OBJECTIVES: Deficit schizophrenia (DS) constitutes a disease separate from non-deficit schizophrenia (NDS). The aim of the current study was to compare the quantitative EEG and low resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) imaging between DS and NDS. METHODS: This study was performed by 32 channels EEG for 42 schizophrenia patients who we categorized into DS and NDS using proxy instrument deficit syndrome (PDS). We performed the absolute power spectral analyses for delta, theta, alpha, low beta and high beta activities. We compared power spectrum between two groups using Independent t-test. Partial correlation test was performed with clinical parameters. Standardized LORETA (sLORETA) was used for comparison of cortical activity, and statistical nonparametric mapping (SnPM) was applied for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: DS showed significantly increased delta and theta absolute power in fontal and parietal region compared with NDS (p<0.05). Power spectrum showed significant correlation with 'anergia' and 'hostility/suspiciousness' subscale of brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS)(p<0.05). sLORETA found out the source region (anterior cingulate cortex/limbic part) that delta activity was significantly increased in DS (p=0.042). CONCLUSIONS: DS showed different cortical activity compared with NDS. Our results may suggest QEEG and LORETA could be the marker in differentiating between DS and NDS.
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Magnets ; Naphthalenesulfonates ; Proxy ; Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS) has recently been developed to improve measurement of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. We performed a multi-center study to validate the Korean version of the CAINS (CAINS-K) and explore potential cultural variation. METHODS: One hundred eighty schizophrenia patients diverse in demographic and illness profile were recruited from four centers in Korea. Along with the CAINS-K, the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), a self-report measure of behavioral inhibition and activation (BIS/BAS) and neurocognitive tasks were administered to verify external validities. RESULTS: The CAINS-K showed high internal-consistency (0.92) and inter-rater reliability (0.77). Exploratory Factor Analysis replicated a two-factor structure of the original scale including motivation/pleasure and expression deficits dimensions. Korean patients tended to report lower pleasure compared to American patients in the prior study. The CAINS-K showed an adequate convergent validity with the SANS, negative symptoms of the BPRS, and BAS. A divergent validity was supported as the CAINS-K showed zero or only weak correlations with other symptoms of the BPRS, depression from the CDSS, and neurocognitive tasks. CONCLUSION: The CAINS-K demonstrated high internal consistency and adequate external validities, and is expected to promote studies on negative symptoms in Korean patients with schizophrenia.
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Depression ; Humans ; Korea ; Pleasure ; Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychopathological features such as depression and anxiety in schizophrenics with obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) as well as the severity of OCS according to duration of schizophrenia. METHODS: We randomly selected sixty four inpatients with schizophrenia. We classified the patients into two groups (OCS group, non-OCS group) according to the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Clinical and demographic features were evaluated. To assess OCS, Y-BOCS were performed. The Korean version of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(K-PANSS), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Korean version of the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (K-CDSS), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) were conducted. Independent t-test and chi-square test were conducted to compare the two groups. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between the duration of schizophrenia and the Y-BOCS score. RESULTS: The Y-BOCS, K-CDSS, and BAI scores were higher in the OCS group. There was a significant correlation between the duration of schizophrenia and the Y-BOCS score. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety and depression symptoms were severe in the OCS group. In addition, the results of this study indicate that the longer duration of schizophrenia, the more severe the OCS. Therefore, the evaluation of OCS in schizophrenics should be accompanied by treatment intervention.
Anxiety ; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Depression ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Schizophrenia*

OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy of family intervention in management of schizophrenic patients in China.

METHODSChinese databases CNKI, VIP, WANFANG, CBM and English databases OVID Medline, Science Direct, Web of science, EBSCO were searched systematically from inception to January 2015. Quantitative and empirical studies on the outcomes of social disability screening scale (SDSS), brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS) and positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) of family intervention for Chinese schizophrenic patients were selected. The effect size was derived from the standardized mean difference (SMD), and meta-analysis was conducted to compare effects of family intervention by intervention types, time of intervention, durations of illness and severity of schizophrenia.

RESULTSThe study included 57 articles that met inclusion criteria. SDSS and PANSS scores revealed that the effect was positively associated with the length of intervention time (P<0.0001, P=0.0025); the effect of single family intervention was better than that of combined single and multiple family intervention (P<0.0001, P=0.0131); the effect was better for patients with severe conditions than those with less severe conditions (P<0.0001, P=0.0280). The SDSS showed that the effect was better for patients with shorter disease duration (P<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that the long single family intervention would benefit to schizophrenic patients, particularly for severe patients with short disease duration.

