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The author examines whether it is justifiable to treat people who may be at risk of schizophrenia, and whether these at-risk individuals be given a formal diagnosis. The author discusses the aspects of risk and treatment of schizophrenia in identifying individuals who are at risk of psychotic disorder. In examining the second question, she notes the significance of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to understand the importance of the proposal for a new diagnosis.

Aims: Criteria for identifying people likely to develop a first psychotic episode are now used in many clinical services worldwide. In recent years within these services, there has been an increase in the practice of prescribing antipsychotic medication with the aim of reducing symptoms and preventing onset of full-blown disorder. This practice is based on clinical impression of an incipient psychosis, that is, a clinical judgment that a particular patient may soon progress to full-threshold disorder and may therefore benefit from antipsychotics. However, it is unclear how accurate this clinical impression is. If not accurate it could mean that individuals are receiving antipsychotics unnecessarily. In this study, we investigated the predictive validity of clinical impression of whether ultra high risk patients would develop frank psychosis. Methods: Experienced psychologists rated their clinical impression of incipient psychosis in 168 ultra high risk patients. Ratings were made upon entry to the PACE clinic, a clinical service for ultra high risk patients. Psychosis status over the subsequent 12-month period was established using the Comprehensive Assessment of At Risk Mental States or State medical records. Results: A total of 8.9% of the sample transitioned to psychosis over the 12-month follow-up period. There was a sensitivity of 0.80, specificity of 0.84, positive predictive value (PPV) of 0.32 and negative predictive value (NPV) of 0.98 for the prediction of psychosis using the clinical impression ratings. Conclusions: The results indicate that clinical impression is not sufficient for predicting psychosis outcome in ultra high risk cohorts and that ongoing rigorous research into predictors of outcome in such cohorts is required. The results also caution against the prescription of antipsychotic medication based on clinical impression of incipient psychosis. Future work should address the predictive validity of clinical impression with a larger sample and over a longer follow-up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Studies conducted in community samples suggest that psychotic-like experiences are common in the general population, leading to suggestions that they are either variations of normal personality or are different expressions of underlying vulnerability to psychotic disorder. Different types of psychotic symptoms may exist, some being normal variants and some having implications for mental health and functioning. The aim of the present study was to determine if different subtypes of psychotic-like experiences could be identified in a community sample of adolescents and to investigate if particular subtypes were more likely to be associated with psychosocial difficulties, that is, distress, depression and poor functioning, than other subtypes. Method: Eight hundred and seventy-five Year 10 students from 34 schools participated in a cross-sectional survey that measured psychotic-like experiences using the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences; depression using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; and psychosocial functioning using the Revised Multidimensional Assessment of Functioning Scale. Factor analysis was conducted to identify any subtypes of psychotic experiences. Results: Four subtypes of psychotic-like experiences were identified: Bizarre Experiences, Perceptual Abnormalities, Persecutory Ideas, and Magical Thinking. Intermittent, infrequent psychotic experiences were common, but frequent experiences were not. Bizarre Experiences, Perceptual Abnormalities and Persecutory Ideas were strongly associated with distress, depression and poor functioning. Magical Thinking was only weakly associated with these variables. Overall these findings may suggest that infrequent psychotic-like experiences are unlikely to be a specific risk factor for onset of a psychotic disorder in community samples. Conclusions: Given that the different subtypes had varying associations with current difficulties it is suggested that not all subtypes confer the same risk for onset of psychotic disorder and poor outcome. Bizarre Experiences, Perceptual Abnormalities and Persecutory Ideas may represent expressions of underlying vulnerability to psychotic disorder, but Magical Thinking may be a normal personality variant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Recognizing the prodrome of a first psychotic episode prospectively creates the opportunity of intervention, which could delay, ameliorate or even prevent onset. Valid criteria and a reliable methodology for identifying possible prodromes are needed. This paper describes an instrument, the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS), which has been designed for such a purpose. It has two functions: (i) to assess psychopathology thought to indicate imminent development of a first-episode psychotic disorder; and (ii) to determine if an individual meets criteria for being at ultra high risk (UHR) for onset of first psychotic disorder. This paper describes the pilot evaluation of the CAARMS. Method: Several methodologies were used to test the CAARMS. First, CAARMS scores in a group of UHR young people and the association between CAARMS scores and the risk of transition to psychotic disorder, were analysed. Second, CAARMS scores in a UHR group were compared to a control group. To assess concurrent validity, CAARMS-defined UHR criteria were compared to the existing criteria for identifying the UHR cohort. To assess