Adolescent Psychotic Experiences and Adverse Mental Health Outcomes in Adulthood in a General Population Sample.

Purpose This study estimated risk of incident mental disorders in adulthood associated with both transient and persistent adolescent psychotic experiences (PEs). Methods A nested case-control design was used within the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a birth cohort study which recruited expectant mothers from 1991-1992. Participants consisted of 8822 offspring of ALSPAC mothers who completed the Psychosis-like Symptoms Interview Questionnaire (PLIKSi-Q).

Youth Psychotic Experiences: Diagnostic Associations and Evaluation of the CAPE-16.

Background: Adolescent self-reported psychotic experiences are associated with mental illness and could help guide prevention strategies. The Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) was developed over 20 years ago. In a rapidly changing society, where new generations of adolescents are growing up in an increasingly digital world, it is crucial to ensure high reliability and validity of the questionnaire.

Association of Psychotic Experiences and Incident Depression in a Longitudinal Population-Based Community Survey.

Objective: The present study aims to determine if psychotic experiences in a general population sample are a risk factor for depressive disorders at a 15-year follow-up visit.

Method: A longitudinal population cohort of adults over age 18 from East Baltimore were followed from 1981 to 1996 with 1409 participants included in analyses. Delusions and hallucinations and depressive disorders were assessed using DSM-III criteria.

Immunologic profiling in schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis.

The negative relationship between schizophrenia (SCZ) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been observed for 85 years, but the mechanisms driving this association are unknown. This study analyzed differences in profiles of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-Ra, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IFNγ, TNFα), selected genes (HLA-DRB1, IL1RN, HP2), and antibodies related to gluten sensitivity (AGA-IgG, AGA-IgA), celiac disease (tTG), and systemic autoimmunity (ANA, anti-CCP, RF) in 40 subjects with SCZ, 40 with RA, and 40 healthy controls (HC). HLA-DRB1*04:01 alleles were enriched in persons with SCZ and RA compared with HC, and the HP2/HP2 genotype was 2-fold more prevalent in AGA/tTG-positive versus negative SCZ patients.

Assessing Self-reported Recovery in a Community Psychiatry Setting.

Objective: This study examined demographic and diagnostic characteristics associated with self-reported recovery in patients with serious mental illness.

Methods: Patient demographics and diagnoses were obtained from a retrospective review of charts from 981 patients attending a community psychiatry outpatient program between January 2015 and December 2016. All patients completed the Recovery Assessment Scale-Revised (RAS-R), a self-report recovery questionnaire consisting of 5 subscales, approximately every 6 months.

Acceptability of Texting 4 Relapse Prevention, Text Messaging-Based Relapse Prevention Program for People With Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder.

We report process outcomes of the pilot randomized controlled trial of Texting 4 Relapse Prevention (T4RP), a text messaging-based relapse prevention program for people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (SAD). Forty people were randomized to either the intervention or treatment as usual control group at a 2:1 ratio. Process indicators were collected at 6 months post enrollment.

Endothelial Stromal PD-L1 (Programmed Death Ligand 1) Modulates CD8 T-Cell Infiltration After Heart Transplantation.

Background: The role of checkpoint axes in transplantation has been partially addressed in animal models but not in humans. Occurrence of fulminant myocarditis with allorejection-like immunologic features in patients under anti-PD1 (programmed death cell protein 1) treatment suggests a key role of the PD1/PD-L1 (programmed death ligand 1) axis in cardiac immune homeostasis.

Methods: We cross-sectionally studied 23 heart transplant patients undergoing surveillance endomyocardial biopsy.

Symptom Severity and Care Delay among Patients with Serious Mental Illness.

Purpose: This study investigated associations between psychiatric symptom severity and delay in seeking general medical services among individuals with serious mental illness.

Methods: The association of psychiatric symptom severity, measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and general medical care delay was examined among 271 patients at two urban, outpatient psychiatric clinics.

Results: Higher scores for PANSS paranoid/belligerence were associated with delays in accessing general medical care (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.

The relationship between social and environmental factors and symptom severity in the seriously mentally ill population.

Background: The goal of this article is to investigate the relationship of psychiatric symptom severity with internalised stigma, neighbourhood environment, and social support among individuals with serious mental illness.

Method: Using a longitudinal study design we examined the relationship between psychiatric symptom severity with internalised stigma, neighbourhood environment, and social support among 271 adults with serious mental illness recruited from new admissions to two urban mental health clinics.

Results: After controlling for demographics increased stigma levels predicted greater symptom severity, as measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) Positive, Negative, and General Psychopathology scales over a 4-year period ( < .

