Eye-movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) to prevent transition to psychosis in people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS): mixed method feasibility study.

Background: Trauma plays an important role in the development of psychosis, but no studies have investigated whether a trauma-focused therapy could prevent psychosis.

Aims: This study aimed to establish whether it would be feasible to conduct a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) to prevent psychosis in people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS), using eye-movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy (EMDR).

Method: This started as a mixed-method randomised study comparing EMDR to treatment as usual but, as a result of low participant recruitment, was changed to a single-arm feasibility study.

The identification and management of people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis in primary and secondary care services: A qualitative interview study.

Aims: Early intervention in people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis can prevent the onset of psychosis. Clinical guidelines recommend that ARMS are referred to triage services, and then to Early Intervention (EI) teams in secondary care for assessment and treatment. However, little is known about how ARMS patients are identified and managed in UK primary and secondary care.

Childhood Trauma As a Mediator of the Association Between Autistic Traits and Psychotic Experiences: Evidence From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children Cohort.

Background: Little is known on whether associations between childhood autistic traits and psychotic experiences persist into adulthood and whether genetic confounding and childhood trauma influence them. Here we investigate the associations between childhood autistic traits and psychotic experiences until young adulthood and assess the influence of schizophrenia polygenic risk and childhood traumatic experiences, using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) population-based birth cohort.

Study Design: We used a measure of broad autistic traits (autism factor mean score), and four dichotomised measures of autistic traits capturing social communication difficulties (age 7), repetitive behaviours (age 5), sociability (age 3), and pragmatic language (age 9).

Childhood trauma and cognitive biases associated with psychosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Childhood trauma is associated with an increased risk of psychosis, but the mechanisms that mediate this relationship are unknown. Exposure to trauma has been hypothesised to lead to cognitive biases that might have causal effects on psychotic symptoms. The literature on whether childhood trauma is associated with psychosis-related cognitive biases has not been comprehensively reviewed.

PTSD as a mediator of the relationship between trauma and psychotic experiences.

Background: Traumatic experiences are associated with a higher risk of psychotic illnesses, but little is known about potentially modifiable mechanisms underlying this relationship. This study aims to examine whether post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms mediate the relationship between trauma and psychotic experiences (PEs).

Methods: We used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children to examine whether: PTSD symptoms mediate the relationships between (a) childhood trauma and adolescent PEs (study of adolescent PEs; = 2952), and (b) childhood/adolescent trauma and PEs in early adulthood (study of adult PEs; = 2492).

Identifying patients at risk of psychosis: a qualitative study of GP views in South West England.

Background: Early intervention in people with an at-risk mental state for psychosis can decrease the rates of transition to psychosis. GPs play a key role in the identification of this patient group but very few studies have explored GPs' awareness of patients who are at risk of psychosis.

Aim: To explore GPs' views and experiences of identifying patients with an at-risk mental state for psychosis, and the barriers and facilitators to identification.

Feasibility study of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) in people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis: study protocol.

Introduction: Trauma can play an important role in the development of psychosis, yet no studies have investigated whether a trauma-focused psychological therapy could prevent the onset of psychosis in people at high risk of developing this condition. This study aims to establish whether it would be feasible to conduct a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to prevent the onset of psychosis in people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS).

Methods/analysis: This is a single-arm trial with a nested qualitative study where all participants (target n=20) will be offered EMDR.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between genetic risk for schizophrenia and facial emotion recognition.

Background: Recent research has highlighted that facial emotion recognition deficits are more common in people with schizophrenia, but the reason for this association is not well understood. Comparing facial recognition deficits in unaffected individuals at higher genetic risk for schizophrenia with individuals at lower genetic risk could increase our understanding of this relationship.

Methods: We systematically reviewed studies reporting on the relationship between genetic risk of schizophrenia and facial emotion recognition deficits.

People with higher interoceptive sensitivity are more altruistic, but improving interoception does not increase altruism.

People consistently show preferences and behaviors that benefit others at a cost to themselves, a phenomenon termed altruism. We investigated if perception of one's body signals - interoception - may be underlying such behaviors. We tested if participants' sensitivity to their own heartbeat predicted their decision on a choice between self-interest and altruism, and if improving this sensitivity through training would make participants more altruistic.

Reward Sensitivity and Waiting Impulsivity: Shift towards Reward Valuation away from Action Control.

Background: Impulsivity and reward expectancy are commonly interrelated. Waiting impulsivity, measured using the rodent 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time task, predicts compulsive cocaine seeking and sign (or cue) tracking. Here, we assess human waiting impulsivity using a novel translational task, the 4-Choice Serial Reaction Time task, and the relationship with reward cues.

Disrupted avoidance learning in functional neurological disorder: Implications for harm avoidance theories.

Background: Functional neurological disorder (FND) is an elusive disorder characterized by unexplained neurological symptoms alongside aberrant cognitive processing and negative affect, often associated with amygdala reactivity.

Methods: We examined the effect of negative conditioning on cognitive function and amygdala reactivity in 25 FND patients and 20 healthy volunteers (HV). Participants were first conditioned to stimuli paired with negative affective or neutral (CS +/CS -) information.

The involuntary nature of binge drinking: goal directedness and awareness of intention.

Binge drinking represents a public health issue and is a known risk factor in the development of alcohol use disorders. Previous studies have shown behavioural as well as neuroanatomical alterations associated with binge drinking. Here, we address the question of the automaticity or involuntary nature of the behaviour by assessing goal-directed behaviour and intentionality.

Impaired awareness of motor intention in functional neurological disorder: implications for voluntary and functional movement.

Background: Functional neurological disorders (FNDs), also known as conversion disorder, are unexplained neurological symptoms unrelated to a neurological cause. The disorder is common, yet poorly understood. The symptoms are experienced as involuntary but have similarities to voluntary processes.

Sexually dimorphic brain volume interaction in college-aged binge drinkers.

Background: Binge consumption of alcohol is a major societal problem associated with important cognitive, physiological and neurotoxic consequences. Converging evidence highlights the need to assess binge drinking (BD) and its effects on the developing brain while taking into account gender differences. Here, we compared the brain volumetric differences between genders in college-aged binge drinkers and healthy volunteers.