@article{pmid21131057,

title = {Assessment of empathy in first-episode psychosis and meta-analytic comparison with previous studies in schizophrenia},

author = {Amelie M Achim and Rosalie Ouellet and Marc-André Roy and Philip L Jackson},

doi = {10.1016/j.psychres.2010.10.030},

issn = {0165-1781},

year  = {2011},

date = {2011-11-01},

journal = {Psychiatry Res},

volume = {190},

number = {1},

pages = {3--8},

abstract = {Empathy is a multidimensional construct that relies on affective and cognitive component processes. A few studies have reported impairments of both cognitive and affective empathy components in patients with schizophrenia. It is, however, not known whether these difficulties are already present at psychosis onset. The affective and cognitive components of empathy were thus assessed in 31 patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and 31 matched healthy controls using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Our results were then compared to previous studies of empathy in patients with more chronic schizophrenia via a meta-analysis. In addition, we also assessed the relationship between empathy ratings, Mentalizing performance and clinical symptoms. Contrary to what has been reported in people with more chronic schizophrenia, the IRI ratings did not significantly differ between FEP and controls in our study, though a trend was observed for the Personal distress scale. For the Perspective taking scale, our meta-analysis revealed a significantly lower effect size in this study with FEP patients relative to previous schizophrenia studies. In the FEP group, the IRI ratings were not related to positive, negative or general psychopathology symptoms, but a significant relationship emerged between the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale and Perspective taking (negative correlation). In addition, a significant positive correlation was observed between the Empathic concern subscale and our theory of mind task. This study supports the idea that the cognitive component of empathy is less affected in patients with first-episode psychosis relative to patients with more chronic schizophrenia, and the impairments reported in previous reports with more chronic populations should be interpreted in light of a possible deterioration of this cognitive skill. The findings also provide some insight into the relationship between empathy and clinical symptoms such as social anxiety.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid21185085,

title = {The study of social cognition with neuroimaging methods as a means to explore future directions of deficit evaluation in schizophrenia?},

author = {Eric Brunet-Gouet and Amélie M Achim and Damien Vistoli and Christine Passerieux and Marie-Christine Hardy-Baylé and Philip L Jackson},

doi = {10.1016/j.psychres.2010.11.029},

issn = {0165-1781},

year  = {2011},

date = {2011-11-01},

journal = {Psychiatry Res},

volume = {190},

number = {1},

pages = {23--31},

abstract = {This article discusses the important advances in a recent field of science dealing with the brain processes implicated in understanding social situations and interacting with others. Many behavioral studies on schizophrenia have shown the impairment of these processes and their preferential relation with disorganization and negative syndromes. Brain imaging is a powerful method to identify brain systems participating in these processes in healthy subjects and will be used increasingly to study mental disorders such as schizophrenia. A few preliminary studies have opened this field of research and allowed for the drawing of some limited conclusions. We emphasize the importance of developing an integrated neurocognitive framework to account for the multifaceted nature of social cognition deficits in schizophrenia. Inspired by contemporary models of empathy and social cognition that identify different components such as shared representation, mentalizing, self/other distinction, we show how schizophrenia affects these components at the behavioral and functional levels. We also outline the interest of this model to understand putative abnormalities of contextual integration within the area of mentalization. Finally, we discuss how specialized measures of brain functions during the performance of these precisely defined mental processes might be used as outcome predictors.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid20410238,

title = {Verbal and visual memory impairments among young offspring and healthy adult relatives of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: selective generational patterns indicate different developmental trajectories},

author = {Michel Maziade and Nancie Rouleau and Chantal Mérette and Caroline Cellard and Marco Battaglia and Cecilia Marino and Valérie Jomphe and Elsa Gilbert and Amélie Achim and Roch-Hugo Bouchard and Thomas Paccalet and Marie-Eve Paradis and Marc-André Roy},

