Poor Insight Research Articles

Longitudinal characteristics of insight and clinical factors in patients with schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder presenting a lack of insight. Although insight changes over time, longitudinal studies of insight in schizophrenia are scarce. Furthermore, most previous studies on insight and intelligence have not measured full-scale IQ and have not been able to examine the relationship between detailed dimensions of cognitive function and insight. In this study, we assessed insight at two time points and assessed dimensions of cognitive function. A total of 163 patients with schizophrenia participated in the study. We evaluated insight at two time points to understand the patterns of change and examined the association between insight and clinical variables. Additionally, we examined the relationship between the dimensions of cognitive function and insight. The patients were divided into three groups based on their change in insight over time: stable at a low level of insight (poor insight), stable at a high level of insight (good insight), and changed in insight over time (unstable insight). Those in the poor insight group had lower general intelligence scores than those in the good insight and unstable insight groups. Regarding cognitive function, verbal comprehension was associated with the level of insight at baseline and follow-up. Regarding psychiatric symptoms, the poor insight group exhibited more severe symptoms than the other two groups, especially regarding positive symptoms. Our classification of patients based on changes in insight revealed that poor insight patients had impaired cognitive function, especially verbal comprehension, and more severe positive symptoms than good insight or unstable insight patients.

Identifying Neurobiological Markers in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: A Study Protocol for a Cross-Sectional Study in Subgroups of Differing Phenotype

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) represents a frequent and highly disabling mental disorder. Past attempts to characterize different disease subgroups focused on the time of onset (late vs. early onset), presence of insight (poor insight), and post-infectious forms (pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome, PANS). Each subgroup may be associated with a differing impact on cognition, functioning, sleep quality, and treatment response profile. Certain lines of evidence suggest brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels may differ between individuals living with OCD as compared with controls, but there is a lack of evidence on the variation of BDNF levels in OCD subgroups. Lastly, the potential of assessing inflammatory states, electroencephalogram, and polysomnography to characterize these subtypes has been hardly explored. Estimates of drug-resistance rates indicate that 20% and up to 65% of affected adults and up to 35% of the pediatric population may not benefit from pharmacological treatments. At least part of the variability in treatment response could depend on the underlying biological heterogeneity. In the present project, we aim to increase the accuracy in characterizing the phenotypical and biological signature for the different OCD subtypes through clinical, cognitive, and sleep markers, along with other possible markers that may be biologically plausible.

Prevalence of mixed features in patients with first-episode depression: An exploratory multicentric study.

There is limited literature on the prevalence of mixed features in patients with depression, especially from countries in Asia. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of "mixed features" in patients with first-episode depression. Patients with first-episode depression were evaluated for the presence of mixed features as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-5 criteria. They were additionally evaluated on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). About one-sixth (16%) of the patients fulfilled the DSM-5 criteria for the mixed features specifier. The most common manic/hypomanic clinical feature was increased talkativeness or pressure of speech, followed by elevated expansive mood (12.5%), and inflated self-esteem or grandiosity was the least common feature (8.7%). Those with mixed features had higher prevalence of comorbid tobacco dependence and psychotic symptoms. In terms of frequency of depressive symptoms as assessed on HDRS, compared to those without mixed features, those with mixed features had higher frequency of symptoms such as depressed mood, insomnia during early hours of morning, work and activities, agitation, gastrointestinal somatic symptoms, genital symptoms, hypochondriasis, and poorer insight. Mixed features specifier criteria were fulfilled by 16% patients with first-episode depression. This finding suggests that the extension of this specifier to depression can be considered as a useful step in understanding the symptom profile of patients with depression.

