Seasonal influences on first-episode admission in affective and non-affective psychosis

Background: Since bipolar affective disorder has been recorded, clinicians treating patients with this disorder have noted the cyclic nature of episodes, particularly an increase in mania in the spring and summer months and depression during winter. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate seasonality in symptom onset and service admissions over a period of 10 years in a group of patients (n= 359) with first-episode (FE) mania (n= 133), FE schizoaffective disorder (n= 49) and FE schizophrenia (n= 177). Method: Patients were recruited if they were between 15 and 28 years of age and if they resided in the geographical mental health service catchment area. The number of patients experiencing symptom onset and service admission over each month and season was recorded. Results: In terms of seasonality of time of service admission, the results indicate a high overall seasonality (particularly in men), which was observed in both the schizoaffective and the bipolar groups. In terms of seasonality of symptom onset, the results indicate that seasonality remains in the male bipolar group, but other groups have no seasonal trend. Conclusions: This provides further evidence that systems mediating the entrainment of biological rhythms to the environment may be more pronounced in BPAD than in schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia. These results may help facilitate the preparedness of mental heath services for patients at different times of the yea

Glutathione depletion in animal models of psychiatric disorders

Objective: Patients with bipolar disorder report impairments ofsocial functioning and the maintenance of relationships. This’compromise’ is often accompanied by cognitive deficits acrossmood states. An area of executive functioning that has saliencein this context is that of Theory of Mind (ToM). ToMunderpins an individual’s ability to comprehend and respondsuitably by way of attributing mental states to others. We soughtto explore this using a novel functional magnetic resonanceimaging (fMRI) compatible ToM paradigm.Methods: Twenty adult right-handed euthymic bipolar patientsand twenty age and gender-matched controls underwent clinicalassessment and fMRI using a ToM paradigm. Subjects completeda 10 min block design experiment using alternating ToM and non-ToM conditions. fMRI volumes were acquired using a gradientecho planar imaging sequence and each volume contained 28-non-interleaved-4 mm thick slices. T1-weighted high-resolution imageswere also acquired. Concurrent eye-movement recording allowedpsychophysiological measures to be acquired.Results: Findings from preliminary analyses indicate the presenceof a differential pattern of prefrontal activation between the twogroups. Both groups showed activation in occipital regionsconsistent with recognition of shape, colour and movement -however, only the control group had activation in the prefrontalcortex to the ToM condition.Conclusions: A lack of activation to ToM in bipolar patientssuggests dysfunction of fronto-limbic regulation that forms thesubstrate of social cognition. This has salience both clinically andwith respect to better understanding the pathophysiology ofbipolar disorder

Adolescents and young adults who are not in employment, education, or training

Newcastle Univ, Inst Neurosci, Wolfson Unit, Dept Acad Psychiat, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 6BE, Tyne & Wear, EnglandUniv Sussex, Dept Psychol, Brighton, E Sussex, EnglandUniv Melbourne, Orygen Youth Mental Hlth Res Ctr, Melbourne, Vic, AustraliaUniv Warwick, Warwick, EnglandUniv New S Wales, Black Dog Inst, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaUniv Sydney, Brain & Mind Res Inst, Sydney, NSW 2006, AustraliaUniv Manchester, Inst Brain Behav & Mental Hlth, Manchester, Lancs, EnglandSt Patricks Mental Hlth Serv, Young Adult Serv, Dublin, IrelandUniv Copenhagen, OPUS Early Intervent Serv, Copenhagen, DenmarkUniv Warwick, Dept Mental Hlth & Wellbeing, Warwick, EnglandUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, PRISMA Early Intervent Serv, São Paulo, BrazilOntario Ctr Excellence Child & Youth Mental Hlt, Ottawa, ON, CanadaUniv Lausanne, Dept Psychiat CHUV, Lausanne, SwitzerlandUniv Paris 07, Dept Adult Psychiat & Addict, Paris, FranceRobert Debre Univ Hosp, Dept Child & Adolescent Psychiat, Paris, FranceNTW NHS Trust, Early Intervent Psychosis Serv, Sunderland, EnglandUniv Sydney, Sch Business, Workplace Res Ctr, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaUniv Barcelona, IDIBAPS CIBERSAM, Inst Neurosci, Barcelona, SpainTech Univ Dresden, Dept Psychiat & Psychotherapy, D-01062 Dresden, GermanyInst Psychiat, Sect Psychosis Studies, London, EnglandUniv Sydney, Brain & Mind Res Inst, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, PRISMA Early Intervent Serv, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Adolescents and young adults who are not in employment, education, or training

Newcastle Univ, Inst Neurosci, Wolfson Unit, Dept Acad Psychiat, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 6BE, Tyne & Wear, EnglandUniv Sussex, Dept Psychol, Brighton, E Sussex, EnglandUniv Melbourne, Orygen Youth Mental Hlth Res Ctr, Melbourne, Vic, AustraliaUniv Warwick, Warwick, EnglandUniv New S Wales, Black Dog Inst, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaUniv Sydney, Brain & Mind Res Inst, Sydney, NSW 2006, AustraliaUniv Manchester, Inst Brain Behav & Mental Hlth, Manchester, Lancs, EnglandSt Patricks Mental Hlth Serv, Young Adult Serv, Dublin, IrelandUniv Copenhagen, OPUS Early Intervent Serv, Copenhagen, DenmarkUniv Warwick, Dept Mental Hlth & Wellbeing, Warwick, EnglandUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, PRISMA Early Intervent Serv, São Paulo, BrazilOntario Ctr Excellence Child & Youth Mental Hlt, Ottawa, ON, CanadaUniv Lausanne, Dept Psychiat CHUV, Lausanne, SwitzerlandUniv Paris 07, Dept Adult Psychiat & Addict, Paris, FranceRobert Debre Univ Hosp, Dept Child & Adolescent Psychiat, Paris, FranceNTW NHS Trust, Early Intervent Psychosis Serv, Sunderland, EnglandUniv Sydney, Sch Business, Workplace Res Ctr, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaUniv Barcelona, IDIBAPS CIBERSAM, Inst Neurosci, Barcelona, SpainTech Univ Dresden, Dept Psychiat & Psychotherapy, D-01062 Dresden, GermanyInst Psychiat, Sect Psychosis Studies, London, EnglandUniv Sydney, Brain & Mind Res Inst, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, PRISMA Early Intervent Serv, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc