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Multidimensional Comparison of Personality Characteristics in Genetic High Risk for Schizophrenia, First Episode Psychosis and Healthy Controls.

Jae Wook HAN ; Sung Nyun KIM ; Jin Woo PARK ; Je Yeon YUN ; Na Young SHIN ; Ji Won HUR ; Seung Won KIM ; Jun Soo KWON

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research.2012;15(2):73-80. doi:10.16946/kjsr.2012.15.2.73

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have suggested that some personality characteristics are associated with the onset, prognosis and social function in schizophrenia patients. However few is known about the personality and affective characteristic of genetic high risk group (GHR) for schizophrenia. This study aimed to investigate the personality and the affective characteristic of GHR group for schizophrenia. METHODS: Participants were 54 healthy controls (HC), 26 subjects with GHR for schizophrenia and 28 subjects with first episode psychosis (FEP). We performed three self-report questionnaires; NEO-Personality Inventory-Revised, State and Anger Expression Inventory and Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule. RESULTS: The GHR group showed higher score in agreeableness item than the HC (p=0.028). In extraversion item, the FEP group showed significantly lower scores than the HC (p=0.001). The GHR group showed lower scores in neuroticism item compared with FEP group in trend level. The FEP group showed higher trait-anger, lower positive affect and higher negative affect compared with the others. CONCLUSION: The GHR group seem to share certain vulnerable personality and affective characteristics for schizophrenia with the FEP group. On the other hands, the GHR group appeared to be more agreeable than the other groups, which might act as the compensation for other impaired functions.
Anger ; Anxiety Disorders ; Compensation and Redress ; Extraversion (Psychology) ; Hand ; Humans ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Prognosis ; Psychotic Disorders ; Schizophrenia

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Working Memory Deficits in Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis and Schizophrenia.

Im Hong JEON ; Jong Suk PARK ; Jin Young PARK ; Hye Hyun CHO ; Se Jun KOO ; Eun LEE ; Suk Kyoon AN ; Sun Kook YOO

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research.2012;15(2):66-72. doi:10.16946/kjsr.2012.15.2.66

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate whether verbal and spatial working memory functions were impaired not only in patients with schizophrenia but also in people at ultra-high risk for first-episode psychosis. METHODS: Twenty-five patients (M 13, F 12) with schizophrenia (SPR), 21 people at ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR)(M 10, F 11) and 19 normal controls (NC)(M 10, F 9) were recruited. The working memory was assessed by using the verbal and spatial n-back test. The working memory load increased incrementally from the 0-back to the 3-back condition. RESULTS: SPR performed significantly lower than NC and UHR in terms of hit rates of verbal and spatial n-back test. UHR subjects conducted significantly lower than NC and higher in trend-level than SPR in terms of hit rates of verbal and spatial n-back test. These differences were derived from the high working memory load (2-back and 3-back), not from the low working memory load (0-back and 1-back). There was no significant difference between the verbal and spatial n-back test across the three groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that verbal and spatial working memory dysfunction may be general rather than differential in terms of stimuli modality, and this working memory deficit may be an important trait factor in schizophrenia.
Humans ; Memory, Short-Term ; Psychotic Disorders ; Schizophrenia

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The Characteristics of Associative Learning of Reward Approach and Loss Aversion in Schizophrenia.

Sunyoung PARK ; Seok Hyeong KIM ; Il Ho PARK ; Jung Hwan KIM ; Jae Jin KIM ; Min Seong KOO ; Jungeun SONG

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research.2012;15(2):59-65. doi:10.16946/kjsr.2012.15.2.59

