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Structure and stability of symptoms in first episode psychosis: a longitudinal network approach.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Griffiths, Siân Lowri  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0031-7174
Mallikarjun, Pavan Kumar 
Blake, Georgina 
Everard, Linda 

Abstract

Early psychosis is characterised by heterogeneity in illness trajectories, where outcomes remain poor for many. Understanding psychosis symptoms and their relation to illness outcomes, from a novel network perspective, may help to delineate psychopathology within early psychosis and identify pivotal targets for intervention. Using network modelling in first episode psychosis (FEP), this study aimed to identify: (a) key central and bridge symptoms most influential in symptom networks, and (b) examine the structure and stability of the networks at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Data on 1027 participants with FEP were taken from the National EDEN longitudinal study and used to create regularised partial correlation networks using the 'EBICglasso' algorithm for positive, negative, and depressive symptoms at baseline and at 12-months. Centrality and bridge estimations were computed using a permutation-based network comparison test. Depression featured as a central symptom in both the baseline and 12-month networks. Conceptual disorganisation, stereotyped thinking, along with hallucinations and suspiciousness featured as key bridge symptoms across the networks. The network comparison test revealed that the strength and bridge centralities did not differ significantly between the two networks (C = 0.096153; p = 0.22297). However, the network structure and connectedness differed significantly from baseline to follow-up (M = 0.16405, p = <0.0001; S = 0.74536, p = 0.02), with several associations between psychosis and depressive items differing significantly by 12 months. Depressive symptoms, in addition to symptoms of thought disturbance (e.g. conceptual disorganisation and stereotyped thinking), may be examples of important, under-recognized treatment targets in early psychosis, which may have the potential to lead to global symptom improvements and better recovery.

Description

Keywords

Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Psychopathology, Psychotic Disorders, Schizophrenia

Journal Title

Transl Psychiatry

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2158-3188
2158-3188

Volume Title

11

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
Chief Scientist Office (CAF/19/04)
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (RP-PG-0109-10074)
DH | National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (RP-PG-0109-10074)