predictive validity, the CAARMS-defined UHR criteria were applied to a sample of 150 non-psychotic help-seekers and rates of onset of psychotic disorder at 6-month follow-up determined for the CAARMS-positive (i.e. met UHR criteria) group and the CAARMS-negative (i.e. did not meet UHR criteria) group. The inter-rater reliability of the CAARMS was assessed by using pairs of raters. Results: High CAARMS score in the UHR group was significantly associated with onset of psychotic disorder. The control group had significantly lower CAARMS scores than the UHR group. The UHR criteria assessed by the CAARMS identified a similar group to the criteria measured by existing methodology. In the sample of non-psychotic help-seekers those who were CAARMS-positive were at significantly increased risk of onset of psychotic disorder compared to those who were CAARMS-negative (relative risk of 12.44 (95% CI = 1.5–103.41, p = 0.0025)). The CAARMS had good to excellent reliability. Conclusions: In these preliminary investigations, the CAARMS displayed good to excellent concurrent, discriminant and predictive validity and excellent inter-rater reliability. The CAARMS instrument provides a useful platform for monitoring subthreshold psychotic symptoms for worsening into full-threshold psychotic disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To discuss the rationale for early intervention in psychotic disorders and to explore why the widespread implementation of early intervention services has stalled. Method: Four central questions are explored regarding early intervention in psychosis: (i) what is the rationale for early intervention services in psychosis and is it justified? (ii) what are the obstacles to the implementation of early intervention services throughout Australia? (iii) how could some of these obstacles be overcome? and (iv) what else needs to occur? Results: Early intervention in psychosis aims to improve recognition and access, promote recovery from the initial psychotic episode, minimize secondary morbidity and reduce collateral damage. It may also prevent some brain dysfunction and damage, which may otherwise occur later in the illness. Despite the now growing body of evidence supporting the idea of early intervention, obstacles remain to its widespread adoption in policy and implementation, principally related to chronic under-funding of the public mental health system. Among the solutions proposed is the need to develop services with a youth focus, able to cater for young people with both psychotic and non-psychotic psychiatric disorders. These services should be well integrated with primary care and other youth orientated agencies. Conclusions: We are hopeful that strong investment in early intervention and better services for young people will be among the highest priorities of the Third National Mental Health Plan. This is not only where the greatest public health burden lies, but also where cost-effectiveness of intervention is likely to be maximal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate current practice at a generic adult mental health service, St Vincent's Mental Health Service (SVMHS) in relation to management of patients with early psychosis. A further aim was to compare treatment of early psychosis patients within this generic service with management of a similar group in a specialized early psychosis service. Method: A case file audit of all patients identified as having early psychosis (within the first 2 years of treatment) was undertaken using a standardized audit tool. Variables including proportion of early psychosis admitted as inpatients to the psychiatric unit, average length of stay (LOS), use of seclusion, involvement of police in admission process, mean neuroleptic dose and estimated duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) were studied. Results of this audit were then compared with published evaluative data from the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre (EPPIC), a service specifically catering for young people with early psychosis (within the first 18 months of treatment). Results: Data were collected on 62 of 68 patients identified as having early psychosis. Within the generic service, mean DUP was found to be about 15 months, a high proportion (81%) of patients were admitted and secluded (22% of those admitted), average length of stay was 46.5 days and use of police in the admission process was also high (40% of those admitted). This compares unfavourably with the EPPIC data of mean DUP of just over 6 months, 64.1% of patients admitted, 10.3% secluded, average LOS 12.9 days, and police involved in 3.8% of admissions. Conclusions: We believe that practice at SVMHS in relation to early psychosis patients is fairly typical of management of these patients within generic services as a whole. These services tend to focus on the needs of the majority of their patients, those with chronic schizophrenia, rather than the small group of patients with early psychosis (who make up about 8% of current... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses early intervention (EI) in psychosis and analyses evidence, evidence gaps, criticism, and confusion related to it. EI can be effective if duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is decreased. Specialized services of EI for first-episode psychosis (FEP) are superior to generic services. EI services are also criticized for disruption of continuity of care and considered as preventing psychotic disorder by treatment of nonpsychotic individuals.

The article discusses the need of extending the upper age range for early intervention for psychosis services. Topics include expanding the clinical focus to emerging and early phases of a range of psychiatric illnesses; high rates of comorbidity between anxiety, depression and sub-threshold psychotic symptoms in young people; and concerns about the privatization of National Health Service (NHS) in the Great Britain such as lack of transparency about profits, costs, and level of care.