OBJECTIVES: Schizophrenia patients have deficits of prediction and learning related to dopaminergic dysfunction. It is hypothesized that there would be different characteristics in associative learning of reward approach and loss aversion between controls and patients. METHODS: Participants were 23 healthy participants and 20 out-patients fulfilling criteria for schizophrenia according DSM-IV-TR. Using a monetary incentive contingency reversal task, successful learning rates, numbers of trials and errors till learning, numbers of trials of maintaining learning, response times were measured. Characteristics of learning were compared between controls and patients. RESULTS: Physical anhedonia and PANSS negative symptom scores correlated with the number of trials while loss aversion was maintained. Overall correct response rates were decreased in patient group, particularly during reward approach learning. Patients required more trials and errors to learn reward approach than controls. There were no significant differences in learning performance and reaction times between groups during loss avoidance learning. CONCLUSION: These results support previous reports of deficits in reward-driven learning in schizophrenia. However, anhedonia and negative symptoms were associated with the preserved function of loss avoidance learning.
Anhedonia ; Avoidance Learning ; Humans ; Learning ; Motivation ; Outpatients ; Reaction Time ; Reinforcement (Psychology) ; Reward ; Schizophrenia

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A Study on the Neurobiological Basis of Communicative Intelligence Using Voxel-Based Morphometry.

Joohan KIM ; Shin Ae YOON ; Hae Jeong PARK

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research.2015;18(1):35-42. doi:10.16946/kjsr.2015.18.1.35

OBJECTIVES: To develop reliable tools for measuring communication skills in schizophrenia, the present study proposed the concept of communication intelligence, consisting of conversational competence, emotional competence, and empathic competence, and explored its neurobiological underpinnings using regional gray matter volume with healthy people. METHODS: Communicative intelligence scores were obtained from 126 healthy young participants. Correlation analyses between regional volume distributions and communication intelligence subcomponents were conducted using voxel-based morphometry of structural MRI. RESULTS: The significant positive correlations between the regional gray matter volumes with conversational competence were found mainly at the ventromedial frontal gyrus while the negative correlations between the bilateral middle frontal gyrus. With emotional competence, the volume of right superior temporal gyrus was positively and that of bilateral insula was negatively correlated. With empathic competence, the volume of the left middle frontal gyrus was positively and that of the insula was negatively correlated. CONCLUSION: Each of the subcomponents of communicative intelligence scores showed distinctive neurobiological underpinnings. The regions for the subcomponents, which constitute a common network for social cognition and emotion, are highly associated with the regions of the schizophrenia pathology. In conclusion, communicative intelligence scales have neurobiological basis to evaluate social skills of patients with schizophrenia.
Cognition ; Humans ; Intelligence* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mental Competency ; Pathology ; Schizophrenia ; Weights and Measures

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A Comparison of Magical Ideation in Nonclinical Adolescent and Adult Groups : An Item Response Theory Based Differential Item Functioning Analysis.

Jung LEE ; Sumi PARK ; Yeni KIM ; Yong Sik KIM ; Hee Yeon JUNG

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research.2015;18(1):28-34. doi:10.16946/kjsr.2015.18.1.28

OBJECTIVES: We examined magical ideation in adolescent and adult group by Magical Ideation Scale (MIS). We also explored how adolescents and adults respond differently to each items of MIS. METHODS: 310 nonclinical adults and 310 Year 10 students participated in this study, and completed MIS and Symptom Checklist 90-revision (SCL-90-R). Total scores of MIS were compared between adults and adolescents. The item characteristics of MIS were evaluated by item response theory (IRT). Differential item functioning (DIF) was detected using the parameters of IRT. RESULTS: Total score of MIS was higher in adolescents than in adults, but there was no statistical significance. Item 5, 10, 13, and 16 showed significant difference on item difficulty parameters and were identified as DIF. Among DIF items, item 5 was more difficult for adolescents than adults. Item 10, 13, and 16 were more difficult for adults than adolescents. The modified MIS score excluding 4 DIF items was significantly higher in adolescents than adults. CONCLUSION: The influence of age on response to DIF items should be considered when comparing MIS scores between adolescents and adults.
Adolescent* ; Adult* ; Checklist ; Humans ; Magic*

