@article{pmid35728419,

title = {Normal-range verbal memory in the first-episode of psychosis: Clinical and functional outcomes across 24 months and impact of estimated verbal memory decrement},

author = {Delphine Raucher-Chéné and Gabrielle Pochiet and Katie M Lavigne and R Walter Heinrichs and Ashok Malla and Ridha Joober and Martin Lepage},

doi = {10.1016/j.schres.2022.06.007},

issn = {1573-2509},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-08-01},

journal = {Schizophr Res},

volume = {246},

pages = {75--84},

abstract = {Verbal memory (VM) dysfunction is prevalent in first-episode psychosis (FEP) and has major impacts on long-term functional and clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, a substantial proportion of FEP patients have VM performance in the norm, called normal-range (NR) VM, and only a few studies have explored its relation to outcomes. Moreover, probable decrements between estimated premorbid and current cognitive performance could confuse the relationship between VM and clinical or functional outcomes in FEP patients. These potential interactions have not yet been considered in FEP, thus, we examined 1) the longitudinal relationship between VM performance (NR vs. below NR (BNR)) in FEP and clinical and functional outcomes over 24 months following admission to treatment, and 2) compared the clinical and functional status of NR patients with and without cognitive decrement at baseline and 12 months. A total of 271 patients (BNR = 114, NR = 157; 81 out of 105 NR with decrement) completed measures of psychosocial functioning and clinical symptoms at baseline, month 12, and month 24. Generalized Estimating Equations and unpaired t-tests were used to address the first and second aim, respectively. NR demonstrated better functioning and fewer negative symptoms when compared to BNR. Interestingly, NR patients with decrement reported significantly more negative symptoms at baseline compared to their counterparts without decrement. These findings document that a large proportion (57.9 %) of FEP patients have NR VM that appear to be functionally advantageous but that NR VM is nuanced by the presence or absence of a potential decrement early in the developmental course of the disorder.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid32919946,

title = {Altered Surface Area Covariance in the Mentalizing Network in Schizophrenia: Insight Into Theory of Mind Processing},

author = {Delphine Raucher-Chéné and Katie M Lavigne and Carolina Makowski and Martin Lepage},

doi = {10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.06.020},

issn = {2451-9030},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-07-01},

journal = {Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging},

volume = {7},

number = {7},

pages = {706--715},

abstract = {BACKGROUND: Theory of mind (ToM), the cognitive capacity to attribute mental states to self and others, is robustly affected in schizophrenia. The neural substrates of ToM impairment have been largely studied with functional imaging, but little is known about structural abnormalities. We compared structural covariance (between-subjects correlations of brain regional measures) of magnetic resonance imaging-based cortical surface area between patients with schizophrenia and healthy control subjects and between schizophrenia subgroups based on the patients' ToM ability to examine ToM-specific effects on structural covariance in schizophrenia.nnMETHODS: T1-weighted structural images were acquired on a 3T magnetic resonance imaging scanner, and ToM was assessed with the Hinting Task for 104 patients with schizophrenia and 69 healthy control subjects. The sum of surface area was computed for 12 regions of interest selected and compared between groups to examine structural covariance within the often reported mentalizing network: rostral and caudal middle frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, precuneus, and middle and superior temporal gyrus. High and low ToM groups were defined using a median split on the Hinting Task.nnRESULTS: Cortical surface contraction was observed in the schizophrenia group, predominantly in temporoparietal regions. Patients with schizophrenia also exhibited significantly stronger covariance between the right rostral middle frontal gyrus and the right superior temporal gyrus than control subjects (r = 4.015; p < .001). Direct comparisons between high and low ToM subgroups revealed stronger contralateral frontotemporal covariances in the low ToM group.nnCONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence for structural changes underlying ToM impairments in schizophrenia that need to be confirmed to develop new therapeutic perspectives.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid35304154,

title = {Medial temporal lobe and basal ganglia volume trajectories in persistent negative symptoms following a first episode of psychosis},

author = {Katie M Lavigne and Delphine Raucher-Chéné and Michael D Bodnar and Carolina Makowski and Ridha Joober and Ashok Malla and Alan C Evans and Martin Lepage},

