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Journal ArticleDOI

Sleep disturbances in patients with schizophrenia : impact and effect of antipsychotics.

01 Jan 2008-CNS Drugs (Springer International Publishing)-Vol. 22, Iss: 11, pp 939-962
TL;DR: It appears possible that the high-potency drugs exert their effects on sleep in schizophrenic patients, for the most part, in an indirect way by suppressing stressful psychotic symptomatology.
Abstract: Difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep are frequently encountered in patients with schizophrenia. Disturbed sleep can be found in 30–80% of schizophrenic patients, depending on the degree of psychotic symptomatology. Measured by polysomnography, reduced sleep efficiency and total sleep time, as well as increased sleep latency, are found in most patients with schizophrenia and appear to be an important part of the pathophysiology of this disorder. Some studies also reported alterations of stage 2 sleep, slow-wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep variables, i.e. reduced REM latency and REM density. A number of sleep parameters, such as the amount of SWS and the REM latency, are significantly correlated to clinical variables, including severity of illness, positive symptoms, negative symptoms, outcome, neurocognitive impairment and brain structure. Concerning specific sleep disorders, there is some evidence that schizophrenic patients carry a higher risk of experiencing a sleep-related breathing disorder, especially those demonstrating the known risk factors, including being overweight but also long-term use of antipsychotics. However, it is still unclear whether periodic leg movements in sleep or restless legs syndrome (RLS) are found with a higher or lower prevalence in schizophrenic patients than in healthy controls. There are no consistent effects of first-generation antipsychotics on measuresof sleep continuity and sleep structure, including the percentage of sleep stages or sleep and REM latency in healthy controls. In contrast to first-generation antipsychotics, the studied atypical antipsychotics (clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, ziprasidone and paliperidone) demonstrate a relatively consistent effect on measures of sleep continuity, with an increase in either total sleep time (TST) or sleep efficiency, and individually varying effects on other sleep parameters, such as an increase in REM latency observed for olanzapine, quetiapine and ziprasidone, and an increase in SWS documented for olanzapine and ziprasidone in healthy subjects. The treatment of schizophrenic patients with first-generation antipsychotics is consistently associated with an increase in TST and sleep efficiency, and mostly an increase in REM latency, whereas the influence on specific sleep stages is more variable. On the other hand, withdrawal of such treatment is followed by a change in sleep structure mainly in the opposite direction, indicating a deterioration of sleep quality. On the background of the rather inconsistent effects of first-generation antipsychotics observed in healthy subjects, it appears possible that the high-potency drugs exert their effects on sleep in schizophrenic patients, for the most part, in an indirect way by suppressing stressful psychotic symptomatology. In contrast, the available data concerning second-generation antipsychotics (clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone and paliperidone) demonstrate a relatively consistent effect on measures of sleep continuity in patients and healthy subjects, with an increase in TST and sleep efficiency or a decrease in wakefulness. Additionally, clozapine and olanzapine demonstrate comparable influences on other sleep variables, such as SWS or REM density, in controls and schizophrenic patients. Possibly, the effects of second-generation antipsychotics observed on sleep in healthy subjects and schizophrenic patients might involve the action of these drugs on symptomatology, such as depression, cognitive impairment, and negative and positive symptoms. Specific sleep disorders, such as RLS, sleep-related breathing disorders, night-eating syndrome, somnambulism and rhythm disorders have been described as possible adverse effects of antipsychotics and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of disturbed or unrestful sleep in this population.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the relationship between the VNTR variant of the PER3 gene and genetic predisposition of schizophrenia in a Turkish population and found no significant differences in the genotype distribution and allele frequency, between the schizophrenia and control groups.
Abstract: Introduction: Up to 80% of patients who suffer from schizophrenia have sleep impairments, which affect physical and mental health, as well as quality of life. Several tandem repeat polymorphisms (VNTRs) in the Period 3 (Per3) gene have been associated with heritable sleep and circadian variables. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the VNTR variant of the PER3 gene and genetic predisposition of schizophrenia in a Turkish population. Method: Blood samples were taken from 100 patients with schizophrenia, and from 100 normal controls who are age and sex-matched. PER3 genotyping was performed on DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers. Results: For the PER3 VNTR polymorphism, we found no significant differences in the genotype distribution and allele frequency, between the schizophrenia and control groups. No association was noted between clinical and demographical characteristics of schizophrenia patients and the PER3 VNTR genotype distribution. Conclusions: This is the first study investigating association of the PER3 VNTR polymorphism with schizophrenia in a Turkish population. In conclusion, the results of this study do not support an association between the PER3 VNTR polymorphism and risk of schizophrenia in a Turkish population.

1 citations

Book ChapterDOI
01 Jan 2020
TL;DR: Psychiatric disorders and sleep dysfunction are closely linked and studies suggest that unless one addresses sleep conditions, reaching remission for psychiatric conditions may be challenging, with concordant increases in relapse risk.
Abstract: Psychiatric disorders and sleep dysfunction are closely linked. This relationship has been shown to be bidirectional. Insomnia, fatigue, and sleep changes can be diagnostic in mood, anxiety, and neurodevelopmental disorders, while sleep disorders may present with significant neuropsychiatric symptomatology. Studies suggest that unless one addresses sleep conditions, reaching remission for psychiatric conditions may be challenging, with concordant increases in relapse risk. Insomnia has been associated with increased suicidality independent of the presence of a mood component.

1 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyse gender and age-specific variations in microstructures of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and provide reference values for micro-structures, where necessary for men and women separately and/or stratified by age.
Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to analyse gender- and age-specific variations in microstructures of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and to provide reference values for microstructures. The results are based on Somnolyzer 24 × 7 (The Siesta Group Schlafanalyse GmbH., Vienna, Austria) evaluation of data from the SIESTA database. Data from 160 healthy subjects (74 men and 86 women; age range 20–95 years) were considered and a total of 11 REM sleep-related variables analysed. Some of the variables, i.e., REM and slow eye movement (SEM) density, SEM intensity and the REM sleep arousal index, are fairly constant across ages and do not differ between men and women. The atonia index shows gender-specific differences, but does not vary with age among healthy subjects; whereas REM intensity and the time in tonic REM sleep decrease with age, without differences between men and women. Time in stage R sleep (minutes and percentage of total sleep time, TST) and the time in phasic stage R sleep vary with both age and gender. Given the relevance of sleep microstructures in research and potentially also in clinical studies, there is a need for reference values indicating the range of variation of these variables in healthy subjects. Reference values always have the limitation that they refer to the specific method of assessment. Where different detection algorithms are used, the reference values might vary. The reference values presented here—where necessary for men and women separately and/or stratified by age—refer to microstructures assessed by the feature extraction module of the Somnolyzer 24 × 7.

1 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article , the authors examined whether scalable computational measures of spoken language, and smartphone usage pattern, could serve as digital biomarkers of clinical disorganization symptoms in adults with a psychotic disorder.

1 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Review of five studies involving the PANSS provided evidence of its criterion-related validity with antecedent, genealogical, and concurrent measures, its predictive validity, its drug sensitivity, and its utility for both typological and dimensional assessment.
Abstract: The variable results of positive-negative research with schizophrenics underscore the importance of well-characterized, standardized measurement techniques. We report on the development and initial standardization of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for typological and dimensional assessment. Based on two established psychiatric rating systems, the 30-item PANSS was conceived as an operationalized, drug-sensitive instrument that provides balanced representation of positive and negative symptoms and gauges their relationship to one another and to global psychopathology. It thus constitutes four scales measuring positive and negative syndromes, their differential, and general severity of illness. Study of 101 schizophrenics found the four scales to be normally distributed and supported their reliability and stability. Positive and negative scores were inversely correlated once their common association with general psychopathology was extracted, suggesting that they represent mutually exclusive constructs. Review of five studies involving the PANSS provided evidence of its criterion-related validity with antecedent, genealogical, and concurrent measures, its predictive validity, its drug sensitivity, and its utility for both typological and dimensional assessment.