Psychotic Vulnerability and its Associations with Clinical Characteristics in Adolescents with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Compared to peers, children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are at increased risk of developing psychotic disorders. Yet very few studies have examined early indicators of psychosis in pediatric OCD. In the present study, 52 youth with a primary diagnosis of OCD (Mage = 15.66 [SD = 2.33], 59.6% girls) were interviewed using the Schizophrenia Proneness Instrument Child and Adolescent version (SPI-CY), which is a comprehensive clinical interview assessing both Cognitive-Perceptual basic symptoms (COPER) and high-risk criterion Cognitive Disturbances (COGDIS). Associations between COPER/COGDIS symptoms and demographic and clinical characteristics were examined. Findings showed that COPER or COGDIS symptoms were present in 44% of participants, with no significant difference between girls and boys. Psychotic vulnerability was associated with an earlier age of OCD onset, greater OCD severity, poorer insight, and more contamination/cleaning symptoms. Psychotic vulnerability was also strongly associated with worse psychosocial functioning. Findings suggest that early indicators of psychosis are frequent in pediatric OCD and associated with more severe OCD and poorer functioning. Research examining how psychotic vulnerability is associated with short- and long-term outcomes for youth with OCD is needed.

1020 Modafinil Induced Psychosis

Abstract Introduction Modafinil has been used for the treatment of numerous different conditions, including daytime somnolence (EDS). Modafinil is a non-amphetamine central nervous system (CNS) stimulant with wakefulness-promoting properties. There have been few reported cases of psychosis associated with modafinil use, however a large majority of those were seen in patients with a history of primary psychiatric disturbances. Report of case(s) We present a case of a 48 year old female coming for evaluation of excessive daytime somnolence. She completed polysomnography and a multi sleep latency test (MSLT) which revealed mildly elevated AHI, but no sleep onset rapid eye movements (SOREMPs). A diagnosis of idiopathic hypersomnia was subsequently made and 200mg of modafinil up to twice daily was prescribed for her. Patient initially tolerated the modafinil well, however she began having delusions and she subsequently required psychiatric evaluation. These delusions primarily consisted of her believing she was under surveillance and had conspiracy theories against her. She also described having auditory hallucinations as well, especially voices telling her about these conspiracy theories. She also demonstrated poor insight into her medical condition as she refused to discontinue modafinil. Upon evaluation, routine labs including complete blood count, chemistry profile and urine drug screens were completed to rule out any secondary causes of psychosis. It was therefore recommended by psychiatry to discontinue modafinil as there was concern that the delusions were occurring secondary to medication use. The patient's psychotic delusions seemed to dissipate after this. A multidisciplinary meeting was held regarding management of patients' excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and a decision was made to begin the patient on pitolisant, a histamine receptor antagonist. The patient was able to achieve great benefit with this medication. Conclusion The presented case illustrates a patient who began having psychosis after beginning modafinil 200mg twice daily. Psychosis is a much more rare side of modafinil and providers should become aware of it. Therefore, patients who are prescribed modafinil should be carefully followed for psychosis development, even when they are previously healthy and have no history of any primary psychiatric conditions. Support (if any)

Kinetics of endogenous thymic regeneration following chemotherapy-induced involution

Abstract The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ where T cell development occurs. Besides the naturally transpiring age-dependent involution, the thymus also undergoes acute involution from cytotoxic stimuli. Establishing thymic regeneration strategies would, thus, be immensely critical for pediatric cancer and transplantation patients receiving cytoablative chemotherapies. Several signaling pathways (e.g., KGF, BMP4) promote thymic regeneration, albeit with suboptimal therapeutic potential, mainly due to poor insight of the detailed mechanisms of endogenous thymic repair. To address this issue, we developed a mouse model of cyclophosphamide-induced thymic involution and monitored thymic reconstitution for up to 5 weeks post-treatment. Macroscopic assessment via thymic weight index and MRI-based volumetric analysis, along with histopathology, revealed that endogenous thymic regeneration is a non-linear, multistep process, consisting of a: (a) Reconstitution phase, during which recuperation occurs at an exponential rate, (b) Rebound phase, in which abnormal thymic hyperplasia is observed, and (c) Recoil phase, where thymic homeostasis ensues. Quantification of peripheral blood lymphocytes, however, revealed that thymic hyperplasia at Rebound does not correlate with restored thymic functions and output. Detailed investigation via flow cytometry revealed the stalling of T cell development at the Double Positive (CD4 +CD8 +) stage, implying cortical defects during thymic repair. Currently, we employ single-cell RNA sequencing with single cell resolution imaging, to define the molecular pathways disrupting cortical Thymic Epithelial Cell (cTEC) renewal post-chemotherapy, leading to impaired thymopoiesis. Supported by AAI's Career in Immunology Fellowship PI's funding supported by Albert Einstein College of Medicine: New Investigator Start-up funds

