Search

Background: An elevated risk of psychosis in migrant and ethnic minority groups has been frequently reported. Previous UK studies have found an elevated risk in African-Caribbean, African and Mixed Ethnic groups, but risks for these groups in West Yorkshire are not known. Aim: To carry out a naturalistic study of the relative risk of psychosis in Yorkshire African, African-Caribbean and Mixed Ethnic groups as compared with the British White population. Method: We used data from Early Intervention for Psychosis services on 15–35 year-olds diagnosed with first episode psychosis (ICD-10, F20-29) in 2013–2015 and local census data to calculate risks.Results: Risk ratios (RR) are significantly increased in African (RR 3.23: 95% CI, 2.46, 4.25), African Caribbean (RR 3.15: 95% CI, 2.04, 4.85) and Mixed Ethnic group (RR 2.27: 95% CI, 1.77, 2.91).Conclusion: Risks are elevated but not as much as elsewhere in England. The reasons for this difference require further investigation.

Background: Migration is a risk factor for psychoses but risks within the large South Asian communities of West Yorkshire are not known. Aim: To estimate the risk of psychosis in the Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian populations in West Yorkshire as compared with British White population. Method: We used data from Early Intervention for Psychosis services on 15–35 year-olds diagnosed with first episode psychosis in 2013–2015 and local census data to calculate risks. Results: Compared with the British White population, the Pakistani population had a significantly higher risk of first episode psychosis (RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09, 1.58). The smaller Bangladeshi population showed a similar, but non-significant, trend (RR 1.50, 95% CI 0.89, 2.53). In contrast, the Indian population had a significantly lower risk (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.33, 0.79). Conclusion: Variable risk of psychosis among south Asian ethnic groups in West Yorkshire needs further research.

Aim: Improved approaches to remediate cognitive deficits are needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a novel cognitive remediation (CR) game in first episode psychosis (FEP). Methods: Participants were 11 FEP clients in two treatment arms; CR and Treatment as Usual (TAU). Baseline assessments included pre-morbid IQ, symptoms and neurocognition. The CR group had 8 sessions of therapy in a group setting with the control group receiving TAU. Post intervention groups were re-assessed for symptoms and cognitive function. Results: There were no significant differences between groups at baseline in symptoms or cognitive function. Post intervention significant improvements were observed in negative symptoms and executive function along with a significant relationship between negative symptoms and executive function in the CR group. Conclusions: These data, from a small sample, suggest that X-Cog could form part of an effective strategy to remediate cognitive deficits.

Background: Cognitive deficits are a core symptom of schizophrenia, severely debilitating and untreated by current medication. However, to date there is limited research focusing on the precise nature of the cognitive disturbances at first episode in ethnic populations. Improved understanding of this will allow improved approaches to therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate cognitive function with a first episode of psychosis South Asian patients. Methods: Twenty South Asian first episode psychosis patients and 15 healthy South Asian matched controls were recruited. All were second generation South Asian people living in the UK. Subjects who took part in the study completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (patient group), the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading and a battery of neuropsychological assessments to assess specific domains of cognition of relevance to Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) (all groups). Results: Results show that first episode patients performed significantly worse than controls across all cognitive domains tested using CANTAB. Significant impairments were found in tests of visual and spatial memory, executive function, working memory, spatial planning and attention. Importantly, a number of cognitive performance indices (visual memory, spatial memory, executive function) were positively correlated with the severity of negative symptoms. Conclusion: We demonstrate that first episode South Asian patients display significant and specific cognitive deficits with evidence to support an association between negative symptoms and certain cognitive domains at first episode in this patient population.