Negative schizophrenic symptoms as prefrontal cortex dysfunction: Examination using a task measuring goal neglect

Background: The negative symptoms of schizophrenia have been proposed to reflect prefrontal cortex dysfunction. However, this proposal has not been consistently supported in functional imaging studies, which have also used executive tasks that may not capture key aspects of negative symptoms such as lack of volition. Method: Twenty-four DSM-5 schizophrenic patients with high negative symptoms (HNS), 25 with absent negative symptoms (ANS) and 30 healthy controls underwent fMRI during performance of the Computerized Multiple Elements Test (CMET), a task designed to measure poor organization of goal directed behaviour or 'goal neglect'. Negative symptoms were rated using the PANSS and the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS). Results: On whole brain analysis, the ANS patients showed no significant clusters of reduced activation compared to the healthy controls. In contrast, the HNS patients showed hypoactivation compared to the healthy controls in the left anterior frontal cortex, the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the anterior insula bilaterally and the bilateral inferior parietal cortex. When compared to the ANS patients, the HNS patients showed reduced activation in the left anterior frontal cortex, the left DLPFC and the left inferior parietal cortex. After controlling for disorganization scores, differences remained in clusters in the left anterior frontal cortex and the bilateral inferior parietal cortex. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that reduced prefrontal activation, perhaps especially in the left anterior frontal cortex, is a brain functional correlate of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The simultaneous finding of reduced inferior parietal cortex activation was unexpected, but could reflect this region's involvement in cognitive control, particularly the 'regulative' component of this

Cytokines: their pathogenic and therapeutic role in chronic viral hepatitis Citoquinas: papel patogénico y terapéutico de las hepatitis crónicas víricas

Cytokines make up a network of molecules involved in the regulation of immune response and organ functional homeostasis. Cytokines coordinate both physiological and pathological processes occurring in the liver during viral infection, including infection control, inflammation, regeneration, and fibrosis. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses interfere with the complex cytokine network brought about by the immune system and liver cells in order to prevent an effective immune response, capable of viral control. This situation leads to intrahepatic sequestration of nonspecific inflammatory infiltrates that release proinflammatory cytokines, which in turn favor chronic inflammation and fibrosis. The therapeutical administration of cytokines such as interferon alpha may result in viral clearance during persistent infection, and revert this process

Negative schizophrenic symptoms as prefrontal cortex dysfunction: Examination using a task measuring goal neglect

Background: The negative symptoms of schizophrenia have been proposed to reflect prefrontal cortex dysfunction. However, this proposal has not been consistently supported in functional imaging studies, which have also used executive tasks that may not capture key aspects of negative symptoms such as lack of volition. Method: Twenty-four DSM-5 schizophrenic patients with high negative symptoms (HNS), 25 with absent negative symptoms (ANS) and 30 healthy controls underwent fMRI during performance of the Computerized Multiple Elements Test (CMET), a task designed to measure poor organization of goal directed behaviour or ‘goal neglect’. Negative symptoms were rated using the PANSS and the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS). Results: On whole brain analysis, the ANS patients showed no significant clusters of reduced activation compared to the healthy controls. In contrast, the HNS patients showed hypoactivation compared to the healthy controls in the left anterior frontal cortex, the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the anterior insula bilaterally and the bilateral inferior parietal cortex. When compared to the ANS patients, the HNS patients showed reduced activation in the left anterior frontal cortex, the left DLPFC and the left inferior parietal cortex. After controlling for disorganization scores, differences remained in clusters in the left anterior frontal cortex and the bilateral inferior parietal cortex. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that reduced prefrontal activation, perhaps especially in the left anterior frontal cortex, is a brain functional correlate of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. The simultaneous finding of reduced inferior parietal cortex activation was unexpected, but could reflect this region’s involvement in cognitive control, particularly the ‘regulative’ component of this

Workshop to scope assessment methods to set thresholds (WKBENTH2)

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires Member States to achieve good environmental status (GES) across their marine waters. The EU have requested ICES to advise on methods for assessing adverse effects on seabed habitats, through selection of relevant indicators for the assessment of benthic habitats and seafloor integrity and associated threshold values for GES in relation to Descriptor 6 – Seabed integrity under the MFSD.Two sets of criteria were developed to evaluate indicators and thresholds respectively for evaluation of suitability for assessing GES. 16 indicator and 12 threshold criteria were compiled and weighted by importance. The criteria were designed for evaluation at a subregional or regional level. The scoring for these criteria is meant as a guidance when choosing indicators and thresholds, so failure to meet one criterion will not necessarily prevent the use of the indicator or threshold in an assessment. The framework was evaluated for 6 indicators and for 11 methods for setting thresholds. The criteria were found to be useful for evaluation both indicators and thresholds. The process works most consistently when there are experts in the group on both the criteria themselves and on the indicators and thresholds.The MFSD Descriptor 6 determination of GES needs both a quality threshold (when are seabed habitats in a good state in a specific location) and an extent threshold (proportion of the assessment area that needs to have seabed habitats in good state). Eleven different methods for setting thresholds were identified, of which more are suitable for setting quality than for extent thresholds. Preferred methods identified an ecologically-motivated difference between a good and degraded state, rather than another transition. Quality thresholds based on the lower boundary of the range of natural variation were considered most promising. This approach can be used for most, but not all, indicators.The WK collated a standardized dataset to test the specificity, sensitivity and/or responsiveness of sampling-based benthic indicators to pressure gradients for evaluation by WKBENTH3. Risk-based methods will be evaluated as maps and by scored sensitivity and impact score per MSFD habitat type and subdivision. Participants provided input into the selection of indicators for the compilation of indicators. A template was developed for documenting the characteristics of each indicator to facilitate the evaluation of the indicators