Poor Insight in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder as a Multifaceted Phenomenon: Evidence From Brain Activation During Symptom Provocation

BackgroundPoor insight in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with higher symptom severity, more comorbidities, and worse response to treatment. This study aimed to elucidate underlying mechanisms of poor insight in OCD by exploring its neurobiological correlates. MethodsUsing a symptom provocation task during functional magnetic resonance imaging, we compared brain activation of patients with poor insight (n = 19; 14 female, 5 male), good/fair insight (n = 63; 31 female, 32 male), and healthy control participants (n = 42; 22 female, 20 male) using a Bayesian region-of-interest and a general linear model whole-brain approach. Insight was assessed using the Overvalued Ideas Scale. ResultsCompared with patients with good/fair insight and healthy control participants, patients with OCD and poor insight showed widespread lower task-related activation in frontal areas (subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, supplementary motor area, precentral gyrus), parietal areas (posterior parietal cortex, precuneus), and the middle temporal gyrus and insula. Results were not driven by interindividual differences in OCD symptom severity, medication usage, age of disorder onset, or state distress levels. ConclusionsDuring symptom provocation, patients with OCD and poor insight show altered activation in brain circuits that are involved in emotional processing, sensory processing, and cognitive control. Future research should focus on longitudinal correlates of insight and/or use tasks that probe emotional and sensory processing and cognitive control.

Evaluation of cognitive disengagement syndrome in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder: Clinical implications.

Cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS) has been found to be associated with internalizing symptoms. Yet, no study thus far has focused on whether there is an association between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and CDS. The purpose of this study is to examine the symptom frequency and clinical implications of CDS in children with OCD. The study included sixty-one children with OCD and sixty-six typically developing children. Children were evaluated by a semi-constructed diagnosis interview, Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, Barkley Child Attention Scale, and Stroop test. The frequency of elevated symptoms of CDS, and total time, total error, and total correction scores of the Stroop test were significantly higher in the OCD group compared to the controls. Elevated CDS symptoms were significantly associated with higher OCD symptom prevalence and poorer performance on the Stroop Test. Moreover, poor insight, hoarding symptoms, mental compulsions, and ADHD comorbidity were significantly higher in those with elevated CDS symptoms than in those without CDS in the OCD group. The findings of this study provide clinical implications that CDS symptoms may contribute to deficits in attentional orientation, conceptual flexibility, and cognitive processing speed in OCD.

The relationship between sex and functional outcome in first-episode schizophrenia: the role of premorbid adjustment and insight.

Studies that examined sex differences in first-episode patients consistently show that males compared to females have poor premorbid adjustment, earlier age of onset, worse clinical characteristics, and poorer outcomes. However, little is known about potential mediators that could explain these sex differences. Our sample consisted of 137 individuals with first episode schizophrenia (males, n = 105; 77%) with a mean age of 22.1(s.d. = 4.1) years and mean education of 12.5(s.d. = 1.7) years. At entry, patients were within 2 years of their first psychotic episode onset. Baseline assessments were conducted for premorbid adjustment, symptoms, cognitive functioning, insight, and at 6-months for role and social functioning. Males as compared to females had poorer premorbid adjustment across several key developmental periods (p < 0.01), an earlier age of onset [M = 20.3(3.3) v. 22.8(5.6), p = 0.002], more negative symptoms (p = 0.044), poorer insight (p = 0.031), and poorer baseline and 6-month role (p = 0.002) and social functioning (p = 0.034). Several of these variables in which males showed impairment were significant predictors of 6-month role and social functioning. Premorbid adjustment and insight mediated the relationship between sex and role and social functioning at 6-months, but not negative symptoms. Males compared to females were at lower levels across several key premorbid and clinical domains which are strongly associated with functional outcome supporting the hypothesis that males might have a more disabling form of schizophrenia. The relationship between sex with role and social functioning was mediated through premorbid adjustment and insight suggesting pathways for understanding why females might have a less disabling form of schizophrenia.

Medication adherence and associated factors among psychiatry patients at Asella Referral and Teaching Hospital in Oromia, Ethiopia: Institution based cross sectional study.

