Assessment Of Functioning Scale Research Articles

Haemophilia item bank based on International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: a systematic review

ABSTRACTBackground and ObjectivesHaemophilia comprises a continuum of blood disorders that often include joint and muscular dysfunction, which may lead to a constellation of activity limitations and participation restrictions. However, there is scant research incorporating functional assessment scales into the common language provided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). This study aims to identify the ICF categories to include in an item bank of functioning aspects relevant for haemophilia.Design and MethodsA systematic search was carried out in July 2021 based on the PubMed MEDLINE, CLINICAL, and Cochrane databases for qualified articles, investigating haemophilia-specific scales and the scales recommended by the World Federation of Haemophilia (WFH) linked to ICF categories between 2001 and 2021. Well-trained healthcare professionals in the haemophilia field and ICF evaluation conducted group discussions to determine the ICF items for haemophilia.ResultsA total of 112 out of 176 items measuring function were collected for the haemophilia ICF item bank, including 32 items for body function (b), 45 items for activity and participation (d), 27 items for environmental factors (e), and 8 items for body structure(s).Interpretation and ConclusionsWe recommend that future haemophilia research use the haemophilia-specific ICF item bank, which could capture a whole spectrum of functional measurements and facilitate multidisciplinary and worldwide communication. This study also indicates that further development and analysis of the psychometric properties of the 112 haemophilia-related ICF items is warranted.

Circulating extracellular vesicles promote recovery in a preclinical model of intracerebral hemorrhage

Circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) are proposed to participate in enhancing pathways of recovery after stroke through paracrine signaling. To verify this hypothesis in a proof-of-concept study, blood-derived allogenic EVs from rats and xenogenic EVs from humans who experienced spontaneous good recovery after an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) were administered intravenously to rats at 24h after a subcortical ICH. At 28days, both treatments improved the motor function assessment scales score, showed greater fiber preservation in the perilesional zone (diffusion tensor-fractional anisotropy MRI), increased immunofluorescence markers of myelin (MOG), and decreased astrocyte markers (GFAP) compared with controls. Comparison of the protein cargo of circulating EVs at 28days from animals with good vs. poor recovery showed down-expression of immune system activation pathways (CO4, KLKB1, PROC, FA9, and C1QA) and of restorative processes such as axon guidance (RAC1), myelination (MBP), and synaptic vesicle trafficking (SYN1), which is in line with better tissue preservation. Up-expression of PCSK9 (neuron differentiation) in xenogenic EVs-treated animals suggests enhancement of repair pathways. In conclusion, the administration of blood-derived EVs improved recovery after ICH. These findings open a new and promising opportunity for further development of restorative therapies to improve the outcomes after an ICH.

The Self-Evaluation of Negative Symptoms in Differentiating Deficit Schizophrenia: The Comparison of Sensitivity and Specificity with Other Tools

Introduction: Psychometric properties of the Self-evaluation of Negative Symptoms (SNS) in subjects with the deficit subtype of schizophrenia (SCZ-D) have not been investigated so far. This study had the following aims: (1) to assess psychometric properties of SNS in subjects with SCZ-D and (2) to explore the usefulness of SNS, in comparison with other clinical characteristics, in screening for SCZ-D. Methods: Participants were 82 stable outpatients with schizophrenia, including 40 individuals with SCZ-D and 42 individuals with the non-deficit subtype (SCZ-ND). Results: Internal consistency was acceptable-to-good in both groups. Factor analysis revealed two dimensions (apathy and emotional). There were significant positive correlations of the SNS total score with the subscore of negative symptoms from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and significant negative correlations with scores of the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS) in both groups, indicating good convergent validity. The following measures were found to be appropriate screening tools for differentiating SCZ-D and SCZ-ND (p < 0.001): the SNS total score (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.849, cut-off ≥16, sensitivity: 80.0%, specificity: 78.6%), the PANSS subscore of negative symptoms (AUC: 0.868, cut-off ≥11, sensitivity: 90.0%, specificity: 78.6%), and the SOFAS (AUC: 0.779, cut-off ≤59, sensitivity: 69.2%, specificity: 82.5%). Also, adding the SOFAS (cut-off ≤59) to the SNS (cut-off: ≥16) further improved sensitivity and specificity (AUC: 0.898, p < 0.001, sensitivity = 87.5%, specificity = 82.2%). Cognitive performance and age of psychosis onset were not found to be suitable measures for differentiating SCZ-D and SCZ-ND. Conclusion: The present findings indicate that the SNS has good psychometric properties in subjects with SCZ-D and those with SCZ-ND. Moreover, the SNS, the PANSS, and the SOFAS might be used as screening tools for SCZ-D.

