Case report of 3 patients with severe mental illness and chronic hepatitis C virus infection treated with interferon-alpha.

We report on three patients with hepatitis C virus infection, severe mental illness, and substance use disorders that we treated successfully with interferon and ribavirin. This population has historically been refused such treatment on the grounds that they were unlikely to be adherent to treatment or would experience untoward psychiatric side effects. These case reports add support to the growing body of evidence that persons with severe mental illness and substance use disorders can be successfully treated for hepatitis C with careful monitoring and psychiatric oversight.

Cavum septum pellucidum in schizophrenia: clinical and neuropsychological correlates.

Increased frequency of cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) has been inconsistently observed in schizophrenia, and little is known about its functional implications. We investigated whether patients with schizophrenia were more likely than healthy controls to have CSP, and among patients assessed the relationship between CSP, psychiatric symptoms, and selected neuropsychological functions. Seventy-seven patients with diagnoses of DSM-IV schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 55 healthy controls were studied and completed a 1.

Hepatitis C treatment for people with severe mental illness.

Over 4 million people in the United States are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), and, if untreated, over 20% of these will progress to more serious disease. Persons with severe mental illness (SMI) have markedly elevated rates of HCV infection, but treatment of persons with SMI and HCV has been controversial. Effective antiviral treatment is available, but side effects include depression and other neuropsychiatric symptoms.

The STIRR model of best practices for blood-borne diseases among clients with serious mental illness.

Objective: Persons with severe mental illness have a markedly elevated risk of several blood-borne infections, including HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Prevention, early detection, and treatment of these disorders are crucial interventions for high-risk populations. However, because of a number of barriers, most clients with severe mental illness do not receive these basic best-practice services.

Apathy in schizophrenia: reduced frontal lobe volume and neuropsychological deficits.

Objective: Apathy is a common negative symptom in schizophrenia. The authors investigated neuropsychological performance and regional brain volumes in schizophrenia patients with high versus low levels of apathy.

Method: Schizophrenia patients with low apathy levels (N=18) and high apathy levels (N=20) and 12 healthy comparison subjects completed neuropsychological testing as well as magnetic resonance imaging scanning to obtain lobar volumes after total intracranial volume was controlled.