OBJECTIVE: Although early intervention from the beginning of a psychotic episode is essential for a better prognosis, biomarkers predictive of symptomatic and functional improvement in early psychotic disorders are lacking. This study aimed to investigate whether the spectral power of resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) can be used as a predictive marker of the 1-year prognosis in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP). METHODS: Twenty-four patients with FEP and matched healthy control (HC) subjects were examined with resting-state EEG at baseline. The symptomatic severity and functional status of FEP patients were assessed at baseline and reassessed after 1 year of usual treatment. Repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to compare EEG spectral powers across the groups. Multiple regression analysis revealed EEG spectral powers predictive of symptomatic and functional improvement in FEP patients at the 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: Delta band power in the frontal and posterior regions was significantly higher in patients with FEP than in HCs. Higher delta band power in the posterior region predicted later improvement of positive symptoms and general functional status. Lower delta band power in the frontal region predicted improvement of negative symptoms and general functioning after 1 year. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that increased delta absolute power is observed from the beginning of psychotic disorders. Furthermore, decreased delta power in the frontal region and increased delta power in the posterior region might be used as a predictive marker of a better prognosis of FEP, which would aid early intervention in clinical practice.
Biomarkers ; Early Intervention (Education) ; Electroencephalography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Prognosis ; Psychotic Disorders

Objective: This study aims to examine the effect of giving probiotic adjuvant therapy on improving clinical symptoms & IL-6 levels in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: This research was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted at Dadi Psychiatric Hospital, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia in November–December 2021. The sample of the research was patients with schizophrenia undergoing hospitalization who received therapeutic doses of risperidone with a total of 21 samples in each treatment and control group. Research subjects were measured with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at baseline, 2nd, 4th, and 6th weeks. The treatment group received one capsule/12 hours/oral of probiotics for six weeks and the control group received 1 capsule/12 hours/oral placebo for 6 weeks. In addition, two measurements of IL-6 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed in both groups, namely at the beginning of week 0 and the end of the 6th week. Results: We found the decrease in the PANSS value which described the improvement in clinical symptoms of the schizophrenic group after receiving therapeutic doses of antipsychotics and probiotic capsules or the treatment group as well as the schizophrenia group receiving therapeutic doses of antipsychotics and placebo capsules or the control group. Conclusion Improvements in clinical symptoms and decreased levels of IL-6 in the group of patients with schizophrenia who received risperidone with probiotic adjuvant therapy were better than in the group of patients with schizophrenia who received risperidone without probiotics as adjuvant therapy.