Sex Differences in the Gut-Brain Axis: Implications for Mental Health.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this article is to highlight how sex differences in the gut-brain axis may contribute to the discrepancies in incidence of neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders between females and males. We focus on autism spectrum disorder, psychotic disorders, stress and anxiety disorders, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease and additionally discuss the comorbidity between inflammatory bowel disorder and mental health disorders.

Recent Findings: Human and animal studies show that sex may modify the relationship between the gut or immune system and brain and behavior.

Clinical outcomes from the texting for relapse prevention (T4RP) in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder study.

This 6 month randomized control trial investigated whether a novel text-messaging program impacted targeted clinical outcomes in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder (SAD). Forty patients were enrolled and completed baseline, 3-month and 6-month assessments. The intervention group received daily symptom check-in text messages, plus, a medication reminder or, inspirational quote text.

Financial hardship among individuals with serious mental illness.

This study explored financial hardship, defined as difficulty in obtaining food, shelter, or medicine in the past 12 months and its personal and clinical correlates in individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) in a sample of 271 adults with SMI newly admitted to two inner city community mental health centers. The study found that 59 percent (n = 161) reported experiencing financial hardship in the past 12 months. Patients with financial hardship were more likely to be female, to experience self-stigma, to experience medical care delays, and to use emergency services.

Developing Texting for Relapse Prevention: A Scalable mHealth Program for People With Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder.

Symptom relapse in people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder is common and has a negative impact on the course of illness. Here, we describe the development of Texting for Relapse Prevention, a scalable, cost-effective text messaging relapse prevention program that queries patients' "early warning signs" daily. Results of development focus groups and content advisory teams with 25 patients and 19 providers suggest that patients were enthusiastic about the program and thought that receiving daily messages about their symptoms would help them feel supported.

Randomized controlled trial of a gluten-free diet in patients with schizophrenia positive for antigliadin antibodies (AGA IgG): a pilot feasibility study.

Background: Approximately one-third of people with schizophrenia have elevated levels of anti-gliadin antibodies of the immunoglobulin G type (AGA IgG) — a higher rate than seen in healthy controls. We performed the first double-blind clinical trial of gluten-free versus gluten-containing diets in a subset of patients with schizophrenia who were positive for AGA IgG.

Methods: In this pilot feasibility study, 16 participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who had elevated AGA IgG (≥ 20 U) but were negative for celiac disease were admitted to an inpatient unit for a 5-week trial.

Gut permeability and mimicry of the Glutamate Ionotropic Receptor NMDA type Subunit Associated with protein 1 (GRINA) as potential mechanisms related to a subgroup of people with schizophrenia with elevated antigliadin antibodies (AGA IgG).

About one third of people with schizophrenia have elevated IgG antibodies to gliadin (AGA IgG) and increased inflammation. Understanding the mechanism by which this immune response occurs is critical to the development of personalized treatments. We examined gut permeability and mimicry to the glutamate receptor as possible mechanisms related to high gliadin antibodies (AGA IgG) seen in some people with schizophrenia.

Prescription opioid use among individuals with serious mental illness.

Prevalence and correlates of prescription opioid use were explored in individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) by examining a sample of adults from two inner city community psychiatry clinics. Of 271 participants, 12.9% (n = 35) were on a prescribed opioid.

Delays in Seeking General Medical Services and Measurable Abnormalities Among Individuals With Serious Mental Illness.

Objective: The study explored the association of delays in seeking general medical care with elevated blood pressure and metabolic abnormalities among individuals with serious mental illness.

Methods: Association of delays in medical care with blood pressure, serum hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C), and lipids was assessed among patients at two inner-city community mental health centers.

Results: Of 271 participants, 62% reported delays in seeking general medical care due to attitudinal and financial barriers.

Antigliadin Antibodies (AGA IgG) Are Related to Neurochemistry in Schizophrenia.

Inflammation may play a role in schizophrenia; however, subgroups with immune regulation dysfunction may serve as distinct illness phenotypes with potential different treatment and prevention strategies. Emerging data show that about 30% of people with schizophrenia have elevated antigliadin antibodies of the IgG type, representing a possible subgroup of schizophrenia patients with immune involvement. Also, recent data have shown a high correlation of IgG-mediated antibodies between the periphery and cerebral spinal fluid in schizophrenia but not healthy controls, particularly AGA IgG suggesting that these antibodies may be crossing the blood-brain barrier with resulting neuroinflammation.

Infection and inflammation in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The present study investigated the relationship between exposure to infectious agents and inflammation markers in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BP), and controls without a psychiatric disorder. We measured plasma levels of antibodies and innate immune markers and correlated them with clinical symptoms and cognitive function. In both SZ and BP, we found an increase in soluble CD14, and in BP an increase in C-reactive protein, IgM class antibodies against cytomegalovirus (CMV), and IgG class antibodies against herpes simplex virus 2.