Effect of polygenic risk score, family load of schizophrenia and exposome risk score, and their interactions, on the long-term outcome of first-episode psychosis.

Consistent evidence supports the involvement of genetic and environmental factors, and their interactions, in the etiology of psychosis. First-episode psychosis (FEP) comprises a group of disorders that show great clinical and long-term outcome heterogeneity, and the extent to which genetic, familial and environmental factors account for predicting the long-term outcome in FEP patients remains scarcely known. The SEGPEPs is an inception cohort study of 243 first-admission patients with FEP who were followed-up for a mean of 20.9 years. FEP patients were thoroughly evaluated by standardized instruments, with 164 patients providing DNA. Aggregate scores estimated in large populations for polygenic risk score (PRS-Sz), exposome risk score (ERS-Sz) and familial load score for schizophrenia (FLS-Sz) were ascertained. Long-term functioning was assessed by means of the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS). The relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) was used as a standard method to estimate the effect of interaction of risk factors. Our results showed that a high FLS-Sz gave greater explanatory capacity for long-term outcome, followed by the ERS-Sz and then the PRS-Sz. The PRS-Sz did not discriminate significantly between recovered and non-recovered FEP patients in the long term. No significant interaction between the PRS-Sz, ERS-Sz or FLS-Sz regarding the long-term functioning of FEP patients was found. Our results support an additive model of familial antecedents of schizophrenia, environmental risk factors and polygenic risk factors as contributors to a poor long-term functional outcome for FEP patients.

Cannabis and cognitive deficiency: a descriptive study

IntroductionCannabis is the most widely used illicit drug; 3.8% of the world’s population consumes cannabis on a regular basis. Cannabis use–associated alterations in the domain of cognition have been extensively studied.ObjectivesTo research memory deficiency in the young consumers of cannabis in Tunisia.MethodsThis is a transversal descriptive study conducted during two months (January and February 2022). The research involved about 137 participants aged between 18 and 35 years old, exhaustively recruited amid emergency patients of Mahdia Hospital regardless of the reason for their health care seeking. The patients were declared as consumers of cannabis and accepted to be part of this study. Therefore, Data were collected on a pre-determined data sheet that included various information (age, sex, lifestyle, personal and family psychiatric history, age when first used cannabis and the rate of cannabis use …).Principally, a Functional Impact Assessment (ERF: French abbreviation for échelle d’évaluation des Répercussions Fonctionnelles ) scale was used to assess and review working memory.ResultsIn our study population, there was a noticeable male predominance of 71%. Hence, the age structure ranged between 18 years old and 35 years old. Among the latters, 65.9% were single, and 29.7% experienced school failure. In this sample, 23.2% had a psychiatric history like depression, bipolarity, etc. The average age of the first use of cannabis was between 18 and 25 years old in 70% of cases.Besides, a high percentage of association of other substances was found among cannabis users as follows: use of alcohol 72.5%, tobacco 74.6%, ecstasy 41.3%, and cocaine 25.4%. First and foremost, the use of cannabis was considered as a means of indulgence for 66.7% of the study population, as an anxiolytic for 26.8%, and as a sedative for 23.9%.Additionally, the effect of cannabis use on working memory deficiency according to the functional impact assessment scale was: no deficiency in 19% of cannabis users, minimal in 34%, mild in 32%, moderate in 9%, fairly severe in 4%, very severe in 1%, and extreme in 1% of cases.More importantly, the percentage of consumers with significant memory deficiency (moderate to extreme) was 15%.ConclusionsThe assumption of the effect of cannabis on memory and cognitive deficiency remains controversial and leads us to suggest further in-depth study of this subject.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