Medication adherence is the first and main determinant of treatment success. It is defined by world health organization as "the degree to which the person's behavior corresponds to the agreed recommendations from a health care provider". Non-adherence is a multi-factorial phenomenon that can result from five major interacting factors. These are health team and health system-related factors; patient-related factors; therapy-related factors; socio-economic factors; and condition-related factors. The prevalence of non-adherence in mental illness was found to be 40% to 60% world wide. In developing countries, the magnitude of poor adherence is expected to increase. So this study aimed to assess medication adherence status and its associated factors among psychiatric patients in Asella Referral and Teaching Hospital in Oromia, Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 18, 2022 to May 25, 2022, with a total sample of 422 patients. Medication adherence was measured by a modified version of the medication adherence rating scale in the psychiatric setting to determine treatment adherence status, and unstructured questionnaires were assessed by interviewing the patient. Additional data concerning the medication-taking behavior of the patient was collected from caregivers. Bivariate logistic regression was performed to see the association between each explanatory variable and the outcome variable. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used to see the association between treatment adherence and the strength of the link. A total of 395 study participants were interviewed, making a response rate of 93.6%. The prevalence of treatment adherence was 246(62.3%). Medication adherence show high association with lifetime alcohol use [AOR: 3.18, 95% CI:1.31-7.72] compared to those who had no alcohol use histroy, and perceived stigma [AOR (95% CI: 2.31 (1.01-5.31)] compared with those who had no perceived stigma, where as adherence show low association with having slight or superficial insight about illness [AOR (95% CI: 0.25 (0.12-0.53)] compared to those who reported cured off their illness and belief in medication [AOR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.16-0.81)] compared to those who didn't belief in the medication they are taking. The prevalence of mediation adherence was found to be lower. In this study, factors such as having the slight insight or poor insight about their illness and belief in the medication decreased medication adherence, whereas having an alcohol use history in their lifetime and perceived stigma increased medication adherence. For a better health outcome, awareness creation at an insight level needs to be worked on by psychiatric professionals working on the follow-up psychiatric patients at psychiatry clinic of Assela Referral and Teaching Hospital to enable them to well adhere to their medication.

Associations between aberrant working memory-related neural activity and cognitive impairments in somatically healthy, remitted patients with mood disorders.

Persistent cognitive deficits are prevalent in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and unipolar disorder (UD), but treatments effectively targeting cognition in these mood disorders are lacking. This is partly due to poor insight into the neuronal underpinnings of cognitive deficits. The aim of this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was to investigate the neuronal underpinnings of working memory (WM)-related deficits in somatically healthy, remitted patients with BD or UD (n = 66) with cognitive and functional impairments compared to 38 healthy controls (HC). The participants underwent neuropsychological testing and fMRI, while performing a visuospatial and a verbal N-back WM paradigm. Relative to HC, patients exhibited hypo-activity across dorsolateral prefrontal cortex as well as frontal and parietal nodes of the cognitive control network (CCN) and hyper-activity in left orbitofrontal cortex within the default mode network (DMN) during both visuospatial and verbal WM performance. Verbal WM-related response in the left posterior superior frontal gyrus (SFG) within CCN was lower in patients and correlated positively with out-of-scanner executive function performance across all participants. Our findings suggest that cognitive impairments across BD and UD are associated with insufficient recruitment of task-relevant regions in the CCN and down-regulation of task-irrelevant orbitofrontal activity within the DMN during task performance. Specifically, a lower recruitment of the left posterior SFG within CCN during verbal WM was associated with lower cognitive performance.