18,358 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BRS) as mentioned in this paper was developed to provide a rapid assessment technique particularly suited to the evaluation of patient change, and it is recommended for use where efficiency, speed, and economy are important considerations.
Abstract: The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale was developed to provide a rapid assessment technique particularly suited to the evaluation of patient change. Sixteen symptom constructs which have resulted from factor analyses of several larger sets of items, principally Lorr's Multidimensional Scale for Rating Psychiatric Patients (MSRPP) (1953) and Inpatient Multidimensional Psychiatric Scale (IMPS) (1960), have been included for rating on 7-point ordered category rating scales. The attempt has been to include a single scale to record degree of symptomacology in each of the relatively independent symptom areas which have been identified. Some of the preliminary work which has led to the identification of primary symptom constructs has been published (Gorham & Overall, 1960, 1961, Overall, Gorharn, & Shawver, 1961). While other reports are in preparation, applications of the Brief Scale in both pure and applied research suggest the importance of presenting the basic instrument to the wider scientific audience at this time, together with recommendations for its standard use. The primary purpose in developing the Brief Scale has been the development of a highly efficient, rapid evaluation procedure for use in assessing treatment change in psychiatric patients while at the same time yielding a rather comprehensive description of major symptom characteristics. It is recommended for use where efficiency, speed, and economy are important considerations, while more detailed evaluation procedures, such as those developed by Lorr (1953, 1961) should perhaps be wed in other cases. In order to achieve the maximum effectiveness in use of the Brief Scale, a standard interview procedure and more detailed description of rating concepts are included in this report. In addition, each symptom concept is defined briefly in the rating scale statements themselves. Raters using the scale should become thoroughly familiar with the scale definitions presented herein, after which the rating scale statements should be sufficient to provide recall of the nature and delineation of each symptom area. , To increase the reliability of ratings, it is recommended that patients be interviewed jointly by a team of two clinicians, with the two raters making independent ratings at the completion of the interview. An alternative procedure which has been recommended by some is to have raters discuss and arrive at a

10,457 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Among the newer antipsychotic agents, clozapine appears to have the greatest potential to induce weight gain, and ziprasidone the least, and the differences among newer agents may affect compliance with medication and health risk.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to estimate and compare the effects of anti­psychotics—both the newer ones and the conventional ones—on body weight. METHOD: A comprehensive literature search identified 81 English- and non-English-language articles that included data on weight change in antipsychotic-treated patients. For each agent, a meta-analysis and random effects metaregression estimated the weight change after 10 weeks of treatment at a standard dose. A comprehensive narrative review was also conducted on all articles that did not yield quantitative information but did yield important qualitative information. RESULTS: Placebo was associated with a mean weight reduction of 0.74 kg. Among conventional agents, mean weight change ranged from a reduction of 0.39 kg with molindone to an increase of 3.19 kg with thioridazine. Among newer antipsychotic agents, mean increases were as follows: clozapine, 4.45 kg; olanzapine, 4.15 kg; sertindole, 2.92 kg; risperidone, 2.10 kg; and ziprasidone, 0.04 kg....

2,271 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
04 Sep 1953-Science
TL;DR: A method of gravimetric planimetry by standard photographs offers a means to study the course of surface wounds more accurately than by clinical observation or by the pictorial record alone.
Abstract: obtain their surface in square centimeters. This simple method provides a means by objective measurements to make evident changes in the surface of wounds that are not apparent to the naked eye. Figure 1 shows the observations recorded with this method in a man of 42 years of age with hemiplegia and a decubital ulcer over the right buttock. The clinicians who had observed this wound daily had not noticed any remarkable change; however, it is quite obvious that the wound grew larger each time the treatment was changed, and that the use of an antibiotic was followed by a particularly striking enlargement of the lesion. In this instance the procedure of projection and gravimetric planimetry was repeated by different operators and a variation of ±5% was found (indicated by a cross-hatched area on Fig. 1). Figure 2 shows the same type of observation in a woman with hemiplegia and a decubital ulcer. This patient died from septicemia, and the decubital ulcer worsened with the general condition of the patient. A method of gravimetric planimetry by standard photographs offers a means to study the course of surface wounds more accurately than by clinical observation or by the pictorial record alone. References

2,201 citations

Trending Questions (1)
How long can a schizophrenic go without sleep?

A number of sleep parameters, such as the amount of SWS and the REM latency, are significantly correlated to clinical variables, including severity of illness, positive symptoms, negative symptoms, outcome, neurocognitive impairment and brain structure. Concerning specific sleep disorders, there is some evidence that schizophrenic patients carry a higher risk of experiencing a sleep-related breathing disorder, especially those demonstrating the known risk factors, including being overweight but also long-term use of antipsychotics.