The Inventory of Psychotic-Like Anomalous Self-Experiences (IPASE): an easy tool for investigating Self-Disorders, subjective experiences and global functioning

IntroductionSelf Disorders (SDs) are regarded as the subjective phenotype of Schizophrenia vulnerability. The EASE (Examination of Anomalous Self-Experiences) scale is the most detailed and widely used instrument to investigate SDs, but it requires long administration times and specific training. The IPASE (Inventory of Psychotic-like Anomalous Self-Experiences) scale might be a self-administered instrument of widespread use for an easier SDs investigation.ObjectivesThe present study was aimed at validating the Italian version of IPASE, testing its internal consistency and usability for a first level SDs survey. A secondary objective was to confirm the correlations between IPASE, EASE, main symptom dimensions, subjective bodily experiences, symptoms of schizophrenic autism as well as levels of global functioning.MethodsFifty patients with Schizophrenia were administered the IPASE scale in its Italian version, the Examination of Anomalous Self-Experiences scale (EASE), the Positive And Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS) to assess global functioning, the Autism Rating Scale (ARS) and the Abnormal Bodily Phenomena questionnaire (ABPq). The internal consistency of IPASE in its Italian version was investigated and the correlations between IPASE, EASE, ABP, ARS, PANSS and SOFAS were explored.ResultsThe internal consistency of the Italian version of IPASE was high (α 0.97). The IPASE and EASE total scores were positively correlated with each other, as were many of the conceptually related subdomains of both scales. The IPASE score was negatively correlated with global functioning (SOFAS) and positively correlated with total PANSS scores and with PANSS negative domain. Moreover, the IPASE total score was positively correlated with autism dimension (ARS), while anomalies in subjective experience of the lived body were coherently correlated with higher scores in IPASE “somatization” subdomain.Conclusions The IPASE may be an easy instrument with high internal consistency for an initial investigation of SDs. IPASE domains appear to be correlated with the SDs investigated through EASE and with the main symptomatologic dimensions of Schizophrenia, in particular with negative symptoms. IPASE might also be a useful instrument for a first level investigation of subjective experiences concerning intersubjectivity and bodily dimensions.SDs are confirmed to be a core feature of the schizophrenia psychopathology, with a adverse impact on global functioning.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Relationship between CAINS negative symptoms and cognition, psychosocial functioning and quality of life in patients with a first psychotic episode of schizophrenia

IntroductionNegative symptoms has been classically associated with cognition, psychosocial functioning and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. But negative symptoms are not a unitary construct, encompassing two different factors: diminished expression, and motivation and pleasure. Few works have studied the relationship between these two different negative symptoms factors and cognition (neuro and social cognition), psychosocial functioning and quality of life, jointly, in patients with a first psychotic episode of schizophrenia.ObjectivesThe objective of the present work was to study, in a sample of patients with a first psychotic episode of schizophrenia, the relationship between the negative symptoms (diminished expression and motivation and pleasure) and neurocognition, social cognition, functioning and quality of life.MethodsThe study was carried out with 82 outpatients with a first psychotic episode of schizophrenia from two Spanish hospitals (“12 de Octubre” University Hospital, Madrid and “Virgen de la Luz” Hospital, Cuenca). The patients were assessed with the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS) for evaluating diminished expression (EXP) and motivation and pleasure (MAP) symptoms, the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) for evaluating neurocognition and social cognition, the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS), and the Quality of Life Scale (QLS).ResultsA negative correlation was found between neurocognition and the two negative symptoms subscales: CAINS-EXP (r=-0.458, p&lt;0.001) and CAINS-MAP (r=-0.374, p&lt;0.001); but with social cognition only CAINS-EXP was correlated (r=-0.236, p=0.033). Also, it was found a high negative correlation between SOFAS scores and CAINS-MAP (r=-0.717, p&lt;0.001); and a medium negative correlation with CAINS-EXP (r=-0.394, p&lt;0.001). Finally, QLS score was high correlated with both CAINS subscales: CAINS-EXP (r=-0.681, p&lt;0.001) and CAINS-MAP (r=-0.770, p&lt;0.001).ConclusionsThis study found a relationship between negative symptoms and neurocognition, social cognition, functioning and quality of life in a sample of patients with a first psychotic episode of schizophrenia. But the two different negative symptom factors, diminished expression, and motivation and pleasure, are associated differently with psychosocial functioning, but especially with social cognition where the relationship was only found with diminished expression symptoms.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Prevalence and factors of discordance attitudes toward advance care planning between older patients and their family members in the primary medical and healthcare institution.

