Remission in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A randomized trial of amisulpride, aripiprazole and olanzapine.

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder, and monitoring remission is a widely used measure of effectiveness of the treatment provided. It is very important to identify possible factors correlating with remission. In our substudy of BeSt InTro, a randomized controlled trial of three antipsychotic drugs, 126 patients with ICD-10 diagnoses F20-29 (F23 excluded) were randomized to one of the second-generation antipsychotic drugs amisulpride, aripiprazole or olanzapine.

Health care workers' qualitative descriptions of ethically challenging situations evoking moral distress during Covid-19.

Background: The high public demand for healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic and strict infection control measures, coupled with threat of severe illness and death, and limited resources, led to many healthcare workers (HCWs) experiencing ethically challenging situations (ECSs).

Objective: To systematically explore first-hand accounts of ECS-evoking moral distress among HCWs during this public health emergency.

Research Design: This was an open cohort study.

Transdiagnostic Associations between Anger Hostility and Chemokine Interferon-gamma Inducible Protein 10.

Objective: Many psychiatric disorders are linked to low grade systemic inflammation as measured by systemic cytokine levels. Exploration of cytokines and immune activity and their role in psychiatric symptoms may inform pathobiology and treatment opportunities. The aim of this study is to explore if there are associations between cytokines and psychiatric symptom clusters.

Cellular adhesion molecules in drug-naïve and previously medicated patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

Background: Endothelial inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, and cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs) on endothelial cells may facilitate leukocyte binding and transendothelial migration of cells and inflammatory factors. The aim of the present study was to assess levels of soluble cellular adhesion molecules, including intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule (MADCAM), junctional adhesion molecule (JAM-A) and neural cadherin (N-CAD) in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls.

Methods: The study population consists of 138 patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, of whom 54 were drug-naïve, compared to 317 general population controls.

Exploring levels of TSH and FT4 in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia (FM) and healthy controls did not reveal any associations between fatigue score and level of thyroid hormones.

Aim: The diagnoses of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Fibromyalgia (FM) are highly associated with fatigue and pain, respectively. Physiologically and clinically an effect of thyroid status on fatigue and pain is expected. There may be clinically relevant differences in thyroid hormone axes though within values of reference in both patients with normal thyroid hormones, or in patients with well-regulated thyroid disease.

Measuring the Effect of the Early assessment Team (MEET) for patients referred to outpatient mental health care: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Referrals to specialised mental health care (such as community mental health centres; CMHC) have increased over the last two decades. Patients often have multifaceted problems, which cannot only be solved by such care. Resources are limited, and triaging is challenging.

Self-reported mental health difficulties were of limited use when screening for psychiatric diagnoses in adults born small for gestational age at term.

Aim: Being born small for gestational age (SGA) at term increases the risk of adverse health outcomes. We examined whether self-reported mental health differed between adults born SGA and non-SGA at term and could be used to screen for psychiatric diagnoses.

Methods: We used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to gather data from 68 participants born SGA and 88 non-SGA controls at a mean age of 26.

Mental health services in Norway, 2023.

Norway has, according to the World Health Organization, more psychiatrists engaged in public health services per head of population than any other country, and the proportionate numbers of psychologists and others engaged in mental healthcare are also among the world's highest. Approximately 10% of Norway's gross domestic product is spent on health, expenditure per capita that is the fourth highest internationally. We discuss how this wealth of expertise translates into the delivery of services to the public.

Are symptoms assessed differently for schizophrenia and other psychoses in legal insanity evaluations of violent crimes?

Background: Forensic evaluations of legal insanity include the experts' assessment of symptoms present at the mental state examination (MSE) and the mental state at the time of offense (MSO). Delusions and hallucinations are most important. We explored how often symptoms were recorded in written forensic reports.

Does drug use affect the efficacy of amisulpride, aripiprazole and olanzapine in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders? Results from a pragmatic, randomised study.

Objectives: Drug use is prevalent in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) but there is limited knowledge about the influence of drug use on the effectiveness of antipsychotic medication. This secondary explorative study compared the effectiveness of three antipsychotics in patients with SSD, with and without drug use.

Methods: The BeSt InTro multi-centre, head to head, rater-blinded randomised study compared amisulpride, aripiprazole and olanzapine over a 1-year follow-up period.

Antidepressive Effectiveness of Amisulpride, Aripiprazole, and Olanzapine in Patients With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A Secondary Outcome Analysis of a Pragmatic, Randomized Trial (BeSt InTro).

Background: Depressive symptoms are frequent in schizophrenia and associated with a poorer outcome. Currently, the optimal treatment for depressive symptoms in schizophrenia remains undetermined. Amisulpride, aripiprazole, and olanzapine all have antidepressive pharmacodynamic properties, ranging from serotonergic affinities to limbic dopaminergic selectivity.

Giant Cell Arteritis Presenting with Mania, Psychosis, and Cognitive Dysfunction: A Case Report.

Background: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is an autoimmune vasculitis affecting medium- and large-sized arteries. Vascular inflammation may lead to narrowing of the arterial lumen, and acute occlusion may result in vision loss and stroke. The classical symptoms include headache, fever, and jaw claudication.

Neurocognitive function and associations with mental health in adults born preterm with very low birthweight or small for gestational age at term.

Objectives: To assess neurocognitive function in adults born with low birthweight compared with controls and to explore associations between neurocognitive function and psychopathology in these groups.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, one group born preterm with very low birthweight (VLBW: birthweight <1,500 ,  = 53), one group born small for gestational age at term (SGA: birthweight <10th percentile,  = 63) and one term-born control group (birthweight ≥10th percentile,  = 81) were assessed with neurocognitive tests, diagnostic interviews, and self-report questionnaires at 26 years of age.

Results: The VLBW group scored significantly below the control group on several neurocognitive measures, including IQ measures, psychomotor speed, verbal fluency, aspects of visual learning and memory, attention, social cognition, working memory and fine motor speed.

Trajectories of response in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: A one-year prospective cohort study of antipsychotic effectiveness.

Background: Antipsychotic drugs remain the mainstay of schizophrenia treatment; however, their effectiveness has been questioned, and it is not possible to predict the response to a specific antipsychotic drug in an individual patient. Thus, it is important to compare the effectiveness of the various antipsychotics and search for possible response predictors.

Aim: To investigate the effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs, we examined response trajectories and predictors for belonging to different trajectory groups.

Use of assessment instruments in forensic evaluations of criminal responsibility in Norway.

Objectives: Assessment instruments are often used to enhance quality and objectivity in therapeutic and legal settings. We aimed to explore the use of instruments in Norwegian reports of forensic evaluations of criminal responsibility; specifically, whether this use was associated with diagnostic and forensic conclusions.

Methods: Our study has an exploratory cross-sectional design.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is related to age and gender in an acute psychiatric inpatient population.

Increased levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is associated with several psychiatric disorders. Demographic factors such as age and gender might affect this association, but the results are conflicting. The aim of this study was to explore a relationship between age, gender and hsCRP in an acute psychiatric inpatient population.

Association between C-reactive protein levels and antipsychotic treatment during 12 months follow-up period after acute psychosis.

Background: A potential role of inflammatory pathways in the pathology of schizophrenia has been suggested for at least a subgroup of patients. Elevated levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) have been observed, with associations to pathogenesis and symptoms. The current evidence regarding effects of antipsychotics on CRP levels is ambiguous.

Association between brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and psychiatric symptoms in medicated and unmedicated patients.

Background: There is evidence that brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) plays a protective role in the brain. Peripheral levels of BDNF correlate with its concentration in the brain. Previous studies have revealed lower serum BDNF levels in patients with mental illnesses.