Search Results (15)

Background: Research on sex differences in personality disorders profiles among individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) remains limited. This study aimed to examine sex differences in personality disorders in AUD individuals attending to an outpatient alcohol and drugs treatment unit. Methods: Persons seeking alcohol detoxification treatment were assessed with the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III) after abstinence. Both dimensional trait scores and cluster personality disorders types distribution were analyzed. A total of 216 subjects, 114 women (53%) and 102 men (47%), participated in the study. Results: No sex differences were found for paranoid, schizoid or schizotypal traits scores of Cluster A types. Women exhibited higher scores on the Cluster B histrionic trait (48 ± 22 vs. 39 ± 23, p = 0.012), with no differences in antisocial, borderline, or narcissistic trait scores. Narcissistic personality disorder was more prevalent in men than women (44% vs. 20%, p = 0.012). Cluster C dependent (52 ± 24 vs. 46 ± 20, p = 0.025) and obsessive-compulsive (54 ± 20 vs. 43 ± 19, p = 0.012) traits scores were elevated in women, but only dependent personality disorder prevalence differed categorically (38% women vs. 15% men, p = 0.012). Conclusions: Employing both dimensional and cluster approaches enriches personality disorder research in AUD. Dependent personality disorder in Cluster C robustly differentiates sexes, while personality disorder patterns in Clusters A and B show minimal sex differences when both approaches are considered. Full article

Background and Objectives: There are many reports in the literature on the co-occurrence of somatic diseases and psychiatric disorders. Relatively few have addressed the co-occurrence of corneal cone with anxiety, depression, or personality disorders. Materials and Methods: 99 patients with keratoconus (study group) and 92 patients without keratoconus (control group) participated in the entire study, which was conducted in 2015 and 2020–2023. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to assess depressive symptoms, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to assess anxiety symptoms, and the DSM-IV Personality Disorder Inventory (IBZO-DSM-IV) to identify personality disorders. Results: In the study group, the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms correlated with all types of personality disorders. In the control group, these symptoms did not correlate with antisocial and narcissistic personalities. In the comparative analysis, there were more patients with antisocial, schizotypal, obsessive compulsive, schizoid, paranoid, and dependent personality traits in the study group. Conclusions: Patients with keratoconus have increased expressions of antisocial personality traits, but no differences in anxiety and depression symptoms were evident. Further research is needed among patients diagnosed with keratoconus in the short term. Full article

Background: Evidence suggests that there is substantial comorbidity between fibromyalgia and Axis II pathology (i.e., personality disorders—PDs). The aim of the current study was to find out the exact cluster (A, B, C) of PDs or traits that are more prominent in FM and may be predictors of FM diagnosis. Methods: Data from 86 subjects (53 with FM and 33 controls without FM) were analyzed in an observational, cross-sectional, comparative study in a neurological setting. The assessment of categorical PDs and traits was performed independently with the Structured Clinical Interview for Personality Disorders (SCID-II). Binary logistic regression was used to determine FM predictors among PD traits. Results: Compared with controls, FM patients had a higher rate of PD diagnoses (56.7 vs. 18.2%, p < 0.001). However, the rate was significantly higher only for borderline PD diagnosis (28.3% vs. 6.1% p < 0.05). The binary logistic regression analysis showed that schizotypal and schizoid (cluster A), borderline (cluster B), and dependent (cluster C) personality traits may be significant predictors of fibromyalgia (Nagelkerke R² = 0.415). Conclusions: Our results may reflect the association of FM with personality traits of all three PD clusters: A (eccentric), B (dramatic), and C (anxious). However, the most consistent evidence seems to be for borderline PD. Full article

Ample research findings indicate that there is altered brain functioning in the schizophrenia spectrum. Nevertheless, functional neuroimaging findings remain ambiguous for healthy individuals expressing high schizotypal traits and patients with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD). The purpose of this systematic review was to identify patterns of task-related and resting-state neural abnormalities across these conditions. MEDLINE-PubMed and PsycINFO were systematically searched and forty-eight studies were selected. Forty studies assessed healthy individuals with high schizotypal traits and eight studies examined SPD patients with functional neuroimaging techniques (fNIRS; fMRI; Resting-state fMRI). Functional alterations in striatal, frontal and temporal regions were found in healthy individuals with high schizotypal traits. Schizotypal personality disorder was associated with default mode network abnormalities but further research is required in order to better conceive its neural correlates. There was also evidence for functional compensatory mechanisms associated with both conditions. To conclude, the findings suggest that brain dysfunctions are evident in individuals who lie along the subclinical part of the spectrum, further supporting the continuum model for schizophrenia susceptibility. Additional research is required in order to delineate the counterbalancing processes implicated in the schizophrenia spectrum, as this approach will provide promising insights for both conversion and protection from conversion into schizophrenia. Full article

