Emotional Prosody Processing in the Schizophrenia Spectrum.

THESIS ABSTRACT Emotional prosody processing impairment is proposed to be a main contributing factor for the formation of auditory verbal hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia. In order to evaluate such assumption, five experiments in healthy, highly schizotypal and schizophrenia populations are presented. The first part of the thesis seeks to reveal the neural underpinnings of emotional prosody comprehension (EPC) in a non-clinical population as well as the modulation of prosodic abilities by hallucination traits. By revealing the brain representation of EPC, an overlap at the neural level between EPC and auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) was strongly suggested. By assessing the influence of hallucinatory traits on EPC abilities, a continuum in the schizophrenia spectrum in which high schizotypal population mirrors the neurocognitive profile of schizophrenia patients was established. Moreover, by studying the relation between AVH and EPC in non-clinical population, potential confounding effects of medication influencing the findings were minimized. The second part of the thesis assessed two EPC related abilities in schizophrenia patients with and without hallucinations. Firstly, voice identity recognition, a skill which relies on the analysis of some of the same acoustical features as EPC, has been evaluated in patients and controls. Finally, the last study presented in the current thesis, assessed the influence that implicit processing of emotional prosody has on selective attention in patients and controls. Both patients studies demonstrate that voice identity recognition deficits as well as abnormal modulation of selective attention by implicit emotion prosody are related to hallucinations exclusively and not to schizophrenia in general. In the final discussion, a model in which EPC deficits are a crucial factor in the formation of AVH is evaluated. Experimental findings presented in the previous chapters strongly suggests that the perception of prosodic features is impaired in patients with AVH, resulting in aberrant perception of irrelevant auditory objects with emotional prosody salience which captures the attention of the hearer and which sources (speaker identity) cannot be recognized. Such impairments may be due to structural and functional abnormalities in a network which comprises the superior temporal gyrus as a central element

EFFICACY OF LAI IN FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY - CLINICAL REPORTS

The use of antipsychotics, especially second generation antipsychotics, represents the milestone treatment of “first episode of psychosis” (FEP). Although prodromal symptoms of psychosis have long been recognized, the clinical management of psychotic disorders conventionally begins at the first episode of frank psychosis, as it is well acknowledged that “duration of untreated psychosis” (DUP) is one of the main factor that negatively affects prognosis: a longer DUP is highly correlated to reduced response to treatment, poor clinical and social outcomes, and an overall worst prognosis. Long-acting injectable (LAI) formulations of antipsychotics have traditionally been used for those patients with psychosis with the most severe symptoms, poorest compliance, most hospitalizations and poorest outcomes; moreover it seems that psychiatrists tend to prescribe LAI at the latter stages of the disease. We retrospectively collected clinical and sociodemographic data regarding patients consecutively presenting with symptoms of FEP attending the Community Mental Health Service (CMHS) in Foggia from 1st June 2014 to 31st May 2015. We selected patients who attended the CMHS in Foggia with symptoms of FEP. Different scales were administered to assess symptoms severity, quality of life, side effects, adherence, and overall functionality. In our sample LAI treatment was found to be effective in treating symptoms associated to FEP, improved quality of life and it was associated with a clinically irrelevant incidence of extrapyramidal side effect. Considering that achieving a full symptoms remission in people affected by FEP is associated to better outcomes, and that DUP is associated to poor prognosis, LAIs could play an important role in improving overall recovery

Viticultural Climate Indexes and Their Role in The Prediction of Anthocyanins and Other Flavonoids Content in Seedless Table Grapes

Background: Viticulture bioclimatic indexes like the Heliothermal Index (HI), Cool Night Index (CI), and Dryness Index (DI), can be used to assess the influence of climate on grapes’ quality. Methods: HI, CI, and DI + total seasonal irrigation were utilized to assess the effect of climate on the flavonoids content and composition of two Vitis vinifera seedless varieties, ‘Summer Royal’ and ‘Crimson Seedless’, both grown in Apulia (Southern Italy). Results: The flavonoids content was significantly affected by variety and climate conditions on the base of HI, CI, and DI + total seasonal irrigation. Factor analysis applied to climate indexes and flavonoids showed that anthocyanins and flavonols were negatively and positively correlated to CI in both varieties, respectively. Additionally, warmer night temperatures determined higher fla-van-3-ols. HI increase promoted anthocyanins, flavonols, and flavan-3-ols content in Crimson Seedless, whilst it induced an opposite trend in Summer Royal. Finally, DI + total seasonal irrigation showed to be positively linked to flavonols content and negatively linked to anthocyanins content just in the case of Crimson Seedless. Significant regression models were also determined between climate indexes and productive parameters (i.e., yield, TSS, TA, pH, bunch, and berry weight). Conclusions: Climate indexes HI, CI, and DI + total seasonal irrigation showed an effect on quality grape parameters like flavonoids and contributed to building predictive models when new climatic zones are going to be evaluated for the production of table grapes