This study aimed at investigating the prevalence and factors of the discordant attitudes toward advance care planning (ACP) among older patients and their family members toward patients' engagement in ACP in the primary medical and healthcare institution. In a cross-sectional study, a total of 117 older patients and 117 family members from Jinhua Fifth Hospital in China were enrolled. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics, functional capacity assessment, and attitudes toward patients' engagement in ACP. Functional capacity assessment scales included the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), the Short-Form Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF), the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), and the SARC-F questionnaire. The discordance attitudes toward patients' engagement in ACP between patients and family members accounted for 41(35.0%). In the multivariate logistic analysis, factors associated with higher odds of discordance attitudes toward patients' engagement in ACP included greater age differences between patients and family members (OR = 1.043, 95% CI: 1.007-1.081), lower educational level for family members (OR = 3.373, 95% CI: 1.239-9.181), the patient's higher GDS-15 score (OR = 1.437, 95% CI: 1.185-1.742), and patient's higher MNA-SF score (OR = 1.754, 95% CI: 1.316-2.338). Older patients and their family members had little ACP knowledge, and factors that influence discordance attitudes toward patients' engagement in ACP included the age gaps between patients and family members, family members' educational level, patients' depressive symptoms, and patients' nutritional status.

Efficacy of a combination of non-drug therapies in patients with non-dementia vascular cognitive impairment

Objective : to study the effectiveness of a combination of non-drug methods in the treatment of non-dementia cognitive impairment of vascular etiology. Material and methods . The study involved 60 patients with moderate cognitive impairment of vascular etiology. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (n=30, mean age 63.7±8.8 years) received a combination of non-drug methods in the form of cognitive training, physical activity and meal planning for 1 month; patients of the 2nd group (n=30, mean age 64.2±10.7 years) were once informed about the advisability of a healthy diet and maintenance of mental and physical activity. Neuropsychological testing was done at the inclusion stage of the study, immediately after 1 month course of treatment, 6 months and a year after the start of the study. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of cognitive functions at baseline. Results . After a month of treatment, in the 1st group the results of neuropsychological testing significantly (p&lt;0.05) improved compared to the first visit: Montreal Cognitive Function Assessment Scale (MoCA-test) – from 22.5±2.4 to 23.7±2.8, Trail making test part A – from 56.9±20.1, up to 49.3±21.7; Trail making test part B – from 116.8±47.8 to 93.5±36.3; the Digit Symbol Substitution test (DSST) scores increased from 26.6±9.0 to 28.8±9.0. Categorical and literal fluency increased from 14.9±4.1 to 16.5±4.6 and from 10.0±1.7 to 11.6±1.9, respectively. In the 2nd group, 1 month after the start of the study, there were no significant differences from the baseline in neuropsychological tests. Differences between the groups at the second visit were statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) according to the MoCA test, Trail making tests (parts A, B), DSST, and association tests. Significant differences between groups persisted during the first 6 months, but disappeared after 12 months of follow-up. Conclusion . Multimodal non-drug therapy in patients with moderate cognitive impairment of vascular etiology improves the main cognitive parameters.

Effort-based decision making in schizotypy and its relationship with amotivation and psychosocial functioning.