doi = {10.1093/schbul/sbq026},

issn = {1745-1701},

year  = {2011},

date = {2011-11-01},

journal = {Schizophr Bull},

volume = {37},

number = {6},

pages = {1218--1228},

abstract = {OBJECTIVE: Memory deficits have been shown in patients affected by schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar (BP)/mood disorder. We recently reported that young high-risk offspring of an affected parent were impaired in both verbal episodic memory (VEM) and visual episodic memory (VisEM). Understanding better the trajectory of memory impairments from childhood to adult clinical status in risk populations is crucial for early detection and prevention. In multigenerational families densely affected by SZ or BP, our aim was to compare the memory impairments observed in young nonaffected offspring with memory functioning in nonaffected adult relatives and patients.nnMETHODS: For 20 years, we followed up numerous kindreds in the Eastern Québec population. After having characterized the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders phenotypes, we assessed cognition (N = 381) in 3 subsamples in these kindreds and in controls: 60 young offspring of a parent affected by SZ or BP, and in the adult generations, 92 nonaffected adult relatives and 40 patients affected by SZ or BP. VEM was assessed with the California Verbal Learning Test and VisEM with the Rey figures.nnRESULTS: The VEM deficits observed in the offspring were also found in adult relatives and patients. In contrast, the VisEM impairments observed in the young offspring were present only in patients, not in the adult relatives.nnCONCLUSION: Implications for prevention and genetic mechanisms can be drawn from the observation that VEM and VisEM would show distinct generational trajectories and that the trajectory associated with VisEM may offer a better potential than VEM to predict future risk of developing the disease.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid19959704,

title = {How prevalent are anxiety disorders in schizophrenia? A meta-analysis and critical review on a significant association},

author = {Amélie M Achim and Michel Maziade and Eric Raymond and David Olivier and Chantal Mérette and Marc-André Roy},

doi = {10.1093/schbul/sbp148},

issn = {1745-1701},

year  = {2011},

date = {2011-07-01},

journal = {Schizophr Bull},

volume = {37},

number = {4},

pages = {811--821},

abstract = {OBJECTIVE: The presence of anxiety disorders (AD) in schizophrenia (SZ) is attracting increasing interest. However, published studies have yielded very broad variations in prevalence rates across studies. The current meta-analysis sought to (1) investigate the prevalence of co-occurring AD in SZ by reporting pooled prevalence rates and (2) identify potential sources of variations in reported rates that could guide our efforts to identify and treat these co-occurring disorders in patients with SZ.nnMETHODS: We performed a systematic search of studies reporting prevalence of AD in SZ and related psychotic disorders. Mean prevalence rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were first computed for each disorder. We then examined the impact of potential moderators related to patient sampling or to AD assessment methods on these rates.nnRESULTS: Fifty-two eligible studies were identified. Pooled prevalence rates and CIs were 12.1% (7.0%-17.1%) for obsessive-compulsive disorders, 14.9% (8.1%-21.8%) for social phobia, 10.9% (2.9%-18.8%) for generalized AD, 9.8% (4.3%-15.4%) for panic disorders, and 12.4% (4.0%-20.8%) for post-traumatic stress disorders. For all disorders, we found significant heterogeneity in rates across studies. This heterogeneity could at least partially be explained by the effect of moderator variables related to patient characteristics or assessment methods.nnCONCLUSIONS: AD are highly prevalent in SZ, but important variations in rates are observed between studies. This meta-analysis highlights several factors that affect risk for, or detection of AD in SZ, and could, thus, have an important impact on treatment and outcome of SZ patients.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid21134707,

title = {The role of recollection in source memory: an examination of schizophrenia patients and their first-degree relatives},

author = {Amélie M Achim and Andrée-Anne Lefèbvre and Caroline Cellard and Roch-Hugo Bouchard and Marc-André Roy and Sébastien Tremblay (Psychologie)},

doi = {10.1016/j.bandc.2010.11.002},

issn = {1090-2147},

year  = {2011},

date = {2011-03-01},

urldate = {2011-03-01},

journal = {Brain Cogn},

volume = {75},

number = {2},

pages = {147--153},

abstract = {Source recognition memory deficits have repeatedly been observed in people with schizophrenia (SZ), and have also recently been observed in their first-degree relatives. These deficits have been hypothesized to result, at least in part, from impairments in the conscious recollection process. Although other processes are clearly also affected in SZ, it has been proposed that impairments in the conscious recollection process could be a parsimonious explanation for the source memory deficits observed in their relatives. Here, we tested 25 patients with SZ and 34 of their non-affected parents, as well as two groups of matched healthy controls, on a short-term associative memory task that shares the characteristics of standard source recognition tasks but minimizes the need for recollection of stored information from memory. This task was administered in order to determine if deficits can still be observed in these people when involvement of the conscious recollection process is minimized. We observed deficits on our short-term source memory task in people with SZ, but their first-degree relatives did not share this deficit. These results support the idea that multiple memory processes supporting associative/source memory are affected in SZ, whereas the source memory deficits previously observed in relatives of SZ seem specific to tasks that rely on the conscious recollection process.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid20488673,