Cognition, Emotion and Behaviour: Addressing the Relationship Between Executive Functions and Decision-Making

Executive functions are a complex and heterogeneous group of concepts that refer to a set of diverse cognitive abilitiessuch as working memory, cognitive flexibility, planification, reasoning, problem-solving and inhibition. Moreover, decision-making maybe described as a pattern that a person uses when he or she is facing a situation where they must lean towards an option: people tendto choose one or another option considering the risks and benefits these options offer. There is evidence supporting that executivefunctions are associated with the way people make their decisions. The main aim of the present study is to review and update theseconcepts reporting evidence from the literature on the association between the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of decisionmaking.Fil: Gonzalez Aguilar, Maria Josefina. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez Lopez, Sofia. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas; ArgentinaFil: Lynch, Sofia. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas; ArgentinaFil: Mennella, Paula. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas; ArgentinaFil: Alba Ferrara, Lucia M. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Alta Complejidad en Red El Cruce Dr. Néstor Carlos Kirchner Samic. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos; Argentin

Asymmetries in the surcal pattern of the frontoparietal operculum

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la variación interhemisférica (asimetrías) en el patrón surcal del opérculo frontoparietal. El estudio de la variabilidad anatómica de las áreas perisilvianas resulta importante en el campo de la neurología clínica y quirúrgica ya que permite estudiar con precisión las áreas del lenguaje y de este modo aportar a constituir un marco de referencia para la práctica médica, principalmente para lograr procedimientos quirúrgicos lo menos invasivos posible. La muestra utilizada consistió en 80 imágenes T1de resonancia magnética (RM) de alto campo (3T) de cerebro de individuos sanos de ambos sexos de 19-56 años. Se relevaron las siguientes variables en el opérculo fronto-parietal de cada hemisferio: número de surcos en las porciones frontal y parietal del surco lateral; presencia de surcos accesorios (triangular y diagonal); patrón continuo o discontinuo del surco frontal inferior y del surco inferior precentral; y la forma de la terminación del surco lateral. La anatomía surcal del opérculo frontoparietal presentó gran variación tanto entre individuos como entre hemisferios. En el opérculo frontal, la presencia de surcos accesorios se manifestó de manera asimétrica en la mayoría de los individuos, aunque – a diferencia de estudios previos – no se observó una tendencia consistente hacia uno de los dos hemisferios, ni fueron halladas diferencias significativas en relación al sexo. Lo mismo se observó en el patrón discontinuo de los surcos frontal interior y precentral inferior. En el opérculo parietal, cuya variabilidad en el patrón surcal no fue abordada en estudios anteriores, se encontró un mayor número de surcos accesorios en el hemisferio izquierdo, aunque la diferencia entre ambos hemisferios no resultó significativa y tampoco fueron halladas diferencias significativas en base al sexo. La forma de la terminación del surco lateral fue predominantemente simétrica. Dada la importante prevalencia de asimetrías en el patrón surcal de la muestra y la falta de tendencia de éstas hacia uno de los dos hemisferios, es posible plantear un patrón de asimetría fluctuante. Los surcos accesorios estuvieron presentes con una alta prevalencia en la muestra, lo que debería tenerse en cuenta a la hora de distinguir entre variantes normales y hallazgos patológicos en neuroimágenes.The objective of this study was to evaluate the interhemispheric variation (asymmetries) in the sulcal pattern of the frontoparietal operculum. The study of perisilvian areas anatomical variability is important for clinical and surgical neurology, since it allows to study language areas accurately contributing towards a reference frame for medical practice, aiming to achieve the least invasive procedures possible. The used sample consisted of 80 T1 brain magnetic resonance images (MRI) of healthy individuals of both sexes, aged 19-56 years. The following variables were observed in the fronto-parietal operculum of each hemisphere: number of sulci in the frontal and parietal portions of the lateral sulcus; presence of accessory sulci (triangular and diagonal sulcus); continuous or discontinuous pattern of the inferior frontal sulcus and inferior precentral sulcus; and the shape of the termination of the lateral sulcus. The sulcal anatomy of the frontoparietal operculum showed great variation both between individuals and between hemispheres. In the frontal operculum, the presence of accessory sulci were asymmetrical in most individuals, although a consistent trend towards one of the two hemispheres was not observed, and no significant differences were found in relation to sex. The same was observed in the discontinuous pattern of the inferior frontal sulcus and inferior precentral sulcus. In the parietal operculum, whose asymmetries in the accessory sulcal pattern were not studied before, a greater number of accessory sulci were found in the left hemisphere, although the difference between both hemispheres was not significant and no differences were found based on sex. The shape of the lateral sulcus termination was predominantly symmetrical. Given the important prevalence of asymmetries in the sulcal pattern of the sample and the lack of tendency towards a hemisphere, it is possible to propose a fluctuating asymmetry pattern. The accessory sulci were present with a high prevalence in the sample, which should be taken into account when distinguishing between normal variants and pathological findings in neuroimaging.Fil: Vallejo Azar, Mariana Nahir. Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Alta Complejidad en Red El Cruce Dr. Néstor Carlos Kirchner Samic. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos; ArgentinaFil: Bouzigues, Arabella. Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Alta Complejidad en Red El Cruce Dr. Néstor Carlos Kirchner Samic. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos; ArgentinaFil: Alba Ferrara, Lucia M. Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Alta Complejidad en Red El Cruce Dr. Néstor Carlos Kirchner Samic. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Paula Natalia. Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Alta Complejidad en Red El Cruce Dr. Néstor Carlos Kirchner Samic. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Unidad Ejecutora de Estudios en Neurociencias y Sistemas Complejos; ArgentinaFil: Bendersky, Mariana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; Argentin