OBJECTIVE: Despite numerous atypical antipsychotics (AAP) available, many patients with schizophrenia still experience lack of efficacy and persistent side-effects. Switching from one AAP to another with a different side-effect profile has become a common clinical strategy. We aimed to investigate effect of switching to amisulpride in patients who showed suboptimal effect and/or tolerability to current antipsychotics treatment. METHODS: This was a 6-week, prospective, multicenter, open-label, flexible-dose study in patients with schizophrenia. Switching to amisulpride was achieved using cross-titration within 7 days (day 1: 300 mg on day 1 then flexibly dosed 400–800 mg/day). The primary end-point measure was proportion of patients achieving improvement in clinical benefit at week 6 based on Clinical Global Impressions-Clinical Benefit (CGI-CB). Secondary endpoints included change in scores in CGI-CB, CGI-Severity (CGI-S), Subjective Satisfaction Scores (SSS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and Simpson and Angus Rating Scale. RESULTS: Among 37 patients switched to amisulpride, 76% completed study and 56.8% had clinical benefit measure by CGI-CB. CGI-CB and CGI-S scores showed significant improvement at week 6 compared to baseline (mean changes of CGI-CB and CGI-S scores: −1.7+1.0, p<0.0001 and −0.6±0.0, p=0.001, respectively). SSS scores also improved significantly (mean change: 2.1±2.6, p<0.0001). Mean weight of patients significantly lowered compared to baseline (mean change: −1.2±2.0, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Patients with schizophrenia who showed suboptimal efficacy or tolerability with their current antipsychotics and thereby switched to amisulpride resulted in clinical benefit in terms of both improved efficacy and tolerability. The small sample size limits generalizability of the study results.
Antipsychotic Agents* ; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Sample Size ; Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical applicability of cognitive evoked potentials (CEPs) to identify the cognitive disorder in cerebrovascular diseases (CVD). METHODS: The P3 latencies, amplitudes and latency to amplitude ratios (LARs) of CEPs were measured in 25 healthy controls and 35 patients with CVD. The association of CEPs with variables including age, sex, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), CVD types, loci of hemiplegic limbs, duration, education, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) were also analyzed. RESULTS: 1) The P3 latencies (447.87+/-113.06 msec) and LARs (65.83+/-43.25) were prolonged in CVD (p<0.01), while the amplitudes (8.18+/-2.51 microV) were not changed. 2) The P3 latencies (537.31+/-101.14 msec) and LARs (94.89+/-46.44) in CVD with MMSE <24 were prolonged, and the amplitudes (6.45+/-1.98 microV) were reduced significantly (p<0.01, respectively), as compared with those in CVD with MMSE> or =24 (363.39+/-19.67 msec, 38.40+/-8.37 and 9.81+/-1.76 microV, respectively). 3) The BPRS and IADL in CVD with MMSE<24 were significantly (p<0.01) different from those in CVD with MMSE> or =24. 4) On analyzing the association of CEPs with variables in CVD, the P3 latencies were correlated positively with age, BPRS and IADL, while negatively with MMSE and DLFA. The amplitudes were correlated positively with MMSE, while negatively with age, BPRS and IADL. The LARs were correlated positively with age, BPRS and IADL, while negatively with MMSE. 5) On analyzing the association of CEPs with variables in CVD with MMSE> or =24, the P3 latencies were correlated positively with age, while negatively with MMSE. The amplitudes and LARs were not correlated with variables. 6) On analyzing the association of CEPs with variables in CVD with MMSE<24, the P3 latencies were correlated positively with BPRS, while negatively with MMSE. The amplitudes were positively correlated with age. The LARs were positively correlated with IADL. CONCLUSIONS: The P3 latencies and LARs of cognitive evoked potentials seemed to a useful clinical measures to assess cognitive disorders in CVD.
Activities of Daily Living ; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Education ; Evoked Potentials* ; Extremities ; Humans

The assessment of patient status in palliative medicine is essential for determining treatments and for clinical outcomes. The objective of assessment tools is to raise the quality of care for individual patients and their families. There are a number of tools available to assess pain, non-pain symptoms and quality of life. The tools are either uni-dimensional or multi-dimensional measures. Unfortunately, however, no single tool is recommended to be a superior to others in symptoms or quality of life assessment. Therefore, to select an appropriate assessment tool, one should consider the time frame and unique characteristics of tools depending on purpose and setting. The combination of prognostic index is highly recommended in prognostication, and web-based prognostic tools are available. Recently, a new objective prognostic score has been constructed through multicenter study in Korea. It does not include clinicalestimates of survival, but includes new objective prognostic factors, therefore, anyone can easily use it. For beginners in palliative medicine, relatively easy-to-use tools would be convenient. We recommend Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status to assess functional status, numeric rating scale for pain assessment and the Korean version of brief pain inventory for initial pain assessment. Asking directly with numeric rating scale or the Korean version of MD Anderson Symptom Inventory would be desirable to assess various symptoms together. We think that European Organization Research and Treatment Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 for Palliative Care is good to assess the quality of life, while Objective Prognostic Score is convenient as prognostic index for beginners.
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Humans ; Korea ; Pain Measurement ; Palliative Care ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was done to assess effects of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) in a community mental health center. METHODS: This study was a non-equivalent control group design with two groups, each of 20 clients. The instruments were the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Global Assessment of Function (GAF), Satisfaction of Life, and the number and duration of admissions. Data collection was done in March, 2010 for the pre-test, and in March, 2011 for the post-test in the S community mental health center in Gyung-gi province. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Fisher's exact test, and Mann-Whitney U test with the SPSS/WIN program. RESULTS: The experimental group showed significant differences in the duration of admission, GAF, and Satisfaction of Life, but not on number of admissions and BPRS. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that ACT can be applied as an effective case management model in Korea.
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Case Management ; Community Mental Health Services ; Data Collection ; Korea ; Mental Health

OBJECTIVE: Weight gain is a commonly encountered problem associated with atypical antipsychotics, especially olanzapine. To investigate the weight reducing effect of amantadine, we conducted an prospective open label study. METHODS: We started amantadine treatment in outpatients who had gained weight during olanzapine treatment (mean dose of 11.94 mg/day, mean weight gain of 6.33 kg). Data were collected at St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea. The add-on treatment of amantadine was given at a mean dose of 161.9 mg/day with mean duration of administration for 110.2 day. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Extrapyramidal Symptom Scale were checked to evaluate the tolerability of amantadine. RESULTS: Before administration of amantadine, the mean dose of olanzapine was 11.94+/-4.58 mg and mean duration of administration was 123.1+/-174.6 days. Body weight and BMI during this period was significantly increased mean 6.33+/-4.45 kg (Z=-3.839, p<0.001), 4.94+/-0.75 (Z=-3.724, p<0.001) respectively. Amantadine was administered mean dose of 161.90+/-58.96 mg for mean 110.2+/-78.7 days. Body weight and BMI was decreased mean 0.96+/-3.44 kg, 0.71+/-2.7, respectively. There was no deterioration in psychiatric symptoms, as shown in BPRS score decrement and no adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSION: The present data suggests that amantadine does not significantly decrease weight gain experienced by some patients during olanzapine treatment and does not worse psychotic symptoms. Randomized placebo-controlled trial should be needed to confirm these findings.
Amantadine* ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Body Weight ; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Humans ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Prospective Studies ; Weight Gain*

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy, tolerability and safety of quetiapine in schizophrenia patients diagnosed by the diagnostic criteria of schizophrenia of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual 4th edition was studied in psychiatric department of 4 hospital in Korea. METHODS: Sixty-four patients (male 31, female 33;age 34.2+/-10.4 years; illness duration 8.1+/-8.3 years) who showed acute exacerbation, partial response, or intolerable adverse event to previous antipsychotic drugs were recruited. Doses of quetiapine were adjusted to maximize efficacy and minimize adverse events. Efficacy was assessed by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale. Tolerability and safety were assessed by reports of adverse events, clinically significant abnormal laboratory values and changes from the baseline to week 8 in the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) and Simpson-Angus total score as index of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS). RESULTS: Fiftythree patients completed the 8 weeks trial. The clinical symptoms indexed by BPRS were significantly improved (baseline score=37.9+/-13.0, score at the end=24.3+/-13.6;F=41.5, d.f.=2.4, p=0.000). The CGI score of severity of illness was also significantly reduced (baseline score=4.7+/-1.1, score at the end= 3.6+/-1.2;F=27.6, d.f.=2.2, p=0.000). The frequencies of the worsening of AIMS and Simpson-Angus scores at the end of study were 7.5% and 4.2%, respectively. The most common adverse events of at least moderate intensity were EPS (9.3%), constipation (6.3%), and sedation (4.7%). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that quetiapine is effective, may have a favorable EPS, and has overall safe tolerability in the patients with schizophrenia, and schizophreniform disorder.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Constipation ; Dyskinesias ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Psychotic Disorders ; Schizophrenia* ; Quetiapine Fumarate