doi = {10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110551},

issn = {1878-4216},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-07-01},

journal = {Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry},

volume = {117},

pages = {110551},

abstract = {BACKGROUND: Persistent negative symptoms (PNS, e.g., avolition, anhedonia, alogia) are present in up to 30% of individuals diagnosed with a first episode of psychosis and greatly impact functional outcomes. PNS and secondary PNS (sPNS: concomitant with positive, depressive, or extrapyramidal symptoms) may index distinct pathophysiologies reflected by structural brain changes, particularly in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and basal ganglia.nnAIMS: We sought to characterize dynamic brain changes related to PNS over the course of 2 years following a first episode of psychosis.nnMETHOD: Longitudinal volumetric trajectories within the MTL (hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, entorhinal cortex, perirhinal cortex) and basal ganglia (caudate, putamen, pallidum) were investigated in 98 patients with first-episode psychosis and 86 healthy controls using generalized estimating equations.nnRESULTS: In left hippocampus, PNS (n = 25 at baseline) showed decreased volumes over time, sPNS (n = 26) volumes remained stable, and non-PNS (n = 47) volumes increased over time to control levels. PNS-specific changes were observed in left hippocampus and left perirhinal cortex, with the greatest decline from 12 to 24 months to levels significantly below those of non-PNS and controls. Affective/non-affective diagnosis, antipsychotic medication dosage and adherence at baseline did not significantly impact these findings. Basal ganglia volume trajectories did not distinguish between PNS and sPNS.nnCONCLUSIONS: The current study highlights distinct structural brain trajectories in PNS that are prominent in the left MTL. Basal ganglia alterations may contribute to PNS irrespective of their etiology. Left MTL volume reductions were most evident after 1 year of treatment, highlighting the importance of targeted early interventions.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid35242604,

title = {Remote group therapies for cognitive health in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: Feasible, acceptable, engaging},

author = {Daniel Mendelson and Élisabeth Thibaudeau and Geneviève Sauvé and Katie M Lavigne and Christopher R Bowie and Mahesh Menon and Todd S Woodward and Martin Lepage and Delphine Raucher-Chéné},

doi = {10.1016/j.scog.2021.100230},

issn = {2215-0013},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-06-01},

journal = {Schizophr Res Cogn},

volume = {28},

pages = {100230},

abstract = {Severe cognitive impairments and cognitive distortions are core to schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (SSDs) and are associated with deteriorated social functioning. Despite well-established efficacy of group psychosocial therapies targeting cognitive health in SSDs, dissemination of these programs remains limited. Remote delivery offers a promising strategy for increasing the programs' accessibility. Yet, little research has evaluated group therapies for cognitive health delivered in this way. Thus, we aimed to assess, from participants' and therapists' perspectives, the , , as well as levels and process of  in a videoconference delivery of group psychosocial therapies for SSD patients' cognitive health. Participants, outpatients, attended  or  both adapted for videoconference. Then, participants and therapists completed post-therapy questionnaires. Of the 28 participants attending at least one session, 75% completed more than half of sessions and seven dropped out. Technology did not appear to significantly hinder participation in the programs. All completing participants reported a positive experience with therapy, 67% were not bothered by the distance from the therapist, and 77% trusted that the information shared was kept confidential. Therapist-rated levels of attention M = 7.5/9 (SD = 1.04), participation M = 6.91/9 (SD = 1.32), and social interactions M = 5.31/9 (SD = 1.96) were satisfactory. Nonetheless, participants indicated that they would have appreciated more social interactions with group members. These positive results validate the earliest stage in the implementation process for remote group therapies targeting cognitive health in SSDs. Remote delivery promises to improve access to therapies targeting cognitive health and, ultimately, facilitate functional recovery for SSD patients.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid34230974,

title = {Dynamic Interplay Between Insight and Persistent Negative Symptoms in First Episode of Psychosis: A Longitudinal Study},

author = {Delphine Raucher-Chéné and Michael Bodnar and Katie M Lavigne and Ashok Malla and Ridha Joober and Martin Lepage},

doi = {10.1093/schbul/sbab079},

issn = {1745-1701},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Schizophr Bull},

