Search

Introduction: Cognitive impairment is usually found in people with Schizophrenia SpectrumDisorder (SDD) (Schaefer et al., 2013). Sustained attention is one of the most characteristic cognitive areas affected and has been largely studied for decades (Hoonakker et al., 2017). Sustained attention is defined as the ability to maintain attention on a given stimulus or task for a span of time (Parasuraman, 1984). Mindfulness is theorized to improve the attentional process. However, the effects of Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBIs) on cognition are still unclear (Lao & Meadows, 2017). Objectives: To test if a MBI (SocialMIND®) improves attentional performance in SDD patients Methods: A parallel-group, single-blind, randomized, controlled (SocialMIND® versus Psychoeducational Multicomponent Intervention [PMI]), clinical trial has been implemented. The participants received 16 weeks group therapy of SocialMIND® or PMI. Sustained attention was measured with the Continuous Performance Test (CPT-IP). Results: 23 participants were included. A better performance on CPT-IP was found in patients allocated to SocialMIND® (M=3.46, SD=0.73) compared to PMI (M=2.79, SD=1.18) after sixteen weeks of treatment (T=2.89, p=0.009, d=1.19). However, this improvement was only found in the 2-digit task. Conclusions: 3-digit and 4-digit tasks increase the difficulty of the test involving greater implication of other cognitive processes such as working memory. Taking this into account, it's possible that MBIs improves sustained attention but has no effects on working memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Insight disruption is a core characteristic of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (SSD) (Moritz et al., 2017). Beck introduced the concept of "cognitive insight" as the capacity of the patient to distance oneself from and to reevaluate misguided beliefs and interpretations (Beck et al., 2004). This insight can bemeasured by the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale (BCIS). Mindfulness is defined as paying attention to the present moment, on purpose and non-judgmentally (Kabat-Zinn, 1994). Mindfulness meditation promotes an open orientation to one's mental events so Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBIs) might improve psychotic patients' cognitive insight. Objectives: To test if a mindfulness-based intervention (SocialMIND®) for patients with first-episode psychosis increases cognitive insight. Methods: A parallel-group, randomized, controlled (SocialMIND® versus psychoeducational multicomponent intervention [PMI]), clinical trial has been implemented. 23 participants received 16 weeks of group therapy. Cognitive insight was measured with the BCIS. Results: There were significant differences in BCIS scores in the Self-certainty subscale between PMI (M1=9,09, SD=3,83, M2=9.55, S.D2=3.24,) and SocialMIND® (M1=6,46, SD1=2,44, M2=5.38, SD2=2.66) after 16 weeks of treatment (t(22)=-2.2, p=0.04, d=0.88). Conclusions: This result is congruent with the theorical background of each intervention. PMI focuses on providing educational information about psychosis. This expert information might lead to the sensation of a better understanding of the pathology and may increase the sensation of certainty. Meanwhile, SocialMIND® approaches the psychotic experience and the way the patient's mind is working from an experiential and individual point of view. This might lead to a greater awareness of mental processes, reducing the certainty about mind contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The action mechanisms that explain how Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBIs) improve the well-being of people with mental disorders remain unclear (Alsubaie et al., 2017). This question leads us to ask how we measure mindfulness as a construct. Only two questionnaires are available nowadays in Spanish: the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) (Cebolla et al., 2012) and the Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS) (Brown and Ryan, 2003). In the Spanish validation of the MAAS (Soler et al., 2012) the authors report a lack of sensibility to change that may render it inadequate to be used for the purpose of measuring the influence over mindfulness of a given intervention. Objectives: To test if a MBI (SocialMIND®) increases mindfulness, as measured by MAAS. Methods: A prospective single group clinical trial including participants with psychotic disorders was carried out. Mindfulness disposition was measured with the MAAS after 8 weeks of treatment. Results: 33 participants were included. MAAS scores did not increase after SocialMIND® (t=0.005, p=1). Conclusions: These results seem to support previous evidence which points towards the lack of sensibility to change of the MAAS (MacKillop et al., 2007; Soler et al., 2012). MAAS does not discriminate between non meditators and novice meditators. This is highly important in psychotic population because they have troubles acquiring habits, such as meditation. MAAS might be a valid instrument for studies where intense meditation practice is made, so a pre-post intervention change may be detected. More sensible instruments or new specific ones must be validated in Spanish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Studies have associated students from Medicine and other healthcare degrees with high levels of stress and depression. This puts at risk both their mental health and the quality of physician-patient relationship. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program has been shown to improve psychological wellbeing and to reduce rumination; however, it seems unclear if digital programs have the same effect. Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of a mindfulness smartphone app versus an adapted version of the MBSR program among healthcare students. Methods: A parallel-group, single-blind, randomised (1:1:1), controlled trial was designed. 140 students of Medicine, Nursing, Psychology and Nutrition were allocated to either the app program, the in-person program, or a waitlist. The assessment of depressive symptoms was included though the Beck Depression Inventory at baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks). Results: 86 participants completed BDI at both times and an intention-to-treat analysis was performed. Depressive levels changed from 7.21 (SD 6.08) to 4.07 (SD 4.44) in the app group, and from 7.11 (SD 6.62) to 5.26 (SD 5.21) in the in-person group. ANOVA test did not find a significant difference for depression among the three arms. Conclusions: Only a tendency to significance was found for both the app and the in-person program for the reduction of depressive symptoms. Most participants presented minimum levels of depression at baseline, so a floor effect might be considered as an explanation. Future studies are needed to determine the effect of mindfulnessbased programs on the depression levels of healthcare students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mindfulness-based interventions are showing promising results for people with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD) (Goldberg et al., 2018), though their action mechanisms are yet to be clarified. Social cognition has drawn a great deal of attention in recent decades as people with psychosis tend to perform worse than healthy controls in socio-cognitive tasks (Green et al., 2015). A core component of social cognition is attributional style and people with psychosis tend to perceive more intentionality and hostility in other people's behaviors in negative and ambiguous situations than controls (Savla et al., 2012). Objectives: To explore the changes in hostility bias after Social-MIND® in a sample of people with SSD. Methods: SocialMIND® is a mindfulness-based social cognition training delivered over 9 months, the first two including 8 weekly sessions. 46 patients were included: 25 subjects completed a feasibility trial (Mediavilla et al., 2019a) while 21 subjects are currently enrolled in a Randomized Controlled Trial (Mediavilla et al., 2019b). Assessment included the Ambiguous Intentions Hostility Questionnaire (AIHQ). Results: 46 participants completed weekly sessions and assessment. Participants showed a significant improvement in hostility bias as measured by the AIHQ (p=0,018, d=0,38). Conclusions: SocialMIND® is among the few social cognition trainings to achieve an improvement in hostility bias in people with psychosis (Roberts et al., 2014). Given the role of social cognition in SSD as predictor and mediator of social functioning (Galderisi et al., 2018), future research lines should delve deeper into the action mechanisms and key active ingredients of social cognition trainings for people with psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weathering processes are responsible for slight surface mineralogical differences allowing the distinction between lithologically similar geological units using Thematic Mapper (TM) data. Two different stages throughout time of overlying iron alteration are notoriously distinctive on the imagery and laboratory spectra. Their diverse spectral behaviour follows the dominant iron hydroxide with kaolinite and carbonate crusts on the Pliocene Ochre Alteration typical of a humid warm climate, compared with the dominant nonhydratated iron oxides with smectite on the Miocene Red Alteration developed under a mediterranean dry climate. Iron materials with carbonate hinder appearance of the typical iron absorption features in the visible wavebands. Therefore, the iron weathering alteration coatings will be obscured on the imagery when it is developed on carbonate sediments or detritic sediments with carbonate cement or matrix. The presence of carbonate within the sediment as cement or alteration product decreases the overall reflectance of laboratory nonconsolidated rocks and the clay size fraction from rocks, apart from smoothing the 2200 nm absorption typical of OH-bearing minerals. The presence of carbonate cement and carbonate crusts favours the differentiation of some units. Digital mapping through image processing of different series of digital data leads to a sequential masking of classes to produce a final map. The sequence of masking produces different maps which can be used as a tool to model aspects of the sedimentary basin and geological processes throughout time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are showing promising results for people with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (Goldberg et al., 2018). Social cognition