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Characteristics of Self-Other Boundary Recognition Using Morphed Face Pictures in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Seung Taek OH ; Yeon Ju HONG ; Yu Bin SHIN ; Hyung Jun YOON ; Ja Yeun SUN ; Dae Hyun KIM ; Jae Min KIM ; Jae Jin KIM

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research.2015;18(1):21-27. doi:10.16946/kjsr.2015.18.1.21

OBJECTIVES: Disturbance in self-experience has been considered to be a core feature of schizophrenia. Evidence from mirror face-recognition tasks supports the connection between self-face recognition and self-awareness which is a part of self-experience. The aim of this study was to investigate the self-other boundary recognition using morphed face pictures in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with schizophrenia and twenty-three healthy controls completed the self-face recognition task that consisted of various morphed pictures. Participant's own picture was morphed with each of three different, unknown, gender-matched facial identities in steps of 10% ; each pair producing 11 images with graded blending of facial features. Thirty-three images in total were randomly presented as stimuli in a run, which was repeated three times. Participants were instructed to choose whether the stimulus was self-face or not. RESULTS: Self-face proportion was significantly lower in the schizophrenia group at both recognition start point I and II (33.33% vs. 53.04%, p<0.001 ; 61.43% vs. 70.87%, p=0.01, respectively). Using the mean value of each recognition start point in the control group, we calculated the difference in self-face proportion for each individual with schizophrenia. There was a significant correlation between the degree of this difference and total Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) score at recognition start point I (r=0.507, p=0.019). CONCLUSION: The difference in self-other boundary recognition in this study may account for self-disturbance of schizophrenia. Its correlation with SANS total score may reflect the shared nature of persistent disturbance between the disturbance in self-experience and the negative symptom.
Humans ; Schizophrenia*

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Attitudes Toward the Dangerousness of the Mentally Ill.

Jisun PARK

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research.2015;18(1):16-20. doi:10.16946/kjsr.2015.18.1.16

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study is to investigate the attitudes of people toward the dangerousness of the mentally ill. The study eventually aims to contribute to developing strategies for reducing prejudice against people with mental illness. METHODS: A total of 358 college students participated in the study. A 6-item questionnaire was administered to examine attitudes toward the dangerousness of the mentally ill, with Belief in a Just World Scale. Then, attitudes toward crime committed by patients with different types of mental illness (Schizophrenia, Depressive disorder, Bipolar disorder, Panic disorder, PTSD, Dementia, ADHD, and Mental Retardation) were assessed. RESULTS: People strongly believed that most of the crime by the mentally ill was committed on the spur of the moment, and that crime of the mentally ill had recently increased. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between prejudice against the dangerousness of the mentally ill and just-world beliefs. In addition, patients with Schizophrenia were assessed to be the most dangerous out of 8 different types of mental illness. CONCLUSION: There exists considerable prejudices against the dangerousness of the mentally ill, especially those with schizophrenia. The present findings emphasize the urgent need to clarify misunderstandings regarding the dangerousness of the mentally ill.
Bipolar Disorder ; Crime ; Dangerous Behavior* ; Dementia ; Depressive Disorder ; Humans ; Mentally Ill Persons* ; Panic Disorder ; Prejudice ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Schizophrenia ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

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Correlates of Violence in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Joonho CHOI ; Seon Cheol PARK

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research.2015;18(1):10-15. doi:10.16946/kjsr.2015.18.1.10

Therapeutic social environments contribute to the successful treatment and rehabilitation for patients with schizophrenia. However, social stigmata of psychiatric disorder in our society have kept away schizophrenic patients from their recovery and adaptation. Many persons have thought that psychiatric patients are more violent and criminal because of overwhelming prejudice on untreated or mistreated patients with schizophrenia. The purpose of this review is to propose the new and updated fundamentals of our knowledge on the relationship between schizophrenia and violence. In 1980s, many researchers have a belief that rates of criminal behavior vary independently on the rates of mental disorders. The following scientific studies on various population and meta-analyses of relevant data, overall violence rate have been higher in patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders than in healthy controls. Even though schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are associated with increased risk of homicide, the association has been not attributed to the psychopathology limited to schizophrenia. Most of all, co-occurrence of substance abuse has played an important role in increasing the possibility of violent behavior. The severe violent offending has been inclined to occur during the early period of psychotic episode before beginning the psychiatric treatment. Thus, most of the violent offending of schizophrenia patient can be prevented by prompt therapeutic interventions and treatments.
Christianity ; Criminals ; Homicide ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Prejudice ; Psychopathology ; Psychotic Disorders ; Rehabilitation ; Schizophrenia* ; Social Environment ; Social Stigma ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Violence*