volume = {48},

number = {1},

pages = {211--219},

abstract = {Persistent negative symptoms (PNS) are an important factor of first episode of psychosis (FEP) that present early on in the course of illness and have a major impact on long-term functional outcome. Lack of clinical insight is consistently associated with negative symptoms during the course of schizophrenia, yet only a few studies have explored its evolution in FEP. We sought to explore clinical insight change over a 24-month time period in relation to PNS in a large sample of FEP patients. Clinical insight was assessed in 515 FEP patients using the Scale to assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder. Data on awareness of illness, belief in response to medication, and belief in need for medication were analyzed. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on the presence of negative symptoms: idiopathic (PNS; n = 135), secondary (sPNS; n = 98), or absence (non-PNS; n = 282). Secondary PNS were those with PNS but also had clinically relevant levels of positive, depressive, or extrapyramidal symptoms. Our results revealed that insight improved during the first 2 months for all groups. Patients with PNS and sPNS displayed poorer insight across the 24-month period compared to the non-PNS group, but these 2 groups did not significantly differ. This large longitudinal study supported the strong relationship known to exist between poor insight and negative symptoms early in the course of the disorder and probes into potential factors that transcend the distinction between idiopathic and secondary negative symptoms.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid34822878,

title = {Structural brain correlates of cognitive function in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis},

author = {Marianne Khalil and Philippine Hollander and Delphine Raucher-Chéné and Martin Lepage and Katie M Lavigne},

doi = {10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.11.034},

issn = {1873-7528},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

journal = {Neurosci Biobehav Rev},

volume = {132},

pages = {37--49},

abstract = {Schizophrenia is characterized by cognitive impairments and widespread structural brain abnormalities. Brain structure-cognition associations have been extensively studied in schizophrenia, typically involving individual cognitive domains or brain regions of interest. Findings in overlapping and diffuse brain regions may point to structural alterations in large-scale brain networks. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis examining whether brain structure-cognition associations can be explained in terms of biologically meaningful brain networks. Of 7,261 screened articles, 88 were included in a series of meta-analyses assessing publication bias, heterogeneity, and study quality. Significant associations were found between overall brain structure and eight MATRICS-inspired cognitive domains. Brain structure mapped onto the seven Yeo functionally defined networks and extraneous structures (amygdala, hippocampus, and cerebellum) typically showed associations with conceptually related cognitive domains, with higher-level domains (e.g., executive function, social cognition) associated with more networks. These findings synthesize the extensive literature on brain structure and cognition in schizophrenia from a contemporary network neuroscience perspective and suggest that brain structure-cognition associations in schizophrenia may follow functional network architecture.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid34656875,

title = {Understanding others as a mediator between verbal memory and negative symptoms in schizophrenia-spectrum disorder},

author = {Delphine Raucher-Chéné and Elisabeth Thibaudeau and Geneviève Sauvé and Katie M Lavigne and Martin Lepage},

doi = {10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.10.007},

issn = {1879-1379},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-11-01},

journal = {J Psychiatr Res},

volume = {143},

pages = {429--435},

abstract = {From the onset of schizophrenia, verbal memory (VM) deficits and negative symptoms are strongly associated, and both additively predict functional outcomes. Emotion recognition (ER) and theory of mind (ToM; the ability to infer others' mental states), two components of social cognition, are also particularly affected in schizophrenia. Explanatory models of negative symptoms have integrated these cognitive impairments as potential precursors and previous studies revealed relationships between ER and/or ToM and VM, as well as with negative symptoms, but the organization of these associations remains unclear. We aimed to determine whether impairments in VM and social cognition sequentially pave the way for negative symptoms in schizophrenia. To this end, we used mediation analyses. One hundred and forty participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were recruited. First, correlational analyses were conducted between our variables of interest. The mediating effect of social cognition between VM and negative symptoms was then examined using the PROCESS macro. Variables of interest were significantly correlated (r = |0.166| to |0.391|), except for ER and negative symptoms. Only the serial multiple mediation model with 2 mediators (ER followed by ToM) revealed a significant indirect effect of VM on negative symptoms (β = - 0.160, 95% CI = -.370 to -.004). This relationship was selective for expressive negative symptoms (e.g., blunted affect and alogia). This study illustrates the richness of the relationship between cognitive deficits and negative symptoms and provides additional information for the involvement of social cognition in negative symptoms' etiology.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid33663901,