Aim: Interpersonal sensitivity and mistrust are the main characteristics of cluster A personality disorders (CAPD) which might be due to the high accessibility to negative suggestions from environments. Yet the exact associations between hypnotic suggestibility and their personality disorder functioning styles remain unclear. Methods: We invited 36 patients with CAPD and 115 healthy volunteers to undergo the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale: Form C (SHSS:C) and Parker Personality Measure (PERM). Results: Compared to controls; patients scored higher on PERM paranoid; schizoid; schizotypal; borderline; avoidant; and dependent styles; on the SHSS:C total and “challenge suggestions”, and the passing rates of “hand lowering”, “arm rigidity”, “dream”, and “arm immobilization”. In patients, “dream” negatively predicted the schizoid; “hallucinated voice” negatively the schizotypal; “mosquito hallucination” positively the histrionic and dependent; and “arm immobilization” negatively the avoidant style. Conclusions: Our results suggested that the insusceptibility to perceptual suggestions from others and the high control over body contribute to the paranoid attitude and interpersonal avoidance in CAPD. These findings help to understand the cause of interpersonal problems in these patients and suggest the trial of hypnotherapy for them. Full article

Research has suggested that schizotypy—a personality organisation representing latent vulnerability for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders—may be elevated in women with symptoms of disordered eating. However, studies have not fully considered associations between symptoms of disordered eating and multidimensional schizotypy. To overcome this limitation, we asked an online sample of 235 women from the United States to complete measures of symptoms of disordered eating (drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and bulimic symptoms) and multidimensional schizotypy. Correlational analyses indicated significant associations between drive for thinness and bulimic symptoms, respectively, and most schizotypal facets. Body dissatisfaction was significantly associated with only two schizotypal facets. Overall, the strength of correlations was weak-to-moderate. Regression results indicated that only the schizotypal feature of excessive social anxiety was significantly associated with all risk for disordered eating factors. These results are consistent with aetiological models of disordered eating that highlight socio-affective difficulties as risk factors for symptoms of disordered eating. Full article

Ambivalence has a prominent role in the historical formulations of schizotypy and schizophrenia, as well as borderline personality disorder. However, it has been overlooked by our current diagnostic nomenclature. The Schizotypal Ambivalence Scale (SAS) is a 19-item self-report scale developed to examine ambivalence relevant to schizotypy and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Questionnaire, interview, and ambulatory assessment studies support the construct validity of the measure as a predictor of schizophrenia-spectrum and borderline psychopathology. However, studies have not adequately examined the item properties and factor structure of the scale. To examine the psychometric features of the SAS, the present research applied item response theory and differential item functioning methods using a large sample of adults (n = 7096). Analyses of dimensionality were consistent with essential unidimensionality, and a 2PL IRT model found good item discrimination, an appropriate range of item difficulty, minimal local dependence, and excellent item fit. Analyses of differential item functioning found essentially no bias for gender on any items and very small effects for two items for racial/ethnic identity. Overall, the analyses reveal many psychometric strengths of the Schizotypal Ambivalence Scale and support its use a single-factor instrument for assessing ambivalence in diverse subgroups of adults. Full article

Background: Previous studies have investigated the relationship between schizotypal traits and odor identification ability as well as the relationship between schizotypal traits and odor hedonic capacity in adults. However, very little is known about the relationship among these three factors, especially in children and adolescents. The current study aimed to explore the relationship among these three factors in children and adolescents as well as the potential role of odor identification ability. Method: A total of 355 non-clinical children and adolescents (aged 9–16 years) were recruited in the study. They were asked to complete the Universal Sniff Test (U-Sniff), the Chemosensory Pleasure Scale for Children (CPS-C), and the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire—Child (SPQ-C). Results: The SPQ-C scores were negatively correlated with both the odor identification scores and the odor hedonic scores (p = 0.022 and p < 0.001, respectively). Only the interpersonal–affective factor of the SPQ-C was negatively correlated with the odor identification scores (p = 0.031). The odor identification scores were significantly positively associated with the odor hedonic scores (p < 0.001). Moreover, the relationship between odor hedonic capacity and schizotypal traits, especially the interpersonal–affective factor, was mediated by odor identification ability. Conclusions: Schizotypal traits were negatively correlated with both odor identification ability and odor hedonic capacity in children and adolescents, while odor identification ability was found to mediate the relationship between odor hedonic capacity and schizotypal traits, especially the interpersonal–affective factor. Our study indicated that improving odor identification ability through olfactory training may have a positive influence on odor hedonic capacity in individuals with schizotypal traits. Full article

