Researchers Advise Screening for Manic Symptoms in Patients With Schizophrenia
Screening revealed distinct symptoms of mania in more than a quarter of stable outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), according to a study published in Brain Medicine.
Researchers used the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) to investigate the presence of manic symptoms in 75 adults with stable SSD from the outpatient clinic at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. Patients were also assessed via the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, and Risk Assessment of Suicidality Scale.
Some 26.7% of patients had YMRS scores above 10, signaling distinct manic symptoms, according to the study.
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Analysis showed YMRS scores significantly correlated with PANSS total scores, PANSS-Positive subscores, and PANSS-General Psychopathology subscores, researchers reported. The correlation between YMRS scores with PANSS-Negative subscores, however, did not reach significance.
“Our research demonstrates a clear association between positive symptoms and manic presentations in SSD," said lead researcher Eva-Maria Tsapakis, MBBS, PhD, a professor at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. “More importantly, we found that the severity of positive symptoms could predict the presence of manic symptoms, suggesting a deeper connection between these two aspects of psychopathology,”
In light of the findings, the research team recommended regular screening for symptoms of mania in patients with SSD for more effective care.
“[T]his study highlights that by addressing manic symptoms contributing to and associated with positive psychotic psychopathology in individuals with SSDs, we could improve the management of acute SSD episodes and promote remission,” researchers wrote, “especially in poorly responding patients with undetected, hence suboptimally treated manic symptoms.”
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