is now a research focus as people with psychosis tend to perform worse than controls in socio-cognitive tasks (Green et al., 2015). A core component of social cognition is attributional style and people with psychosis tend to perceive more intentionality and hostility in other people's behaviors in negative and ambiguous situations than control groups (Savla et al., 2012). Objectives: To explore the relationships between dispositional mindfulness, attributional bias and functioning in a sample of people with SSD. Methods: Assessment included the Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Ambiguous Intentions Hostility Questionnaire (AIHQ) and the Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP). Results: 53 participants completed assessment. Higher dispositional mindfulness was linked to both lower intentionality bias (r=-,380, p=,012) and lower AIHQ total scores (r=-,301, p=,05). Furthermore, higher PSP total scores were correlated with lower hostility bias (r=-,344, p=,02) and lower anger bias (r=-,312, p=,037). None of the measures collected were linked to positive or negative symptoms. Conclusions: The associations found between higher dispositional mindfulness and lower attributional biases support the use of MBIs which target social cognition in people with psychosis. Moreover, the possible link between personal and social functioning and lower attributional biases warrant further research. Given the role of social cognition in SSD as a predictor and mediator of social functioning (Galderisi et al., 2018), future research lines should help clarify the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and social cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recent studies support the efficacy of Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBIs) reducing negative symptoms (Sabe et at., 2019), but report no significant effects on positive symptoms (Shieh et al, 2018). A recent meta-analysis found a strong beneficial effect of MBIs in reducing depressive symptoms among people with severe mental illness (Goldberg et al, 2018), supporting the consideration of MBIs as a convenient therapy for psychotic disorders. Objectives: To determine the effects of a MBI (SocialMIND®) on depression, negative and positive symptoms. Methods: A parallel-group, controlled (SocialMIND® versus psychoeducational multicomponent intervention [PMI]), clinical trial has been implemented. The participants received 16 weeks of group therapy. Depression, positive and negative symptoms were measured with the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Results: 23 participants were included. There were no differences in general psychopathology, positive or negative symptoms. However, we found a significant decrease in negative symptom scores when analyzing both groups together (PMI and SocialMIND®) (t(23)=-2.53, p=0.019). There were no significant intergroup differences in depressive symptoms (t(22)=2.09, p=0.057, d=0.8). However, the 95% confidence interval in the PMI group [-5.4, 0.67] compared with SocialMIND®'s [-0.91, 1.99] shows a tendency of a better performance of PMI in reducing depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Both interventions reduced negative symptons, These results are in line with the findings of a greater effect of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (group therapy) over Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (individual therapy) on negative symptoms (Louise et al., 2018), suggesting a group intervention in itselfmight be effective in reducing negative symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Attention in the early stages of psychosis has become more important in recent years. It is estimated that there are about 6-20 new cases of psychosis per 100,000 inhabitants. Psychosis spends not only about 8 billion euros a year to our health system but also an incalculable emotional cost. Objectives: To develop an early intervention in psychosis program Methods: Our Early Intervention Program in psychosis is dependent on the University Hospital La Paz, but focused on community care of patients with early stages of psychosis (people with a first psychotic episode between 16 and 40 years old) and their families. The program is included in the serious mental disorder case management program. Results: The program focuses on the community's attention to the individual with psychosis experience and his family, coordinated by a social worker, and with the figure of the extra-hospital psychiatrist as a responsible reference for the patient. Thus, a path of several evaluations and interventions has been designed, individualizing the attention according to the needs of each subject. A series of transversal resources of individual, group and family interventions has been established. The program also addresses the different comorbidities (such as addictions) and psychosocial and occupational rehabilitation. Objectives were also set regarding health education, case detection and clinical research. Conclusions: Early intervention in psychosis is becoming increasingly important in our environment, and should be offered in each mental health unit, given the improvement in the quality of life of people served. Moreover, this kind of programs will help to conduct