A public early intervention approach to first-episode psychosis: treated incidence over 7 years in the Emilia-Romagna region.

Aim: To estimate the treated incidence of individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) who contacted the Emilia-Romagna public mental healthcare system (Italy); to examine the variability of incidence and user characteristics across centres and years. Methods: We computed the raw treated incidence in 2013–2019, based on FEP users aged 18–35, seen within or outside the regional program for FEP. We modelled FEP incidence across 10 catchment areas and 7 years using Bayesian Poisson and Negative Binomial Generalized Linear Models of varying complexity. We explored associations between user characteristics, study centre and year comparing variables and socioclinical clusters of subjects. Results: Thousand three hundred and eighteen individuals were treated for FEP (raw incidence: 25.3 / 100.000 inhabitant year, IQR: 15.3). A Negative Binomial location-scale model with area, population density and year as predictors found that incidence and its variability changed across centres (Bologna: 36.55; 95% CrI: 30.39–43.86; Imola: 3.07; 95% CrI: 1.61–4.99) but did not follow linear temporal trends or density. Centers were associated with different user age, gender, migrant status, occupation, living conditions and cluster distribution. Year was associated negatively with HoNOS score (R = 0.09, p < .001), duration of untreated psychosis (R = 0.12, p < .001) and referral type. Conclusions: The Emilia-Romagna region presents a relatively high but variable incidence of FEP across areas, but not in time. More granular information on social, ethnic and cultural factors may increase the level of explanation and prediction of FEP incidence and characteristics, shedding light on social and healthcare factors influencing FEP

Residential segregation and the fertility of immigrants and their descendants

Measures of community population composition, like residential segregation, are important theoretical mechanisms that have the potential to explain differences in fertility between immigrants, their descendants, and destination natives. However, only a handful of studies explore these mechanisms, and most are limited by the fact that they carry out cross-sectional analysis. This study proposes a new approach, which focuses on community composition in childhood. It uses longitudinal census data and registered births in England and Wales to investigate the relationship between completed fertility and multiple measures of community composition, including residential segregation. The results show that the fertility of immigrants is closer to native fertility if they grow up in less segregated areas. This provides evidence in support of the childhood socialisation hypothesis. Furthermore, residential segregation explains some of the variation in completed fertility for second generation women from Pakistan and Bangladesh, the only second generation group to have significantly higher completed fertility than natives. This suggests one reason why the fertility of some South Asians in England and Wales may remain ‘culturally entrenched’. All of these findings are consistent for different measures of community composition. They are also easier to interpret than the results of previous research because exposure is measured before childbearing has commenced, therefore avoiding many issues relating to selection, simultaneity and conditioning on the future