title = {Neurocognitive functions in persistent negative symptoms following a first episode of psychosis},

author = {Martin Lepage and Michael Bodnar and Delphine Raucher-Chéné and Katie M Lavigne and Carolina Makowski and Ridha Joober and Ashok K Malla},

doi = {10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.02.008},

issn = {1873-7862},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-06-01},

journal = {Eur Neuropsychopharmacol},

volume = {47},

pages = {86--97},

abstract = {Negative symptoms are present at the onset of psychosis and their persistence is significantly associated with poor psychosocial functioning and lower quality of life. Persistent negative symptoms (PNS) may be idiopathic or secondary to other factors such as depression, positive symptoms, and medication side-effects. Several studies have examined neurocognitive functions in early psychosis patients with PNS relative to non-PNS, but have not systematically controlled for secondary PNS (sPNS). The latter may have a distinct neurocognitive profile that could obscure differences between PNS and non-PNS. Using a large (n = 425) sample, we examined neurocognitive functions in PNS, sPNS, and non-PNS and hypothesized that PNS would be associated with greater impairments relative to non-PNS. Following admission to an early intervention program, a neurocognitive battery was administered after at least 3 months of treatment, and symptom data collected during a subsequent 6-month period were used to classify patients as PNS, sPNS and non-PNS. At month 12, both PNS and sPNS groups had significantly lower level of functioning relative to the non-PNS group but the sPNS group experienced higher levels of depressive and positive symptoms and were on a higher dose of antipsychotics. Relative to non-PNS, PNS patients exhibited significant impairments in verbal memory and working memory, whereas sPNS patients exhibited a trend towards greater impairments in verbal memory. This study confirms that the presence of PNS or sPNS negatively influences functioning with more selective cognitive impairments found in PNS, providing evidence that these groups of patients could benefit from different personalised interventions.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid35617500,

title = {[Psychosocial Interventions for People with a First-Episode Psychosis: A Narrative and Critical Review]},

author = {Elisabeth Thibaudeau and Delphine Raucher-Chéné and Laurent Lecardeur and Caroline Cellard and Martin Lepage and Tania Lecomte},

issn = {1708-3923},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-01-01},

journal = {Sante Ment Que},

volume = {46},

number = {2},

pages = {217--247},

abstract = {Objective Treatment guidelines for the treatment of psychotic disorders suggest evidence-based interventions. These interventions target several domains such as self-management of clinical symptoms, social, familial and love relationships as well as cognitive functioning. However, these general guidelines do not provide specific evidence for people with a first-episode psychosis (FEP). The objective of this narrative and critical review is to present evidence supporting the interventions suggested by the treatment guidelines that were validated in people with a FEP, particularly those interventions validated in French. Method Based on the international and national treatment guidelines, a narrative and critical review of the scientific literature conducted in people with FEP and focusing on two recommended interventions for psychotic disorders, cognitive-behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp) and cognitive remediation (CR), was performed. Administration modalities adapted to the participant's profile are important to consider in this type of intervention. We thus explored two promising modalities in people with FEP, the group format and the use of digital technologies. Results Several studies support the use of CBTp in people with FEP, including one Quebec study. The effects of CR are less promising in people with FEP compared to those with a chronic evolution of their psychotic illness (e.g. schizophrenia). However, some limitations of the included studies are identified and the specific improvements in people with FEP are presented. Regarding the group format and the digital technologies, most interventions currently available need to be systematically validated, and the results need to be replicated by other groups of researchers to obtain evidence-based results. Conclusion This narrative and critical review of the literature highlights the evidence available for CBTp and CR in people with FEP. The group format used in several interventions with this population reveals encouraging results, while interventions using digital technologies have shown their acceptability and feasibility, but the efficacy remains to be assessed. In addition to contributing to symptomatic recovery, psychosocial interventions also support functional and personal recovery in people with FEP. Nonetheless, some limitations are observed regarding the accessibility of such interventions. While some interventions are currently not available in French, other available evidence-based interventions are not currently systematically used in clinical settings. These limitations call for the importance of developing an implementation science for these interventions to improve the transfer of results from research to clinical settings as well as a service organization model that promote or facilitate access to such interventions.},

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pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}