Objectives: Childhood trauma is common and associated with mental ill health. While high rates of trauma are observed across individual disorders, there is evidence that trauma is associated with an admixture of affective, anxiety and psychotic symptoms in adults. Given that early onset of mental disorder and trauma exposure herald poor outcomes, it is important to examine trauma prevalence rates in youth mental health services and to determine whether this trauma-related clustering is present in help-seeking young people. Methods: We used data from the Transitions Study, a longitudinal investigation of young people attending headspace youth mental health services in Australia between January 2011 and August 2012. Participants were 775 young people aged 12–25. Childhood trauma was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Multinomial regression was used to assess whether reported childhood trauma was more strongly associated with the co-occurrence of depression, anxiety, mania and psychosis symptoms than with any one in isolation. Results: Approximately 84% of participants reported some form of abuse (emotional: 68%; physical: 32%; sexual: 22%) or neglect (emotional: 65%; physical: 46%). Exposure to multiple trauma types was common. Childhood trauma was significantly associated with each symptom domain. More severe childhood trauma was more strongly associated with the co-occurrence of symptoms than with any one symptom domain in isolation, such that more severely trauma-exposed young people were more likely to experience increased symptom clustering. Conclusions: Childhood trauma is pervasive in youth mental health services and associated with a symptom profile that cuts across traditional diagnostic boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a letter to the editor in reply to a letter on psychosis services.

Objective: Ventricular enlargement is common in established schizophrenia; however, data from ultra high-risk for psychosis and first-episode psychosis studies are inconclusive. This study aims to investigate ventricular volumes at different stages of psychosis. Methods: Ventricular volumes were measured using a semi-automated and highly reliable method, for 89 established schizophrenia, 162 first-episode psychosis, 135 ultra high-risk for psychosis and 87 healthy controls using 1.5T magnetic resonance images. Clinical outcome diagnoses for ultra high-risk for psychosis were evaluated at long-term follow-up (mean: 7.5 years). Results: Compared to controls, we identified significant ventricular enlargement of 36.2% in established schizophrenia (p < 0.001). Ventricular enlargement was not significant in first-episode psychosis (6%) or ultra high-risk for psychosis (-3%). Examination across stages of schizophrenia-spectrum diagnoses subgroups revealed a significant linear trend (p = 0.006; established schizophrenia = 36.2%, first-episode psychosis schizophrenia = 18.5%, first-episode psychosis schizophreniform = -4.2% and ultra high-risk for psychosis-schizophrenia converters = -18.5%). Conclusion: Ventricular enlargement is apparent in patients with established schizophrenia but is not a feature at the earliest stages of illness (ultra high-risk for psychosis and first-episode psychosis). Further research is needed to fully characterize the nature and timing of ventricular volume changes early in the course of illness and how these changes impact outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Intervention during the pre-psychotic period of illness holds the potential of delaying or even preventing the onset of a full-threshold disorder, or at least of reducing the impact of such a disorder if it does develop. The first step in realizing this aim was achieved more than 10 years ago with the development and validation of criteria for the identification of young people at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis. Results of three clinical trials have been published that provide mixed support for the effectiveness of psychological and pharmacological interventions in preventing the onset of psychotic disorder. Method: The present paper describes a fourth study that has now been undertaken in which young people who met UHR criteria were randomized to one of three treatment groups: cognitive therapy plus risperidone (CogTher + Risp: n = 43); cognitive therapy plus placebo (CogTher + Placebo: n = 44); and supportive counselling + placebo (Supp + Placebo; n = 28). A fourth group of young people who did not agree to randomization were also followed up (monitoring: n = 78). Baseline characteristics of participants are provided. Results and conclusion: The present study improves on the previous studies because treatment was provided for 12 months and the independent contributions of psychological and pharmacological treatments in preventing transition to psychosis in the UHR cohort and on levels of psychopathology and functioning can be directly compared. Issues associated with recruitment and randomization are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective : An association between birth and pregnancy complications and the later development of schizophrenia has been described for decades and obstetric complications (OCs) have been proposed as a vulnerability marker for psychosis in line with the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of psychotic disorders. Previous studies of OCs have focused on established schizophrenia. In this study, the association between OCs and the development of psychotic disorder was studied in a group of 74 young people identified as being at very high risk for the first onset of psychosis. Method : The‘ultra’ high risk (UHR) cohort was identified by the presence of subthreshold psychotic symptoms, or a combination of first-degree relative with a psychotic disorder and recent functional decline. Thirty-eight per cent of the cohort developed an acute psychotic episode over the 12-month period after recruitment. As a component of a larger research study, the level of OCs experienced by the UHR cohort was assessed at intake. Results : Obstetric complications were not associated with the later development of psychosis in the UHR group included in this study. Conclusions : This study does not support a role for OCs as a risk factor for the later development of psychosis; however, we cannot conclude that they should be completely ignored as a candidate risk factor for onset of psychosis. A number of weaknesses of the study suggest that it may be premature to dismiss OCs as a risk factor for the development of psychosis and further research is urged in this area. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2005; 39:460–466 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]