title = {Parietal cortex and episodic memory retrieval in schizophrenia},

author = {Martin Lepage and Marc Pelletier and Amélie Achim and Alonso Montoya and Matthew Menear and Sam Lal},

doi = {10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.03.002},

issn = {0165-1781},

year  = {2010},

date = {2010-06-01},

journal = {Psychiatry Res},

volume = {182},

number = {3},

pages = {191--199},

abstract = {People with schizophrenia consistently show memory impairment on varying tasks including item recognition memory. Relative to the correct rejection of distracter items, the correct recognition of studied items consistently produces an effect termed the old/new effect that is characterized by increased activity in parietal and frontal cortical regions. This effect has received only scant attention in schizophrenia. We examined the old/new effect in 15 people with schizophrenia and 18 controls during an item recognition test, and neural activity was examined with event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging. Both groups performed equally well during the recognition test and showed increased activity in a left dorsolateral prefrontal region and in the precuneus bilaterally during the successful recognition of old items relative to the correct rejection of new items. The control group also exhibited increased activity in the dorsal left parietal cortex. This region has been implicated in the top-down modulation of memory which involves control processes that support memory-retrieval search, monitoring and verification. Although these processes may not be of paramount importance in item recognition memory performance, the present findings suggest that people with schizophrenia may have difficulty with such top-down modulation, a finding consistent with many other studies in information processing.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid19945175,

title = {Familiarity and recollection processes in patients with recent-onset schizophrenia and their unaffected parents},

author = {Andrée-Anne Lefèbvre and Caroline Cellard and Sébastien Tremblay (Psychologie) and Amélie Achim and Nancie Rouleau and Michel Maziade and Marc-André Roy},

doi = {10.1016/j.psychres.2009.01.007},

issn = {0165-1781},

year  = {2010},

date = {2010-01-01},

urldate = {2010-01-01},

journal = {Psychiatry Res},

volume = {175},

number = {1-2},

pages = {15--21},

abstract = {Episodic memory deficits are present in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and their unaffected relatives and could be considered as a cognitive indicator of genetic vulnerability to SZ. The present study, involving patients with SZ as well as their parents, used experimental tasks specifically designed to disentangle the contribution of familiarity and recollection processes to episodic memory. The performance of patients with SZ (n=26) and their unaffected parents (n=35) was compared with that of healthy control groups matched on socio-demographic variables (controls of patients, n=26; controls of parents, n=35) on two memory tasks assessing recollection and familiarity. The first task was designed to investigate item recognition and memory for item-spatial context associations whereas the second targeted item-item associations. The results revealed an overall episodic memory deficit in patients with SZ, encompassing both familiarity and recollection, while unaffected parents showed a dysfunction restricted to the recollection process. Our study highlights differences and similarities in the source of the episodic memory deficit found in patients with SZ and their unaffected parents, and it suggests that recollection could act as a cognitive endophenotype of SZ. The results also suggest that use of experimental tasks represents a promising method in the search of cognitive endophenotypes in SZ.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid18781492,

title = {No evidence for a differential deficit of reality monitoring in schizophrenia: a meta-analysis of the associative memory literature},

author = {Amelie M Achim and Anthony P Weiss},

doi = {10.1080/13546800802299476},

issn = {1464-0619},

year  = {2008},

date = {2008-09-01},

journal = {Cogn Neuropsychiatry},

volume = {13},

number = {5},

pages = {369--384},

abstract = {INTRODUCTION: Patients with schizophrenia exhibit deficits in memory performance, particularly when required to bind together disparate items (associative memory). Yet the literature on associative memory is decidedly mixed, with some studies showing large deficits and other showing none.nnMETHODS: The aims of this meta-analysis were to determine an overall effect size for the associative memory deficit in patients with schizophrenia and to examine two potential moderating variables related to this impairment: the nature of the memory being tested (pair vs. source recognition) and the inclusion or exclusion of novel items as part of the recognition test.nnRESULTS: We found that the mean effect sizes were large for pair recognition (r=.50) and medium for source recognition (r=.29), with a significant difference between the two recognition types. Contrary to a priori hypotheses, there were no differences in the effect sizes across the various types of source memory (i.e., internal, external, or reality monitoring). There was, however, a significant difference in the effect sizes between those studies that included novel items as part of the memory test (r=.26) and those that did not (r=.44).nnCONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the associative memory deficit in schizophrenia is not specific to self/other distinctions, but is rather a more global effect seen across testing conditions. In addition, memory tests that do not include new items appear to maximise this effect, perhaps by removing a potential response outlet for subjects who lack confidence in the accuracy of their memory performance.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}