QOL in schizophrenia inpatients

Objective : The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between quality of life (QOL) and clinical factors in inpatients with schizophrenia. Methods : Subjects were 50 hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Their mean age was 56.48 (Standard Deviation = 11.93) years. Japanese version of the schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (JSQLS) and Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic drug Treatment Short form, Japanese version (SWNS-J) were used to assess subjective QOL, and Mini Mental State Examination-Japanese was used to evaluate cognitive function. Japanese version of the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (JCDSS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale were used to assess depression severity, psychotic symptoms, and drug-induced extrapyramidal symptoms, respectively. Stepwise regression analyses were conducted to find factors influencing JSQLS and SWNS-J. Results : JCDSS was a predictor of two scales of JSQLS, and JCDSS also predicted SWNS-J Total and it’s two subscales. However, other clinical factors were not related to JSQLS and SWNS-J. Conclusion : The results indicate that treating depressive symptoms may lead to improvement of subjective QOL in inpatients with schizophrenia

入院中の統合失調症患者の基本的な社会生活能力に関連した臨床要因

Objective: The aim of the present study is to explore clinical factors associated with basic ability of social life in schizophrenia inpatients. Methods: The subjects were 50 inpatients with schizophrenia (DSM-IV). Their mean age was 53.08 (SD = 12.08) years. Social life functioning was evaluated using the Rehabilitation Evaluation of Hall and Baker (REHAB). Cognitive function was assessed with the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) and clinical symptoms with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia and the Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale (DIEPSS). Results: The REHAB deviant behavior score showed a significant correlation with the PANSS positive syndrome score (r = 0.55, p < 0.01) and the REHAB general behavior score had significant correlations with the PANSS positive syndrome score (r = 0.28, p < 0.05), the PANSS negative syndrome score (r = 0.53, p < 0.01), and the DIEPSS score (r = 0.43, p < 0.01). However, there was no significant correlation between the scores of the REHAB and the BACS. Conclusion: These results suggest that negative and drug-induced extrapyramidal symptoms are much more important factors related to lowered basic ability of social life of schizophrenia inpatients than cognitive function

Relation between basic ability of social function assessed with Functional Independence Measure and clinical factors in inpatients with schizophrenia

Objective : The aim of the present study is to explore clinical factors associated with basic ability of social life in schizophrenia inpatients. Methods : The subjects were 50 inpatients with schizophrenia (DSM‐IV). Their mean age was 53.08 (SD＝12.08） years. Social life functioning was evaluated using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Cognitive function was assessed with the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) and clinical symptoms with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) and the Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale (DIEPSS). Results : FIM motor subscale score showed a significant correlation with the DIEPSS score (r＝0.33, p＜0.05). The FIM cognitive subscale score showed significant correlations with the PANSS positive syndrome score (r＝－0.30, p＜0.05), the PANSS negative syndrome score (r＝－0.37, p＜0.01） and the DIEPSS score (r＝－0.40, p＜0.01）. Conclusion : These results suggest that positive and negative symptoms and drug-induced extrapyramidal symptoms are much more important factors related to lowered basic ability of social life of schizophrenia inpatients than cognitive function

Inefficient double-strand DNA break repair is associated with increased fasciation in Arabidopsis BRCA2 mutants

BRCA2 is a breast tumour susceptibility factor with functions in maintaining genome stability through ensuring efficient double-strand DNA break (DSB) repair via homologous recombination. Although best known in vertebrates, fungi, and higher plants also possess BRCA2-like genes. To investigate the role of Arabidopsis BRCA2 genes in DNA repair in somatic cells, transposon insertion mutants of the AtBRCA2a and AtBRCA2b genes were identified and characterized. atbrca2a-1 and atbrca2b-1 mutant plants showed hypersensitivity to genotoxic stresses compared to wild-type plants. An atbrca2a-1/atbrca2b-1 double mutant showed an additive increase in sensitivity to genotoxic stresses compared to each single mutant. In addition, it was found that atbrca2 mutant plants displayed fasciation and abnormal phyllotaxy phenotypes with low incidence, and that the ratio of plants exhibiting these phenotypes is increased by γ-irradiation. Interestingly, these phenotypes were also induced by γ-irradiation in wild-type plants. Moreover, it was found that shoot apical meristems of the atbrca2a-1/atbrca2b-1 double mutant show altered cell cycle progression. These data suggest that inefficient DSB repair in the atbrca2a-1/atbrca2b-1 mutant leads to disorganization of the programmed cell cycle of apical meristems