Problematic lifestyle behaviors and high rates of physical illness are well documented in people with schizophrenia, contributing to premature mortality. Yet, there is a notable absence of research examining general lifestyle and health issues in participants at risk for psychosis. This form of research may help identify concerns that exist during prodromal periods related to future outcomes. Accordingly, the current study examined lifestyle and health in a nonclinical sample of 530 young adults with varying levels of schizotypy. Increasing symptom severity was associated with greater somatic symptoms and poorer sleep quality across positive, negative, and disorganized domains. Elevated negative and disorganized symptoms were associated with significantly reduced health-related quality of life, while evidence for reduced engagement in health behaviors was largely limited to those with elevated negative schizotypy. No relationships emerged between symptom presentation/severity and body mass index or substance use, although zero-order correlations suggested an association between disorganized schizotypy and nicotine use. The pattern of relationships in the current study was consistent with findings from the ultra-high risk and clinical literature suggesting that lifestyle and health concerns may exist on a continuum with psychosis. Future research should seek to clarify if these patterns are associated with long-term physical or mental health outcomes. Full article

Risk of suicidal behaviour (SB) in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) is a major concern, particularly in early stages of the illness, when suicide accounts for a high number of premature deaths. Although some risk factors for SB in SSD are well understood, the extent to which personality traits may affect this risk remains unclear, which may have implications for prevention. We conducted a systematic review of previous studies indexed in MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Embase examining the relationship between personality traits and SB in samples of patients with SSD. Seven studies fulfilled predetermined selection criteria. Harm avoidance, passive-dependent, schizoid and schizotypal personality traits increased the risk of SB, while self-directedness, cooperativeness, excluding persistence and self-transcendence acted as protective factors. Although only seven studies were retrieved from three major databases after applying predetermined selection criteria, we found some evidence to support that personality issues may contribute to SB in patients with SSD. Personality traits may therefore become part of routine suicide risk assessment and interventions targeting these personality-related factors may contribute to prevention of SB in SSD. Full article

Exploring the disruptions to intrinsic resting-state networks (RSNs) in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders yields a better understanding of the disease-specific pathophysiology. However, our knowledge of the neurobiological underpinnings of schizotypal personality disorders mostly relies on research on schizotypy or schizophrenia. This study aimed to investigate the RSN abnormalities of schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) and their clinical implications. Using resting-state data, the intra- and inter-network of the higher-order functional networks (default mode network, DMN; frontoparietal network, FPN; dorsal attention network, DAN; salience network, SN) were explored in 22 medication-free, community-dwelling, non-help seeking individuals diagnosed with SPD and 30 control individuals. Consequently, while there were no group differences in intra-network functional connectivity across DMN, FPN, DAN, and SN, the SPD participants exhibited attenuated anticorrelation between the right frontal eye field region of the DAN and the right posterior parietal cortex region of the FPN. The decreases in anticorrelation were correlated with increased cognitive–perceptual deficits and disorganization factors of the schizotypal personality questionnaire, as well as reduced independence–performance of the social functioning scale for all participants together. This study, which links SPD pathology and social functioning deficits, is the first evidence of impaired large-scale intrinsic brain networks in SPD. Full article

Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder whose course varies with periods of deterioration and symptomatic improvement without diagnosis and treatment specific for the disease. So far, it has not been possible to clearly define what kinds of functional and structural changes are responsible for the onset or recurrence of acute psychotic decompensation in the course of schizophrenia, and to what extent personality disorders may precede the appearance of the appropriate symptoms. The work combines magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging with clinical evaluation and laboratory tests to determine the likely pathway of schizophrenia development by identifying peripheral cerebral biomarkers compared to personality disorders. The relationship between the level of metabolites in the brain, the clinical status of patients according to International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision ICD-10, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), and biochemical indices related to redox balance (malondialdehyde), the efficiency of antioxidant systems (FRAP), and bioenergetic metabolism of mitochondria, were investigated. There was a reduction in the level of brain N-acetyl-aspartate and glutamate in the anterior cingulate gyrus of patients with schisophrenia compared to the other groups that seems more to reflect a biological etiopathological factor of psychosis. Decreased activity of brain metabolites correlated with increased peripheral oxidative stress (increased malondialdehyde MDA) associated with decreased efficiency of antioxidant systems (FRAP) and the breakdown of clinical symptoms in patients with schizophrenia in the course of psychotic decompensation compared to other groups. The period of untreated psychosis correlated negatively with glucose value in the brain of people with schizophrenia, and positively with choline level. The demonstrated differences between two psychiatric units, such as schizophrenia and personality disorders in relation to healthy people, may be used to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of schizophrenia compared to other heterogenous psychopathology in the future. The collapse of clinical symptoms of patients with schizophrenia in the course of psychotic decompensation may be associated with the occurrence of specific schizotypes, the determination of which is possible by determining common relationships between changes in metabolic activity of particular brain structures and peripheral parameters, which may be an important biological etiopathological factor of psychosis. Markers of peripheral redox imbalance associated with disturbed bioenergy metabolism in the brain may provide specific biological factors of psychosis however, they need to be confirmed in further studies. Full article

Objective: Additional and comorbid diagnoses are common among suicide victims with major depressive disorder (MDD) and have been shown to increase the suicide risk. The aim of the present study was first, to investigate whether patients with severe depression/melancholia who had died by suicide showed more additional psychiatric disorders than a matched control group. Second, general rates of comorbid and additional diagnoses in the total group of patients were estimated and compared with literature on MDD. Method: A blind record evaluation was performed on 100 suicide victims with severe depression/melancholia (MDD with melancholic and/or psychotic features: MDD-M/P) and matched controls admitted to the Department of Psychiatry, Lund, Sweden between 1956 and 1969 and monitored to 2010. Diagnoses in addition to severe depression were noted. Results: Less than half of both the suicides and controls had just one psychiatric disorder (47% in the suicide and 46% in the control group). The average number of diagnoses was 1.80 and 1.82, respectively. Additional diagnoses were not related to an increased suicide risk. Anxiety was the most common diagnosis. Occurrence of suspected schizophrenia/schizotypal or additional obsessive-compulsive symptoms were more common than expected, but alcohol use disorders did not appear very frequent. Conclusions: The known increased risk of suicide in MDD with comorbid/additional diagnoses does not seem to apply to persons with MDD-M/P (major depressive disorder-depression/Melancholia). Some diagnoses, such as schizophrenia/schizotypal disorders, were more frequent than expected, which is discussed, and a genetic overlap with MDD-M/P is proposed. Full article

Background: Research has shown that suicide is a phenomenon highly present among the drug dependent population. Different studies have demonstrated an upraised level of comorbidity between personality disorders (PD) and substance use disorders (SUD). This study aimed to describe which PDs are more frequent among those patients with a risk of suicide. Methods: The study was based on a consecutive non-probabilistic convenience sample of 196 bereaved patients attended to in a Public Addiction Center in Girona (Spain). Sociodemographic data, as well as suicide and drug related characteristics were recorded. The risk of suicide was assessed with the Spanish version of “Risk of suicide”. Personality disorders were measured with the Spanish version of Millon Multiaxial Clinical Inventory. Results: The PDs more associated with the presence of risk of suicide were depressive, avoidant, schizotypal and borderline disorders. However, the histrionic, narcissistic and compulsive PDs are inversely associated with risk of suicide even though the narcissistic scale had no statistical correlation. Conclusions: The risk of suicide is a significant factor to take into account related to patients with SUD and especially with the presence of specific PDs. These findings underline the importance of diagnosing and treating rigorously patients with SUD. Full article

In the antisaccade task, pre-cueing the location of a correct response has the paradoxical effect of increasing errors. It has been suggested that this effect occurs because participants adopt an "antisaccade task set" and treat the cue as if was a target - directing attention away from the precue and towards the location of the impending target. This hypothesis was tested using a mixed pro / antisaccade task. In addition the effects of individual differences in working memory capacity and schizotypal personality traits on performance were examined. Whilst we observed some modest relationships between these individual differences and antisaccade performance, the strongest predictor of antisaccade error rate was uncued prosaccade latency. Full article