The Category Fluency Test components and their association with cognition and symptoms in adolescents with schizophrenia.

Background: The category Fluency Test (CFT) is included in the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery for schizophrenia (MCCB). This test has several components that allow the exploration of other cognitive functions and could be related to different symptom profiles.

Methods: a sample of 98 Mexican adolescents was evaluated with the CFT and the following components were analyzed: total words, errors, clusters, switching, related words, and categories.

Age and sex differences in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and coping mechanisms in Latin American youth.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had negative effects on mental health. Understanding sex and age differences in the perception of stressors, the use of coping strategies, and the prevalence of depression and anxiety can lead to detecting at-risk groups.

Methods: A cross-sectional online study surveyed perceived stressors, coping strategies, and the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 rating scales for symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Negative Symptom Domains Are Associated With Verbal Learning in Adolescents With Early Onset Psychosis.

Early-onset psychosis (EOP) is among the leading causes of disease burden in adolescents. Negative symptoms and cognitive deficits predicts poorer functional outcome. A better understanding of the association between negative symptoms and cognitive impairment may inform theories on underlying mechanisms and elucidate targets for development of new treatments.

Limited Prosocial Emotions in a Clinical Population of Children and Adolescents: Proposal for Core and Ancillary Characteristics.

Objective: Limited prosocial emotions (LPE) has been recently incorporated into international classifications as a specifier for conduct disorder in the -5 and for all disruptive behavioural disorders in the ICD-11. The aims of the current work were to determine (a) the accuracy of each of the characteristics used to assess the LPE specifier and (b) whether the manner in which symptoms group together supports the idea of LPE having core characteristics.

Method: Trained clinicians conducted interviews and determined LPE characteristics using responses from 74 parent/guardian and child/adolescent participants.

Patient Characteristics Associated With the Need for Long-Term Treatment in a Child Psychiatry Hospital After the Earthquake in Mexico City.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics associated with the need for long-term treatment in a child psychiatry facility.

Method: Demographic characteristics, diagnosis, source of referral, time elapsed between the earthquake and the request for care, and the treatment prescribed in the baseline assessment were compared between a group of subjects that required long-term treatment (LTT) and a group that was discharged after a brief intervention (D).

Results: A total of 171 patients were seen, and 27% of the subjects required LTT.

Early Response in Adolescents with Schizophrenia is not Associated with Remission at Six Months.

Objective: The objectives of present study were to determine the frequency of early response (ER), defined as a 20% decrease in total baseline PANSS score at three weeks and to compare the rate of symptomatic and functional remission between schizophrenic adolescents with and without ER.

Methods: The sample included 61 patients (65% males) with a mean age of 15 (+ 1.54) y.

Effectiveness of a treatment guideline for schizophrenia in adolescents: Lessons from a middle-income country.

Introduction: Treatment guidelines for schizophrenia represent a standard way to manage patients, especially in countries with limited staff resources. However, they have not been compared on their efficacy with treatment as usual, despite adult studies suggesting they can be more effective.

Methods: Inpatient and outpatient adolescents with schizophrenia were randomly allocated to be either treated according to a guideline-based treatment ( n = 43) or treatment as usual ( n = 44).

Validity and reliability of the Spanish version of the Personal and Social Performance scale in adolescents with schizophrenia.

Background: The Personal and Social Performance (PSP) scale is a widely used tool to evaluate adults with schizophrenia; however, more studies are needed regarding its usefulness in the assessment of adolescent patients, since the evaluation of their functioning could require adaptations according to development.

Objective: To examine construct validity, convergent validity, internal consistency and interrater reliability of the PSP in a sample of Mexican adolescents with schizophrenia.

Methods: A total of 40 patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder were evaluated with PSP, CGAS, PANSS and the MATRICS battery.

Age differences in the impact of forced swimming test on serotonin transporter levels in lateral septum and dorsal raphe.

Background: Forced swimming test (FST) is an animal model which evaluates behavioral despair and the effect of antidepressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; the FST modifies the expression of some receptors related to antidepressant response, but it is not known whether serotonin transporter (SERT), their main target, is affected by this test in animals of different ages. Antidepressant response has shown age-dependent variations which could be associated with SERT expression. The aim of the present study was to analyze changes in the SERT immunoreactivity (SERT-IR) in dorsal raphe and lateral septum of male rats from different age groups with or without behavioral despair induced by their exposure to the FST, since these two structures are related to the expression of this behavior.

Sex and age differences in the impact of the forced swimming test on the levels of steroid hormones.

Compared with the adult disorder, depression in children exhibits differences in its neurobiology, particularly in the HPA axis regulation. The bases of such differences can be evaluated in animal models of depression. The objective of the present study was to determine age and sex differences of Wistar rats in the forced swimming test (FST).

Validity of the Spanish version of the Personal and Social Performance scale in schizophrenia.

Background: The Personal and Social Performance (PSP) scale is a reliable and valid instrument that utilizes objective parameters for the assessment of social functioning in patients with schizophrenia.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of the Spanish version of the PSP scale.

Method: In total, 100 patients with DSM-IV diagnoses of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder were recruited and assessed with the PSP, the GAF, the PANSS, and the CGI.

Age onset subtypes of obsessive compulsive disorder: differences in clinical response to treatment with clomipramine.

An open-label, 8-week, follow-up study was designed to compare subjects with child versus adult onset of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) on their clinical characteristics and response to a standardized treatment with clomipramine. The study included 15 children and 13 adults with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of OCD. Children received 50-225 mg/day (3-5 mg/kg day) and adults 150-250 mg/ day of clomipramine.

Amoxapine as an atypical antipsychotic: a comparative study vs risperidone.

Amoxapine is marketed as an antidepressant. However, its in-vitro profile, receptor occupancy and preclinical effects are very similar to atypical antipsychotics. Amoxapine has also shown efficacy as an atypical antipsychotic in open trials.

Age differences in an animal model of obsessive-compulsive disorder: participation of dopamine: dopamine in an animal model of OCD.

The putative age difference in the effect of chronically administered quinpirole (0.125 and 0.5 mg/kg, 11 injections) on alternation in a T maze was studied.

Sex differences on spontaneous alternation in prepubertal rats: implications for an animal model of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Unlabelled: Sex differences in the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in prepubertal children have been described. Deficits on spontaneous alternation behavior (SAB) have been proposed as an animal model of OCD.

Objectives: To explore possible sex differences in the ontogeny of SAB and in the effect of the 5-HT1A agonist, 8-OH-hydroxy-2 (di-n-propylamino)-tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) in an animal model of OCD.

Survey on schizophrenia treatment in Mexico: perception and antipsychotic prescription patterns.

Background: Since the introduction of antipsychotics, especially the so called atypicals, the treatment of schizophrenia has shown important improvements. At the present time, it is preferred to label clozapine and other antipsychotics sharing similar profiles as second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs). These medications have been proposed by some experts as a first line treatment for schizophrenia.

Minimum effective doses of haloperidol for the treatment of first psychotic episode: a comparative study with risperidone and olanzapine.

Minimum doses of haloperidol might show similar efficacy and side-effects compared to atypical antipsychotics. The objectives of this study were to compare the efficacy of minimum doses of haloperidol with standard doses of risperidone and olanzapine on a 6-month open trial in first psychotic episode patients and to examine the effect of compliance on their outcome. Forty-two patients were recruited and started on flexible doses of these drugs.