Suboptimal effort-based decision-making with reduced willingness to expend effort for high-probability/high-value reward is observed in schizophrenia patients and is related to diminished motivation, but is understudied in schizotypy. This study aimed to examine effort-allocation in schizotypy individuals and its association with amotivation and psychosocial functioning. We recruited 40 schizotypy individuals and 40 demographically-matched healthy controls, based on Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief (SPQ-B) score (top and bottom 10% SPQ-B scores, respectively), from 2400 young people aged 15-24 years participating a population-based mental health survey in Hong Kong and examined effort-allocation using the Effort Expenditure for Reward Task (EEfRT). Negative / amotivation symptoms and psychosocial functioning were assessed by the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) and the Social Functioning and Occupational Assessment Scale (SOFAS), respectively. Schizotypy individuals were categorized into high-amotivation and low-amotivation groups based on a median-split of BNSS amotivation domain score. Our results showed no main group effect (in either two or three-group comparison) on effort task performance. Three-group comparison analyses on selected EEfRT performance indices revealed that high-amotivation schizotypy individuals displayed significantly less increase in effortful options from low-value to high-value reward (reward-difference score) and from low-probability/low-value to high-probability/high-value reward (probability/reward-difference score) than low-amotivation individuals and controls. Correlation analyses demonstrated trend-wise significance between BNSS amotivation domain score and several EEfRT performance indices in schizotypy group. Schizotypy individuals with poorer psychosocial functioning tended to exhibit smaller probability/reward-difference score relative to other two groups. Our findings indicate subtle effort-allocation abnormalities in schizotypy individuals with high levels of diminished motivation, and suggest the link between laboratory-based effort-cost measures and real-world functional outcome.

Evaluation of cognitive insight, social functionality, and coping attitudes of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia being followed-up in a community mental health center

AimThis study was conducted to evaluate the cognitive insight, social functionality, and coping attitudes of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia being followed-up in a Community Mental Health Center (CMHC). Design and methodsThe population of this descriptive and relationship-seeking study comprised 170 schizophrenia patients followed-up in the CMHC. Study data were collected using the Information Form, the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale (BCIS), the Social Functioning Assessment Scale (SFAS), and the Coping Orientation of Problem Experience (COPE). FindingsA moderately significant positive correlation between cognitive insight and social functionality was determined. It was found that participants with high cognitive insight and social functionality used more problem- and emotion-focused coping methods. Application implicationsIt is thought that practices that improve cognitive insight and social functionality will contribute to the rehabilitation of patients with schizophrenia by supporting their coping skills.

At-risk mental states and personality traits: A cluster analysis approach on a group of help-seeking young adults.

Research on the relationship between personality and psychosis onset is growing, with the goal of preventing or intervening early in patients' vulnerability. The identification of individuals with at-risk mental states has enabled the development of early intervention strategies, such as Programma 2000, a youth mental health service that was implemented in Milan (Italy). Focusing on the 18-25 age range-the time window with the highest incidence of psychotic onset-this study aims to identify the personality traits that may characterize the at-risk mental states and the social functioning of a group of help-seeking young adults. The sample includes 169 people (48.5% males and 51.5% females). Data were collected during an initial assessment that comprised the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, the Personality Inventory for DSM-5, the Checklist ERIraos and a clinical session. Results identified a three-cluster solution based on the Checklist scores: Cluster 1 'Not at psychotic risk'; Cluster 2 'At intermediate risk'; Cluster 3 'With psychotic onset'. The multivariate analysis of the variance of personality traits shows significant differences among the clusters in negative affect, detachment and disinhibition. Higher scores in these traits may distinguish individuals, not at psychotic risk from those at intermediate risk or with psychotic onset. Moreover, social functioning was found to be negatively associated with clusters of psychotic risk. Findings from this study highlighted the need to evaluate personalized interventions targeting such personality traits that could prevent psychotic transition and promote psychological well-being.

Diagnostic value of the function assessment scale for spinal deformity (FASD) to detect spinal malalignment in adult spinal deformity

Diagnostic value of the function assessment scale for spinal deformity (FASD) to detect spinal malalignment in adult spinal deformity

Impacts of COVID-19 on Neuropsychomotor Development From the Perspective of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in a Case Series of Children Aged 4 to 24 Months Assessed in Land and Aquatic Settings.

Mitigation measures the pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can change neuropsychomotor development (NPMD), diminishing adaptation, learning, and physical and cognitive development skills. Biopsychosocial screening in this scenario requires specific physical therapy assessment for each intervention setting, with validated scales. Hence, the objective of this study was to analyze the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on NPMD based on a case series in 4-to-24-month-old children assessed on land and in water. Case series descriptive study, based on physical therapy assessments with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), Developmental Screening Test (Denver II), and Adaptation of the Aquatic Functional Assessment Scale for Babies (AFAS-BABY©). AIMS classified 8 children as typical NPMD and 5 as suspect NPMD, while Denver II classified 10 children as typical NPMD, 3 as questionable NPMD, and 2 as delayed NPMD. AFAS-BABY© created a qualitative profile, relating it to the land assessments. Thus, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on NPMD were analyzed based on a case series in 4-to-24-month-old children assessed on land and in water.

ПСИХОЛОГО-ПЕДАГОГИЧЕСКИЕ ПРАКТИКИ ПРОФИЛАКТИКИ ДЕМЕНЦИИ В КОНТЕКСТЕ ПРЕОДОЛЕНИЯ СОЦИАЛЬНОГО ИСКЛЮЧЕНИЯ ПОЖИЛЫХ ЛЮДЕЙ

Statement of the problem. The article discusses the new accents of social policy in relation to older citizens in different countries based on the idea of social inclusion. The author highlights the main areas of socio-psychological and socio-pedagogical support of the modern elderly in the conditions of state social services. The purpose of the article is to review psychological and pedagogical practices and the results of special foreign studies that identify problems in social interaction and characteristics of the social well-being of the elderly. The methodological basis of the study includes theoretical and empirical methods: phenomenological, comparative analysis, interpretation, comparison, documentation, psychological and pedagogical diagnostics, in particular, the Montreal Cognitive Function Assessment Scale (MOCA), socio-pedagogical experiment. Research results. The authors offer the results of their own empirical research related to the identification of difficulties in cognitive development that arise in old age, and also reveal the possible content and organization of psychological and pedagogical assistance. Conclusion. The article discusses different types of practices for overcoming the social exclusion of the elderly in the context of dementia prevention, in particular, practices of socio-ecological, communicative and resource nature. The presented results of empirical studies will supplement the data on the psychological and pedagogical support of the elderly and create prerequisites for the development of effective comprehensive measures aimed at increasing the proportion of successful aging.

A clinical investigation of psychotic vulnerability in early-onset Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder through Cognitive-Perceptive basic symptoms.

Childhood-onset Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) shows distinct comorbidity patterns and developmental pathways, as well as an increased risk of psychosis with respect to adult-onset forms. Nevertheless, little is known about the prodromal symptoms of psychosis in children and adolescents with a primary diagnosis of OCD. The present study was aimed at evaluating the occurrence of Cognitive-Perceptual basic symptoms (COPER) and high- risk criterion Cognitive Disturbances (COGDIS) in pediatric and adults OCD patients, verifying if they might vary according to the age of onset of OCD. The study included 90 outpatients with a primary diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The study sample was collapsed into three groups according to the age at onset: 1) very early onset group (< 10years); 2) early onset group (11-18years); 3) adult-onset group (> 18years). All patients were administered the Yale-Brown Obsessive- Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and its Child version (CY-BOCS), the Schizophrenia Proneness Instrument-Adult (SPIA) and its Child and Adolescent version (SPI-CY) and the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS). COPER and COGDIS symptoms were positively associated with OCD severity and detectable, respectively, in 28.9 and 26.7% of our study sample. The very early onset group significantly had higher COPER and COGDIS symptoms than the adult-onset group. Our data suggest that COPER and COGDIS symptoms are frequent in obsessive patients, in particular in those with earlier onset; therefore, their detection in childhood-onset OCD may represent an early and specific indicator of psychotic vulnerability.

Stage-Specific Brain Aging in First-Episode Schizophrenia and Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia.

Brain age is a popular brain-based biomarker that offers a powerful strategy for using neuroscience in clinical practice. We investigated the brain-predicted age difference (PAD) in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ), first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders (FE-SSDs), and treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) using structural magnetic resonance imaging data. The association between brain-PAD and clinical parameters was also assessed. We developed brain age prediction models for the association between 77 average structural brain measures and age in a training sample of controls (HCs) using ridge regression, support vector regression, and relevance vector regression. The trained models in the controls were applied to the test samples of the controls and 3 patient groups to obtain brain-based age estimates. The correlations were tested between the brain PAD and clinical measures in the patient groups. Model performance indicated that, regardless of the type of regression metric, the best model was support vector regression and the worst model was relevance vector regression for the training HCs. Accelerated brain aging was identified in patients with SCZ, FE-SSDs, and TRS compared with the HCs. A significant difference in brain PAD was observed between FE-SSDs and TRS using the ridge regression algorithm. Symptom severity, the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, chlorpromazine equivalents, and cognitive function were correlated with the brain PAD in the patient groups. These findings suggest additional progressive neuronal changes in the brain after SCZ onset. Therefore, pharmacological or psychosocial interventions targeting brain health should be developed and provided during the early course of SCZ.

Gut microbiota alterations in stable outpatients with schizophrenia: findings from a case-control study.

The pathogenesis of schizophrenia is multidimensional and intensively studied. The gut-brain axis disturbances might play a significant role in the development of schizophrenia. We compared the gut microbiota of 53 individuals with schizophrenia and 58 healthy controls, using the 16S rRNA sequencing method. Individuals with schizophrenia were assessed using the following scales: the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status. No significant between-group differences in α-diversity measures were observed. Increased abundance of Lactobacillales (order level), Bacilli (class level) and Actinobacteriota (phylum level) were found in individuals with schizophrenia regardless of potential confounding factors, and using two independent analytical approaches (the distance-based redundancy analysis and the generalised linear model analysis). Additionally, significant correlations between various bacterial taxa (the Bacteroidia class, the Actinobacteriota phylum, the Bacteroidota phylum, the Coriobacteriales order and the Coriobacteria class) and clinical manifestation (the severity of negative symptoms, performance of language abilities, social and occupational functioning) were observed. The present study indicates that gut microbiota alterations are present in European patients with schizophrenia. The abundance of certain bacterial taxa might be associated with the severity of negative symptoms, cognitive performance and general functioning. Nonetheless, additional studies are needed before the translation of our results into clinical practice.

CO31 Associations Between CDR-Global and Meaningful Outcomes in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

To estimate the associations between CDR scores and meaningful outcomes (e.g., activities of daily living using Functional Assessment Scale [FAS] and other cognitive scales) in individuals followed at Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research centers

Evaluation of a functional assessment tool in patients with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease in Lima, Peru

AbstractBackgroundFunctional assessment screening tools are crucial for dementia evaluations. The Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study‐Activities of Daily Living (ADCS‐ADL) scale is a versatile functional assessment screening tool that can be used to monitor functional decline of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We sought to evaluate the validity and reliability of the ADCS‐ADL scale in Peruvian patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or AD.MethodThis was a cross‐sectional study of older adults from a multidisciplinary neurology institute in Lima, Peru in one of three groups: cognitively healthy controls, MCI or AD. ANOVA or chi‐square tests were used. Psychometric properties evaluated included reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC; internal consistency, Cronbach’s alpha) and validity (external and convergent).ResultWe included 276 patients in the analysis. Age, sex, educational level, and depressive symptoms did not vary significantly between the groups, but the Mini Mental State Examination and Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination scores were significantly different between groups. ICC was 0.996 and Cronbach’s alpha was 0.937 for the ADCS‐ADL. The ADCS‐ADL could not differentiate patients with MCI from cognitively healthy controls, but it accurately differentiated degrees of cognitive impairment within the AD group. The ADCS‐ADL correlated highly with all functional assessment and cognitive screening tools, except for the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale‐Cognitive subscale.ConclusionThe ADCS‐ADL scale is reliable in a population of patients with AD in Lima, Peru, and correlated with most functional assessment scales used to evaluate patients with AD.