Decreased insight, but not self-stigma or belief about medicine, is associated with greater severity of delusions in a sample of long-stay patients with schizophrenia: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThere are, to date, limited and inconsistent findings concerning the relationship between insight and psychotic symptoms, despite some evidence in favor of the clinical and therapeutic relevance of the insight construct. We aimed to add to the pool of the available data in this area, by examining the correlations between the severity of insight and positive psychotic symptoms (delusions and auditory hallucinations), while accounting for self-stigma and attitudes towards medication, in a sample of long-stay inpatients with schizophrenia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at the Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, between July and October 2021. A total of 82 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (aged 55.55 ± 10.21 years, 54.9% males) were enrolled. The semi-structured psychotic symptom rating scales, the Birchwood Insight Scale, the Belief About Medicine Questionnaire, and the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness were used.ResultsThe mean duration of illness in years was 30.15 ± 11.73, and the mean duration of hospitalization in years was 17.56 ± 9.24. Sixteen out of the 82 patients (19.5%) were considered as having poor insight. Bivariate analyses showed that higher chlorpromazine equivalent dose was significantly associated with more delusions, whereas higher insight was significantly associated with lower delusions. Multivariable analyses revealed that Higher chlorpromazine equivalent dose (Beta = 0.004) was significantly associated with more delusions, whereas higher insight (Beta = − 0.89) was significantly associated with less delusions. No significant associations were found between insight, self-stigma and hallucinations.ConclusionOur results imply that more impaired insight is associated with greater severity of delusions, above and beyond the effects of self-stigma and medication doses. These findings are valuable to aid clinicians and researchers improve their understanding of the relationship insight-psychotic symptoms, and could help personalize prevention and early intervention strategies in schizophrenia.

Journal Digest: CBT With Cardiac Rehab, PMDD Neurochemistry, and More

Journal Digest: CBT With Cardiac Rehab, PMDD Neurochemistry, and More

A 16-Week Open-Label Study of the Effects of Treatment With Pimavanserin on Activities of Daily Living in Subjects With Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis

AbstractIntroductionAccurate assessment of disability associated with Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis (PDP) is essential and has been poorly studied. Patients often have poor insight on impact of PDP on daily function. This phase 4 study is the first to evaluate the impact of pimavanserin on activities of daily living (ADL) in PDP patients.MethodsEligible PDP patients entered a 16-week single-arm, open-label study of oral pimavanserin (34 mg) taken once daily. Primary endpoint (modified Functional Status Questionnaire [mFSQ]) and secondary endpoints (MDS-UPDRS I &amp; II; Schwab and England ADL; CGI-S, CGI-I, and PGI-I) were measured as change from baseline to Week 16 using mixed-effects model for repeated measures (MMRM) and least-squares means (LSM).Results29 patients were treated with pimavanserin, of which 24 (82.8%) completed the study. Treated patients demonstrated significant improvements in LSM (SE) mFSQ score change from baseline to Week 12 (11.5 [2.44]) and Week 16 (14.0 [2.50]; both p&lt;0.0001). Significant improvements (p&lt;0.05) were also observed for all secondary outcomes at Week 16 (MDS-UPDRS Part I: -6.3 [0.97]; MDS-UPDRS Part II: -2.6 [0.98]; CGI-S: -1.5 [0.25]; CGI-I: 1.9 [0.17]; PGI-I: 2.0 [0.22], except for Schwab and England ADL. No new safety signals were observed.ConclusionFunctional outcomes and psychosis measures improved in PDP patients treated with pimavanserin, with safety findings consistent with previous studies. Our findings highlight the positive effect of pimavanserin in improving ADLs in patients with PDP.FundingAcadia Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Differences in clinical presentation at first hospitalization and the impact on involuntary admissions among first-generation migrant groups with non-affective psychotic disorders.

Some migrant and ethnic minority groups have a higher risk of coercive pathways to care; however, it is unclear whether differences in clinical presentation contribute to this risk. We sought to assess: (i) whether there were differences in clinician-rated symptoms and behaviours across first-generation immigrant and refugee groups at the first psychiatric hospitalization after psychosis diagnosis, and (ii) whether these differences accounted for disparities in involuntary admission. Using population-based health administrative data from Ontario, Canada, we constructed a sample (2009-2013) of incident cases of non-affective psychotic disorder followed for two years to identify first psychiatric hospitalization. We compared clinician-rated symptoms and behaviours at admission between first-generation immigrants and refugees and the general population, and adjusted for these variables to ascertain whether the elevated prevalence of involuntary admission persisted. Immigrants and refugee groups tended to have lower ratings for affective symptoms, self-harm behaviours, and substance use, as well as higher levels of medication nonadherence and poor insight. Immigrant groups were more likely to be perceived as aggressive and a risk of harm to others, and both groups were perceived as having self-care issues. Adjustment for perceived differences in clinical presentation at admission did not attenuate the higher prevalence of involuntary admission for immigrant and refugee groups. First-generation migrant groups may differ in clinical presentation during the early course of psychotic illness, although these perceived differences did not explain the elevated rates of involuntary admission. Further research using outpatient samples and tools with established cross-cultural validity are warranted.

