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  • Cheng posted an update 9 months, 1 week ago

    Neurobiological heterogeneity in schizophrenia is poorly understood and confounds current analyses. We investigated neuroanatomical subtypes in a multi-institutional multi-ethnic cohort, using novel semi-supervised machine learning methods designed to discover patterns associated with disease rather than normal anatomical variation. Structural MRI and clinical measures in established schizophrenia (n = 307) and healthy controls (n = 364) were analysed across three sites of PHENOM (Psychosis Heterogeneity Evaluated via Dimensional Neuroimaging) consortium. Regional volumetric measures of grey matter, white matter, and CSF were used to identify distinct and reproducible neuroanatomical subtypes of schizophrenia. Two distinct neuroanatomical subtypes were found. Subtype 1 showed widespread lower grey matter volumes, most prominent in thalamus, nucleus accumbens, medial temporal, medial prefrontal/frontal and insular cortices. Subtype 2 showed increased volume in the basal ganglia and internal capsule, and otherwd normal and stable anatomy, except for larger basal ganglia and internal capsule, not explained by antipsychotic dose. These subtypes challenge the notion that brain volume loss is a general feature of schizophrenia and suggest differential aetiologies. They can facilitate strategies for clinical trial enrichment and stratification, and precision diagnostics. © The Author(s) (2020). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email journals.permissions@oup.com.BACKGROUND Knowledge of the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of Varicella zoster virus (VZV) encephalitis remains limited. METHODS Nationwide prospective cohort study of adults treated for microbiologically confirmed VZV encephalitis at Danish departments of infectious diseases from 2015 to 2019. Modified Poisson regression analysis was used to compute adjusted relative risks (RR) of unfavorable outcome. RESULTS We identified 92 adults (49% female) with VZV encephalitis yielding an incidence of 5.3/1,000,000/year (95% CI4.2-6.6). The median age was 75 years (IQR 67-83) and immuno-compromising conditions were frequent (39%). Predominant symptoms were confusion (76%), headache (56%), nausea (45%), gait disturbance (42%), and personality changes (41%). Cranial imaging showed cerebral vasculitis (including infarction and hemorrhage) in 14 (16%) patients and encephalitic abnormalities in 11 (13%) with predilection for the brainstem and deep brain structures. Intravenous acyclovir treatment was initiated a median of 13.4 hours (IQR 5.2-46.3) since admission, while cranial imaging and lumbar puncture were performed after 6.3 hours (IQR 2.5-31.0) and 18.5 hours (IQR 4.9-42.0). In-hospital, 1-month, and 3-month mortalities were 4%, 9%, and 11%, respectively. find more Unfavorable outcome (Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) of 1-4), was found in 69% at discharge, with age (adj. RR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03), vasculitis (adj. RR 1.38, 95% CI 1.02-1.86), and Glascow coma scale (GCS) less then 15 (adj. RR 1.32, 95% CI1.01-1.73) identified as independent risk factors. CONCLUSION VZV encephalitis occurs primarily in elderly or immuno-compromised patients with a higher incidence than previously estimated. The diagnosis is often delayed and risk factors for unfavorable outcome are age, cerebral vasculitis, and GCS less then 15. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.Reflections of patients have not been studied qualitatively after a completed course of individual music therapy for a major depressive disorder (MDD) or an acute phase of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD). Our interpretivist study explored patient reflections through individual interviews with 15 hospitalized patients after a completed course of eight individual music therapy sessions that were flexibly structured in blended fashion utilizing a set of active and receptive music therapy methods. Our analyses yielded 8 themes, supported by 23 subthemes. These themes were grouped into three domains, capturing respectively participants’ praise for music therapy, the distress from which change emerged, and various perceived gains. Participants cast the perceived gains from music therapy in the wake of their distress. The domain of distress comprised two themes distress before and during therapy, and a process of opening up and dealing with old wounds. The themes expressing their gains were new perspectives, growing strong, emotional fulfillment, becoming socially closer and more adept, and becoming liberated and creatively inspired. These client perspectives on a completed course of music therapy augment the evidence base established in clinician terms of what matters as a potential gain from music therapy. These perspectives, furthermore, inform on the gains and the distress from which gains emerged, congruent with a strengths-oriented therapeutic pursuit in music therapy for an MDD or an acute phase of SSD. Music therapists in similar settings may draw on these perspectives in the planning and strengthening of a course of music therapy. © American Music Therapy Association 2020. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.Despite multiple studies, the role of CMV infection in exacerbating the severity of inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC) and its response to treatment remains debatable. Additionally, the optimal diagnostic tests for CMV infection in the setting of UC relapse and timing of antiviral treatment initiation remain unclear. The challenge faced by gastroenterologists is to differentiate between an acute UC flare and true CMV colitis. It seems that the presence of CMV colitis as defined by the presence of intranuclear or intracellular inclusion bodies on haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and/or positive immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay on histology is associated with more severe colitis. Patients with CMV infection and acute severe colitis are more resistant to treatment with corticosteroids than non-infected patients. This refractoriness to steroids is related to colonic tissue CMV viral load and number of inclusion bodies (high-grade CMV infection) that may have a pronounced effect on clinical outcomes and colectomy rates.

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