executive function deficits are seen in both schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but research suggests that dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPF) dysfunction is associated with schizophrenia and orbitofrontal (OBF) dysfunction is associated with OCD. As part of a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, the Bechara Gambling Task (BGT) was used to assess OBF function and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) was used to assess DLPF function among three groups: 26 individuals with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder with obsessive-compulsive symptoms (SCZ+), 28 individuals with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder without obsessive-compulsive symptoms (SCZ-), and, 11 individuals with OCD. It was predicted that the SCZ+ group and the OCD group would show impairments in OBF function, as compared to the SCZ- group, and that the SCZ+ and SCZ- groups would show impairments in DLPF function, as compared to the OCD group.

Response to vocational rehabilitation during treatment with first- or second-generation antipsychotics.

Objective: Second-generation antipsychotics may enhance the rehabilitation of individuals with schizophrenia. The authors hypothesized that clients receiving second-generation antipsychotics would use vocational rehabilitation services more effectively and would have better employment outcomes than those receiving first-generation antipsychotics.

Methods: Ninety unemployed clients with schizophrenia and related disorders who were beginning a vocational rehabilitation program were followed for nine months.

Differences in perceptions by stage of fluid adherence.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine in a group of hemodialysis patients whether perceptions of barriers to and benefits of adherence to fluid limitations, perceived seriousness of and susceptibility to the consequences of nonadherence, self-efficacy, and thirst differed by stage of fluid adherence.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive design.

Setting: There were 147 participants from rural, suburban, and urban outpatient hemodialysis units.

Social cognition and neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia.

While research equivocally supports a relationship between social cognition and neurocognition, it is less clear whether social cognition is related to general cognitive functioning or whether specific aspects of social cognition are linked with specific forms of neurocognition. Thus, this study sought to investigate the relationships between various domains of neurocognition and two forms of social cognition, social cue recognition and social problem solving, for 40 people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Step-wise multiple regressions found that performance on neurocognitive tests was able to predict 47% and 38% of the variance on measures of the ability to recognize actual and suggested social cues, respectively, and 13% of participants' ability to problem solve in ambiguous social situations.

The relationship of neuropsychological abilities to specific domains of functional capacity in older schizophrenia patients.

Background: This study sought to determine the relative importance of cognitive measures in predicting various domains of everyday functional capacity in older outpatients with schizophrenia.

Methods: Ninety-three psychiatry outpatients with diagnoses of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders underwent a comprehensive neuropsychiatric evaluation, including neuropsychological testing and clinical ratings of psychopathology. Functional capacity was assessed with the Direct Assessment of Functional Status, a performance measure of basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs/IADLs).

Hemodynamic response patterns: responder type differences in reactivity and recovery.

We examined whether responder type groups reflecting patterns of hemodynamic reactivity might also differ in recovery responses. Cardiac output (CO), total peripheral resistance (TPR), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and Heather index were assessed at rest and during speech and cold pressor tasks in young adults. Participants (n = 152) were classified as myocardial, vascular, or mixed-mild responders based on CO and TPR responses to speech presentation.

Insight in schizophrenia: associations with executive function and coping style.

It has been suggested that lack of awareness of illness in schizophrenia may result from deficits in executive function and/or an avoidant style of coping. To examine this question, 132 persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders were rated as either "aware," "partially unaware" or "unaware" of: (a) their illness, (b) need for treatment and (c) consequences of disorder on the abbreviated Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder. We next compared the performance of the aware, partially unaware and unaware groups on the "escape-avoidance" and "positive reappraisal" subtests of the Ways of Coping Questionnaire and on two tests of executive function: the Letter Number Sequencing Subtest of the WAIS III and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.

Heterogeneity in functional status among older outpatients with schizophrenia: employment history, living situation, and driving.

Schizophrenia and aging are both risk factors for deficits in independent functioning, yet relatively few studies have examined the level and predictors of functional status of older outpatients with schizophrenia. We compared employment history, current living situation, and driving status of 83 middle-aged and elderly outpatients with schizophrenia (mean age 59 years), and 46 demographically equivalent normal comparison subjects. We also examined the relationships of neuropsychological functioning and psychiatric symptoms to these aspects of everyday functioning.