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Dell'Osso L, Amatori G, Giovannoni F, Massimetti E, Cremone IM, Carpita B. Rumination and altered reactivity to sensory input as vulnerability factors for developing post-traumatic stress symptoms among adults with autistic traits. CNS Spectr 2024; 29:119-125. [PMID: 38224059 DOI: 10.1017/s1092852924000014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Recent literature has suggested that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autistic traits (ATs) would be more likely to encounter traumatic events in their lifetime and to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the nature of this relationship has not yet been fully elucidated. The aims of this study were to evaluate the relationship between AT and PTSD and to investigate which specific autistic dimension was more associated with trauma and stress-related symptoms. METHODS A total of 68 subjects with ASD and 64 healthy controls (HCs) were assessed with the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum) and the Trauma and Loss Spectrum (TALS) questionnaires. Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, calculation of Spearman's coefficients, and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Patients with significant AT reported a 30% rate of PTSD and higher TALS total and domain scores than HCs, among whom no PTSD was found instead. Significant positive correlations were reported between AdAS Spectrum and TALS-SR scores in the whole sample. AdAS Spectrum total scores were statistically predictive of the presence of PTSD. High scores at AdAS Spectrum Inflexibility and adherence to routine and Restrictive interest and rumination domains were identified as positive predictors of a probable PTSD. CONCLUSION Compared to HCs, subjects with significant AT are more likely to present symptoms of PTSD. In particular, AT related to ruminative thinking, narrow interests, and sensorial reactivity would seem to predict the presence of post-traumatic stress symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Dell'Osso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Amatori
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Federico Giovannoni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Ivan Mirko Cremone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Barbara Carpita
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Dell’Osso L, Amatori G, Carpita B, Massimetti G, Nardi B, Gravina D, Benedetti F, Bonelli C, Casagrande D, Luciano M, Berardelli I, Brondino N, De Gregorio M, Deste G, Nola M, Reitano A, Muscatello MRA, Pompili M, Politi P, Vita A, Maj M. The mediating effect of mood spectrum on the relationship between autistic traits and catatonia spectrum. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1092193. [PMID: 37547215 PMCID: PMC10397411 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1092193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In the recent years, several studies have shown a correlation between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and catatonia. It is also known that both conditions are found to be associated with mood disorders. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between autistic traits and catatonic symptoms, as well as the potential mediating role of mood disorder spectrum in the relationship between them. Methods The total sample of 514 subjects was composed by four diagnostic groups, composed by patients affected by catatonia (CTN), borderline personality disorder (BPD), major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls (HC). Subjects were assessed with the SCID-5-RV, the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum) and the Catatonia Spectrum (CS) and the Mood Spectrum Self-Report (MOODS-SR). Statistical analyses included Pearson's coefficient calculation, multiple linear regression, and mediation analysis. Results all the correlations appear to be strongly positive and significant with the strongest coefficient emerging between AdAS Spectrum total score and CS total score (r = 0.762, p < 0.001). The Mediation Analysis showed that AdAS Spectrum total score showed a significant indirect effect on CS total score through MOODS-SR total score (b = 0.168, 95% bootstrapped CI [0.127:0.207]). Conclusion The present study highlights the presence of a mediating role of the mood disorder spectrum in the relationship between autistic traits and the catatonia spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Dell’Osso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Amatori
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Barbara Carpita
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gabriele Massimetti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Benedetta Nardi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Davide Gravina
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Benedetti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara Bonelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Danila Casagrande
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mario Luciano
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples, Italy
| | - Isabella Berardelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sense Organs, University of Roma “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
| | - Natascia Brondino
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marianna De Gregorio
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giacomo Deste
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Marta Nola
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Antonino Reitano
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | | | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sense Organs, University of Roma “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Politi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Antonio Vita
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Mario Maj
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples, Italy
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3
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Barlati S, Nibbio G, Morena D, Cacciani P, Corsini P, Mosca A, Deste G, Accardo V, Regina V, Lisoni J, Turrina C, Valsecchi P, Vita A. Autistic Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Impact on Internalized Stigma, Well-Being, Clinical and Functional Characteristics. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:801651. [PMID: 35432047 PMCID: PMC9005776 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.801651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) symptoms and internalized stigma (or self-stigma) can have a negative impact on cognitive and functional outcomes in people living with schizophrenia. Aim of the present study were to assess and compare internalized stigma, subjective well-being and other socio-demographic, clinical and functional characteristics in people diagnosed with schizophrenia with and without prominent autistic features. Ninety-four inpatients were assessed with measures of internalized stigma, subjective well-being, global clinical severity, schizophrenia symptoms severity, real-world functioning, medication side effects and attitude toward prescribed medications. Subjects with high levels of ASD symptoms were identified with the PANSS Autism Severity Score and compared to other participants. Predictors of prominent ASD features were also assessed. Thirteen patients showed prominent ASD symptoms. They were characterized by fewer years of education, worse real-world functioning and greater symptoms severity. No between-group differences were observed regarding subjective well-being and global internalized stigma severity; however, participants in the "autistic schizophrenia" group showed better stigma resistance. A worse clinical condition and fewer years of education emerged as predictors of autistic schizophrenia. Despite showing a more severe clinical presentation of the disorder and worse functional impairment, participants with prominent ASD symptoms do not present worse subjective well-being or more severe internalized stigma; on the contrary, they show better stigma resistance. ASD symptoms could therefore play a protective role in the internalization of stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Barlati
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Gabriele Nibbio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Cacciani
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Paola Corsini
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Mosca
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giacomo Deste
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Vivian Accardo
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Valentina Regina
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Jacopo Lisoni
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Cesare Turrina
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Paolo Valsecchi
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Antonio Vita
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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Nibbio G, Barlati S, Calzavara-Pinton I, Necchini N, Invernizzi E, Dell'Ovo D, Lisoni J, Deste G, Vita A. Assessment and correlates of autistic symptoms in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders measured with the PANSS Autism Severity Score: A systematic review. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:934005. [PMID: 36111306 PMCID: PMC9468543 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.934005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are considered separate entities, but the two spectra share important similarities, and the study of these areas of overlap represents a field of growing scientific interest. The PANSS Autism Score (PAUSS) was recently developed specifically to assess autistic symptoms in people living with SSD reliably and quickly. The aims of the present systematic review were to provide a comprehensive assessment of the use of the PAUSS scale in available literature and to systematically analyze cognitive, functional and neurobiological correlates of autistic symptoms measured with this instrument in SSD. The systematic literature search included three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus and PsycINFO) as well as a manual search in Google Scholar and in reference lists of included papers. Screening and extraction were conducted by at least two independent reviewers. Out of 213 identified records, 22 articles referring to 15 original studies were included in the systematic review. Studies were conducted in several different countries by independent groups, showing consistent scientific interest in the use of the scale; most works focused on cognitive and functional correlates of ASD symptoms, but some also considered neurobiological features. Results of included studies showed that autistic symptoms in people with SSD are consistently associated with worse cognitive performance, especially in the social cognition domain, and with worse psychosocial functioning. However, the presence of autistic symptoms appears to also have a protective role, particularly on functioning, in subjects with more severe psychotic symptoms. Further exploring the impact of autistic symptoms could be of significant scientific and clinical interest, allowing the development of tailored interventions to improve treatment for people living with SSDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Nibbio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Stefano Barlati
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Necchini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Elena Invernizzi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Dario Dell'Ovo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Jacopo Lisoni
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giacomo Deste
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Antonio Vita
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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Abu-Akel A, Wood SJ, Upthegrove R, Chisholm K, Lin A, Hansen PC, Gillespie SM, Apperly IA, Montag C. Psychosocial functioning in the balance between autism and psychosis: evidence from three populations. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:2976-2984. [PMID: 35422471 PMCID: PMC9205777 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01543-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Functional impairment is a core feature of both autism and schizophrenia spectrum disorders. While diagnostically independent, they can co-occur in the same individual at both the trait and diagnostic levels. The effect of such co-occurrence is hypothesized to worsen functional impairment. The diametric model, however, suggests that the disorders are etiologically and phenotypically diametrical, representing the extreme of a unidimensional continuum of cognition and behavior. A central prediction of this model is that functional impairment would be attenuated in individuals with mixed symptom expressions or genetic liability to both disorders. We tested this hypothesis in two clinical populations and one healthy population. In individuals with chronic schizophrenia and in individuals with first episode psychosis we evaluated the combined effect of autistic traits and positive psychotic symptoms on psychosocial functioning. In healthy carriers of alleles of copy number variants (CNVs) that confer risk for both autism and schizophrenia, we also evaluated whether variation in psychosocial functioning depended on the combined risk conferred by each CNV. Relative to individuals with biased symptom/CNV risk profiles, results show that functional impairments are attenuated in individuals with relatively equal levels of positive symptoms and autistic traits-and specifically stereotypic behaviors-, and in carriers of CNVs with relatively equal risks for either disorder. However, the pattern of effects along the "balance axis" varied across the groups, with this attenuation being generally less pronounced in individuals with high-high symptom/risk profile in the schizophrenia and CNV groups, and relatively similar for low-low and high-high individuals in the first episode psychosis group. Lower levels of functional impairments in individuals with "balanced" symptom profile or genetic risks would suggest compensation across mechanisms associated with autism and schizophrenia. CNVs that confer equal risks for both disorders may provide an entry point for investigations into such compensatory mechanisms. The co-assessment of autism and schizophrenia may contribute to personalized prognosis and stratification strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Abu-Akel
- Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland. .,School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, 31905, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Stephen J. Wood
- grid.6572.60000 0004 1936 7486School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK ,grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XCentre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 35 Poplar Rd, Parkville, VIC 3052 Australia ,grid.488501.00000 0004 8032 6923Orygen, Parkville, VIC 3052 Australia
| | - Rachel Upthegrove
- grid.6572.60000 0004 1936 7486School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK ,grid.6572.60000 0004 1936 7486Institute of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK ,Forward Thinking Birmingham and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust, 1 Printing House Street, Birmingham, B4 6DF UK
| | - Katharine Chisholm
- grid.6572.60000 0004 1936 7486School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK ,grid.7273.10000 0004 0376 4727Department of Psychology, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET UK
| | - Ashleigh Lin
- grid.1012.20000 0004 1936 7910Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, 15 Hospital Avenue, Perth, WA 6009 Australia
| | - Peter C. Hansen
- grid.6572.60000 0004 1936 7486School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
| | - Steven M. Gillespie
- grid.10025.360000 0004 1936 8470Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GB UK
| | - Ian A. Apperly
- grid.6572.60000 0004 1936 7486School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
| | - Christiane Montag
- grid.6363.00000 0001 2218 4662Charité University Medicine Berlin (Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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Precision Autism: Genomic Stratification of Disorders Making Up the Broad Spectrum May Demystify Its "Epidemic Rates". J Pers Med 2021; 11:jpm11111119. [PMID: 34834471 PMCID: PMC8620644 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11111119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, Autism has broadened and often shifted its diagnostics criteria, allowing several neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders of known etiology. This has resulted in a highly heterogeneous spectrum with apparent exponential rates in prevalence. I ask if it is possible to leverage existing genetic information about those disorders making up Autism today and use it to stratify this spectrum. To that end, I combine genes linked to Autism in the SFARI database and genomic information from the DisGeNET portal on 25 diseases, inclusive of non-neurological ones. I use the GTEx data on genes’ expression on 54 human tissues and ask if there are overlapping genes across those associated to these diseases and those from SFARI-Autism. I find a compact set of genes across all brain-disorders which express highly in tissues fundamental for somatic-sensory-motor function, self-regulation, memory, and cognition. Then, I offer a new stratification that provides a distance-based orderly clustering into possible Autism subtypes, amenable to design personalized targeted therapies within the framework of Precision Medicine. I conclude that viewing Autism through this physiological (Precision) lens, rather than viewing it exclusively from a psychological behavioral construct, may make it a more manageable condition and dispel the Autism epidemic myth.
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Giuliani L, Giordano GM, Bucci P, Pezzella P, Brando F, Galderisi S. Improving Knowledge on Pathways to Functional Outcome in Schizophrenia: Main Results From the Italian Network for Research on Psychoses. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:791117. [PMID: 34970172 PMCID: PMC8712575 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.791117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of factors associated with functional outcome of subjects with schizophrenia is a great challenge in current research oriented to the personalization of care. The Italian Network for Research on Psychoses (NIRP) is a network of 26 university psychiatric clinics and/or mental health departments aimed to carry out multicenter research projects to improve the standards of prevention, diagnosis, and treatments of schizophrenia. The network has promoted 2 main studies, a cross-sectional one and a longitudinal one and seven "add-on" studies. The cross-sectional study of the network included 921 subjects with schizophrenia, 379 unaffected first-degree relatives of these patients, and 780 healthy controls. Results from this study documented that social and non-social cognition, functional capacity, negative symptoms, resilience, and family or social incentives strongly influence a measure of global functioning. The follow-up study included 618 patients from the original sample and has produced evidence of the key role of cognition, functional capacity, the experiential domain of negative symptoms, and everyday life skills in predicting functional outcome. The longitudinal study demonstrated that social cognition and the experiential domain of negative symptoms had an impact on interpersonal functioning, while non-social cognition had an impact on everyday life skills. Both non-social cognition and social cognition predicted work skills. The research question concerning the relationships of cognitive impairment and negative symptoms has been investigated with an innovative approach, using a structural equation model (SEM) and a network analysis. Both analyses demonstrated that only the experiential domain of negative symptoms had a distinct direct effect on functioning. The network analysis showed that expressive deficit was connected to functional capacity, as were social and non-social cognitive variables, and to disorganization. These findings were confirmed by the follow-up study. The add-on studies showed distinct electrophysiological correlates of the two negative symptom domains and the partial overlap between disorganization and neurocognitive impairment. Moreover, they identified and characterized a specific subgroup of patients suffering from schizophrenia with autism spectrum symptoms. The NIRP studies have implications for personalized management of patients with schizophrenia and highlight the need for a careful assessment of several domains rarely evaluated in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Giuliani
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | | | - Paola Bucci
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Pezzella
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Brando
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Silvana Galderisi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
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