further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Impairment in different social cognition domains has been found across different phases of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. There is growing evidence showing that they are linked with worse functional outcomes, which raises the question whether they remain stable over time. To date, few studies have tried to establish a comparison between social cognition performance in early and chronic psychosis and mixed findings have arised Objectives: The aim of the current study is to compare social cognition performance between samples of early and chronic psychosis. Methods: Data from 81 patients: 53 chronic (>5y) psychotic patients and 28 early psychosis (<5y) was collected. Patients were assessed on different Social Cognition tasks: Reading the mind in the eyes test (RMET), Ambiguous Intentions Hostility Questionnaire (AIHQ) and Hinting Task Test (HT). Results: Compared with chronic SSD patients, Early Psychosis group had better performance on some social cognition tasks: HT, Mean Difference (MD): -1,593 CI 95% -2,551 to -0,634 p:0.02; and RMET MD: -3,142 CI95% -5.490 to -0,794 p:0.01. Although no differences were found on global AIHQ performance, Early Psychosis patients tended to display more aggression attributions (AIHQ-AB MD: -,24080 CI95% -,474 to -,007 p: 0,044), and Chronic SSD patients more hostility attributions (AIHQ-HB MD: 0,303 CI95% 0,002 to 0,603) Conclusions: Social Cognition decline in psychotic population is a largely unexplored field, although it can be an important factor explaining functional decline in patients not attending psychosocial treatments focusing on this field. Clinical significance of the results and limitations of the study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: One of the most common causes of pain are tumours. Clinical guidelines recommend the use of opioid drugs for treatment of tumoral pain. In addition, the presence of certain risk factors that may favour the harmful consumption of opioid drugs must be taken into account. Objectives: Main objective: to describe the prescription of opioid drugs in patients with head and neck cancer and pain in follow-up in Hospital Universitario La Paz. - Secondary objectives: description of the characteristics of the sample. Study of the risk factors associated with the development of harmful use of opioid drugs in these patients. Methods: Retrospective transversal descriptive observational study. Review of data from the medical records of patients cited in medical oncology consultations with head and neck tumours Results: The prevalence of opioid prescription in the studied sample is 24.5%. The most commonly used opioid is the fentanyl patch. Patients with chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic treatment have a higher prescription of opioids. There is an association between the prescription of opioids and the state of the oncological disease. The smoking and enolic habit are risk factors of dependence that are frequently found in patients with neoplasia of the head and neck. Conclusions: The results about the prevalence of prescription of opioids in the sample of patients studied reflect a good practice of the use of these drugs in patients with head and neck tumours. The high prevalence of risk factors that are associated with the development of misuse, abuse and dependence of these drugs must be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: People with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSDs) suffer significant social cognitive impairments (Paker, Foley, Walker & Dark, 2013). Social cognitive trainings are emerging interventions aiming to target these impairments and improve functional outcomes (Green et al., 2015). Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) (Taylor et al., 2016) and Training of Affect Recognition (TAR) both improve social cognition (Vaskinn et al., 2019). Social-MIND® is the first mindfulness-based social cognition training tailormade for people with psychosis (Mediavilla et al., 2019a). Objectives: To explore the changes in emotion recognition after SocialMIND® in a sample of people with SSD. Methods: SocialMIND® is delivered over 9 months, the first two including 8 weekly sessions. 46 patients were included: 25 subjects completed a feasibility trial while 21 subjects are currently enrolled in a Randomized Controlled Trial (Mediavilla et al., 2019b). Assessment included the RMET. Results: 46 participants completed weekly sessions and assessment. Participants displayed a significant improvement of 3,85 in RMET scores (p=0,012, d=0,42). Conclusions: SocialMIND® is one of the first social cognition trainings for SSD to show an improvement in emotion recognition. Similar pre-to post-intervention results have also been achieved by SCIT (Gordon et al., 2018; Voutilainen, Kouhia, Roberts & Oksanen, 2016) and TAR (Sachs et al., 2012). However, different methodological issues render comparisons impractical as results have been inconsistent (Roberts et al., 2014). Given the role of social cognition in schizophrenia (Galderisi et al., 2018), future research lines should delve deeper into the key active ingredients and action mechanisms of social cognition trainings for people with psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]