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Suicide in Patients with Schizophrenia : A Review on the Findings of Recent Studies.

Hoseon LEE ; Kounseok LEE ; Jae Woo KOO ; Seon Cheol PARK

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research.2015;18(1):5-9. doi:10.16946/kjsr.2015.18.1.5

The suicide risk of patients with schizophrenia is about 8.5-fold greater than that of the general population. Since 4-13% of patients with schizophrenia commit suicide, and 25-50% attempt suicide at least once during their lifetime, suicide can be a main cause of their higher mortality rate as compared with that of the general population. While evidence suggests that previous depressive disorders, previous suicide attempts, drug misuse, agitation or motor restlessness, fear of mental disintegration, poor adherence to treatment, and recent loss of another person are associated with the increased risk of suicide in schizophrenia, hallucinations have been associated with decreased suicide risk. Despite there being at least modest evidence suggesting that antipsychotics protect against suicidal risk, clozapine has been shown to be the most favorable second-generation antipsychotic for preventing suicide in patients with schizophrenia. In addition, selective serotonin receptor inhibitors can ameliorate suicidal ideation in schizophrenia. Furthermore, individual psychosocial interventions and psychotherapy, and reducing stigma, can be integral strategies for the prevention of suicide in schizophrenia. Further study is needed to identify the epidemiological characteristics and clinical correlates of suicide in Korean patients with schizophrenia, and provide an effective strategy for its prevention in Korea.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Clozapine ; Depressive Disorder ; Dihydroergotamine ; Hallucinations ; Humans ; Korea ; Mortality ; Psychomotor Agitation ; Psychotherapy ; Schizophrenia* ; Serotonin ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide*

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The PTPRD (Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type Delta) Gene Polymorphism and Antipsychotic-Induced Restless Legs Syndrome in Schizophrenia.

Ho Jin JUNG ; Chul Hyun CHO ; Seung Gul KANG ; Heon Jeong LEE

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research.2014;17(1):43-46. doi:10.16946/kjsr.2014.17.1.43

OBJECTIVES: The previous genome-wide association studies have revealed several candidate genes for restless legs syndrome (RLS). The PTPRD (protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type delta) gene is one of the candidate genes for RLS. The occurrence of antipsychotic-related RLS could also be attributable to differences in genetic susceptibility. This study aimed to investigate whether PTPRD polymorphism is associated with antipsychotic-related RLS in schizophrenia. METHODS: We assessed symptoms of antipsychotic-induced RLS in 190 Korean schizophrenic patients and divided the subjects into two groups according to the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group diagnostic criteria : (i) subjects that met all of the criteria (n=44) and (ii) the remaining subjects who were not considered to be RLS patients (n=146). PTPRD rs462664 was genotyped by PCR in 190 individuals. The chi2-test was performed to compare differences between two groups. RESULTS: The frequencies of genotype (chi2=1.31, p=0.519) of the PTPRD rs462664 did not differ significantly between schizophrenic patients with and without RLS. The difference of allele frequencies (chi2=1.30, p=0.25) of the PTPRD rs462664 between the schizophrenic patients with and without RLS were not significant. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that PTPRD gene polymorphism does not play a major role in susceptibility to antipsychotic-related RLS in schizophrenia. This finding suggests that antipsychotic-induced RLS may have a different pathogenesis compared to primary RLS.
Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Restless Legs Syndrome* ; Schizophrenia* ; Tyrosine*

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