Poor insight and future thinking in early dementia limit patient projections of potential utility of technological innovations and advanced care planning.

Cognitive psychology posits that thinking about the future relies on memory such that those with memory impairment may have trouble imaging their future technology and other needs. We conducted a content analysis of qualitative data from interviews with six patients with MCI or early dementia regarding potential adaptations to a mobile telepresence robot. Using a matrix analysis approach, we explored perceptions of (1) what technology could help with day-to-day functioning in the present and future and (2) what technology may help people with memory problems or dementia stay home alone safely. Very few participants could identify any technology to assist themselves or other people with memory problems and could not provide suggestions on what technology may help them stay home alone safely. Most perceived that they would never need robotic assistance. These findings suggest individuals with MCI or early dementia have limited perspectives on their own functional abilities now and in the future. Consideration of the individuals' diminished understanding of their own future illness trajectory is crucial when engaging in research or considering novel technological management solutions and may have implications for other aspects of advanced care planning.

Experiences of coercion amongst involuntary mental health care users in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Involuntary admission is a common practice globally. Previous international studies reported that patients experienced high levels of coercion, threats and a range of negative emotions. Little is known about the patients' experience in South Africa. The aim of this study was to describe the patient's experiences of involuntary admission at two psychiatric hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal. A cross-sectional descriptive quantitative study of patients admitted involuntarily was conducted. Demographic information was extracted from clinical records and interviews were conducted with consenting participants at discharge. The MacArthur Perceived Coercion Scale, the MacArthur Negative Pressures Scale, and the MacArthur Procedural Justice Scale, of the MacArthur Admission Experience Survey (short form) were utilized to describe participants' experiences. This study comprised 131 participants. The response rate was 95.6%. Most participants (n = 96; 73%) experienced high levels of coercion and threats (n = 110; 84%) on admission. About half (n = 61; 46.6%) reported that they felt unheard. Participants reported feeling sad (n = 68; 52%), angry (n = 54; 41.2%), and confused (n = 56; 42.7%). There was a significant association between good insight and a feeling of relief (p = 0.001), and between poor insight and feelings of anger (p = 0.041). The findings of this study confirm that most patients who were admitted involuntarily experienced high levels of coercion, threats, and exclusion from the decision-making process. Patient involvement and control of the decision-making process must be facilitated to improve clinical and overall health outcomes. The need for involuntary admission must justify the means.

Impact of insight quality on treatment adherence in schizophrenia

IntroductionSchizophrenia is a chronic, frequent, and disabling psychiatric condition. The prognosis is more severe in the absence of treatment.ObjectivesThe aims of our study were to evaluate the quality of treatment adherence and the quality of insight of patients with schizophrenia and to assess the implication of these factors as predictors of poor adherence.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional and analytical study. We recruited 150 patients with schizophrenia treated at Razi Hospital of Manouba, divided into 113 patients with good adherence compared to 37 patients with poor adherence. We used the Medical Adherence Report Scale (MARS) to assess the quality of therapeutic adherence and the Birchwood Insight Scale for Insight Assessment.ResultsPoor treatment adherence in patients with schizophrenia was significantly associated with poor insight (p=0.001). Good adherence was associated with positive perception of treatment effectiveness (p&lt;0.001). The predictive factor for poor adherence to therapy in multivariate analysis, after adjusting for the confounding variables was the negative perception of side effects (p=0.02). The predictive factor for good adherence was the presence of insight into the need for treatment (p=0.002).ConclusionsTo prevent poor treatment adherence, a systematic screening for predictive factors and adequate management of schizophrenia would be imperative.Disclosure of InterestA. Rami Shareolder of: no, Grant / Research support from: no, Consultant of: no, Employee of: no, Paid Instructor of: no, Speakers bureau of: no, E. Sana Shareolder of: no, Grant / Research support from: no, Consultant of: no, Employee of: no, Paid Instructor of: no, Speakers bureau of: no, C. Mejda Shareolder of: no, Grant / Research support from: no, Consultant of: no, Employee of: no, Paid Instructor of: no, Speakers bureau of: no, D. Rahma Shareolder of: no, Grant / Research support from: no, Consultant of: no, Employee of: no, Paid Instructor of: no, Speakers bureau of: no

Psychiatric Symptoms &amp; Misdiagnosis Of Frontotemporal Dementia: A Case Report

IntroductionFrontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the second most common type of dementia seen between 45-65 years of age and affects the frontal and/or temporal lobes. FTD is clinically characterized by progressively the change in behavior, personality, and language dysfunctions. Clinical features of FTD include restlessness, disinhibition, apathy, blunted affect, avolition, social withdrawal, impulsiveness, and loss of executive function. Most patients with FTD act as socially inappropriate behaviors, not talking much, compulsive-like acts, poor insight, and psychiatric features including hallucinations and paranoid delusions. According to symptoms, the diagnosis of FTD may be confused with depression, mania, or schizophrenia.ObjectivesIn this case report, we wanted to draw attention that FTD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of late-onset psychosis.MethodsA 53-year-old female, married, uneducated, and not having children patient has applied to our clinic with complaints, that started a year ago, about social withdrawal, activity, decreased sense of purpose, neglecting personal hygiene, not eating well, and acting inappropriately and impulsively.The patient reported that she was walking out of the house for hours, having profanity speeches, and forgetfulness.She was admitted to the psychiatry hospital a year ago and discharged with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.Brain MRI showed atrophy of frontal and anterior temporal structures bilaterally. PET scan demonstrated left frontal, parietal, and temporal hypo perfusion of the brain.In our clinical observation, she had apathy, inappropriate jokes, lack of eye contact, flat affect, lack of gesturing when communicating, unable to respond to questions, and visual hallucinations.ResultsDue to the similarity of the clinical resemblance of BPAD and FTD, the diagnosis of FTD can be confusing. In this case, amnesia and sudden onset of the symptoms with rapid destruction may help the diagnosis of FTD.Psychosis symptoms in our clinical observation also suggested the diagnosis of psychosis. However, its atypical course and early-onset psychosis symptoms brought us closer to organic pathology. Investigations of structural and functional brain imaging may help support the diagnosis.Image:Image 2:ConclusionsPsychiatric symptoms in FTD may cause misdiagnosis. Organic pathologies should be kept in mind, especially in late and sudden onset symptoms.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Schizophrenia and myasthenia gravis: a case report

IntroductionDespite a variety of pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions, treatment of schizophrenia can still be challenging, even more when certain comorbidities are present. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder of the neuromuscular junctions caused by antibodies against acetylcholine and tyrosine kinase. While co-occurrence of schizophrenia and MG is rare, treatment can be complicated as specific treatment of one condition can lead to worsening of other (e.g. anticholinergic side effects of psychopharmacotherapy, psychiatric side effects of corticosteroids).ObjectivesTo discuss treatment difficulties in the case of a patient with schizophrenia and multiple somatic comorbidities, including MG.MethodsA case report and a review of literature.ResultsWe report a case of a 50-year-old female patient who was admitted to psychiatric hospital due to psychotic decompensation presented with dysphoria, paranoid delusions, agitation, verbal aggression and hostility. Clinical presentation and psychopharmacological treatment were complicated with her comorbid disorders, MG, which was recently treated because of a relapse, and hypothyroidism, which worsened as she neglected her regular check-ups. Multidisciplinary approach was needed to control the symptoms of her comorbid disorders, which, especially MG, limited psychopharmacological options. Combination of antipsychotics (aripiprazole, haloperidol) and mood stabilizer (sodium valproate) led to clinical improvement of psychotic symptoms. However, poor insight remained- the patient insisted on demission and was not interested in suggested psychotherapeutic and sociotherapeutic programs.ConclusionsIn complex cases like this, multidisciplinary approach is essential for adequate treatment of both psychiatric and comorbid somatic disorders. Conditions like MS can prolong treatment or even worsen the symptoms of a psychiatric disorder, especially since they limit the use of psychopharmacotherapy. Due to this, psychotherapeutic interventions could be even more important to keep a stable remission with a good insight and adherence to both psychiatric and somatic treatment.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared