1. Sabina Abidi MD FRCPC
Child/Adolescent Psychiatrist
Assistant Professor Dalhousie University
IWK Youth Psychosis Team
Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program
2. Objectives
Review the history of psychosis and psychotic
disorders, current definitions and symptoms.
Know the markers that help identify youth at
risk for psychosis and psychotic disorders.
Discuss the importance of early identification
and treatment of youth with psychosis and
psychotic disorders.
4. “So…let’s talk about psychosis…”
What IS IT? Who knows?
Definition
Cases
5.
6.
7. Psychosis is a brain disorder.
A medical illness - affects more
than 8% of Canadians at any
point in time
a serious disturbance in an
individual’s reality testing
A process whereby the senses are
distorted, making it difficult for
the person to distinguish
between real and unreal
Affects a person’s ability to think,
perceive and act
Thinking, feelings, perception
and behavior affected
10. Onset of Psychiatric Disorders in Adolescence
Prevalence in Prevalence in
Childhood Adolescence
Depression (1-2%) Depression (6-8%)
Bipolar Disorder (rare) Bipolar Disorder (1%)
Psychosis (rare) Psychosis (1%)??
Anxiety Disorders (6-8%) Anxiety Disorders (10%)
Anorexia Nervosa (rare) Anorexia Nervosa (0.2%)
Total (7-10%) Total (15 – 20%)
11. Prevalence of Psychotic spectrum disorders per 1000
children/adolescents
In males particularly, psychotic disorder(s) is
Boys
8 a major disorder of adolescence
Girls
Hits adolescents in their prime – leads
6 to a disruption in education-attainment,
career building, employment
Alters relationships, family interactions,
4 Alters sense of self, esteem, (Reprinted) Spady et al. Prevalence
of Mental Disorders in Children
productivity Living in Alberta, Canada, as
Determined from Physician Billing
Data. 2001.Arch Pediatr Adolesc
Med. 155: pp.1156.
2
0
Age
0 3 6 9 12 15 18
15. Hallucinations
Hallucinations can affect all senses:
Sensory perceptions that occur in the absence of any
real stimulus but appear to be the result of faulty
messages in the brain.
Hearing (auditory)
Seeing (visual)
Touch (tactile)
Smell (olfactory)
Taste (gustatory)
16. Delusions
Fixed beliefs created by illness which are held only by the
person experiencing the psychosis.
These can include:
Belief in special abilities of self or others
Belief that physical health is changed
Belief that unusual coincidences have a special importance
Belief that one is being controlled
17. Thought Disorder
Problems organizing thoughts.
Thoughts coming to fast or too slow.
Problems thinking and therefore speaking logically.
Problems keeping on topic.
18. Disorganized or Bizarre Behaviour:
Everyone’s behaviour is a response to how they interpret
what is going on around them.
People with psychosis may behave differently than they
usually do.
may become extremely active or agitated,
may laugh inappropriately or display inappropriate
appearance, hygiene or conduct.
may behave in ways that reflect their thoughts
20. Negative symptoms may include:
Problems getting motivated
Problems taking joy in things
Problems getting words out
Seeming flat and blunted
21. Cognitive Symptoms
Refers to problems with learning and concentration
Find it difficult to focus and pay attention
find it hard to filter out all the various stimuli in their environment.
(may be highly sensitive to sounds, lights and even the regular activities
occurring in their immediate environment.)
Easily distracted
Trouble with working memory
Classroom/Tim’s example
22. Cognitive Symptoms
find the ability and speed in processing information and
reaction time may be slowed
experience difficulties with memory, problem solving ability
and judgement.
find it hard to organize activities in their lives, for example to
manage the time and tasks needed to get their schoolwork
completed.
23. Mood Symptoms
The person can be
Anxious, irritable
Depression
Anger and unpleasant behaviour
Rapid changes in mood
24. Key Point
•Sometimes people with psychosis cannot
recognize that they are ill and believe that
nothing is wrong with them.
•This lack of insight can make it hard to get
the person to accept treatment.
26. The psychosis continuum or
spectrum of symptoms
Psychotic disorder
Psychotic like experiences
(schizophrenia)
(normal variant)
PLEs associated with other disorders
-anxiety
-Depression
-Stress PLEs + markers of risk
-Grief/loss - family history
-trauma - social isolation
- birth trauma
- cannabis exposure
27. Types of disorders which present with symptoms
of psychosis
Schizophrenia
Schizophreniform Disorder
Brief Psychosis
Schizoaffective Disorder
Psychosis NOS
Delusional Disorder
Drug Induced Psychosis
Bipolar Disorder (with psychosis)
Psychotic Depression
Secondary to a medical condition
28. To be normal in adolescence it itself abnormal
Anna Freud
29. Prevalence of children’s mental disorders in
Canada
any disorder
any anxiety disorder
ADHD
conduct disorder
any depressive disorder
substance abuse
PDD
OCD
eating disorder
Tourette syndrome
schizophrenia
bipolar disorder
0 3 6 9 12 15
estimated prevalence %
Adapted from Table 2. Waddell et al. 2002. Child Psychiatric Epidemiology and Canadian Public Policy-Making. The state of the science and the art of the possible. Can J
Psychiatry
31. • Common among prison and •More hospital beds in
homeless populations Canada are occupied
(8%) by people with
• 80% will abuse schizophrenia than by
substances during their sufferers of any other
lifetime medical condition
• 15-25x more likely to
die from a suicide
attempt than the general “Youth’s Greatest Disabler”
population
• 10% or patients die
from suicide most often
in the first 10 years after
World Health Report 2001
diagnosis
(WHO, 2002) schizophrenia
and other forms of psychoses
affecting young people rank
third worldwide as the most
disabling condition
If left untreated, there is a continuing slow increase in impairment for years
32.
33. Epidemiology
Schizophrenia causes massive human and financial
costs
Affects more than 1% of the world’s population
Affects all races, ethnicities, cultures equally
More severe presentation in men
Allow for a more broader definition of psychotic
disorder (include psychosis NOS, brief
episodes, delusional disorder) lifetime rate increases to
2-3%
34. Patients with schizophrenia itself die 12-15 years earlier
before the average population – some quote up to 25
years earlier
Schizophrenia causes more lives lost than cancer and
physical illness
Mostly due to poor medical care, suicide and deteriorating
physical illness
35. The vast majority of psychiatric disorders have their onset
in adolescence
The age of maximum incidence for schizophrenia in males is
15-25 years and 18-35 years in females
If left untreated, there is a continuing slow increase
in impairment for years.
36. Life potential
(social, occupational, financial…)
Onset
Of
illness
Successive illness relapses
17
Age
37. Outcomes of psychiatric illness in adolescence
X – onset of
Attainment – in life
psychiatric
illness
X – onset of
treatment
effort
X – delay in
treatment
12 15 20 effort
Time - age
40. Phases of Illness
Birth
Premorbid
Phase
First Signs of Illness
Prodromal
Phase
Onset of Psychosis
Duration of
Untreated
First Treatment Psychosis
Recovery/Stabilization Phase
Residual/Stable Phase
41. Etiology
Risk Factors
Genetic
Family history of psychotic disorder/bipolar disorder
Environmental
Higher incidence in urban populations
Immigrant ethnic groups - social isolation
Areas of Social defeat
Childhood trauma exposure
Cannabis exposure
Perinatal factors
There is a definite interplay of genes
and the environment
42. Genetics
50% of identical twins with a twin having schizophrenia
will develop the disorder.
13% risk for children with one parents with schizophrenia.
2% risk for first cousins of a person with schizophrenia
>1% risk for the general population.
43. Stress-Vulnerability Model of Schizophrenia
High
Stress Less severe Psychotic symptoms
-adverse acute Psychotic-like
& chronic life
events Symptoms or
- developmental Prodromal
challenges symptoms
No symptoms
Low
Low High
Vulnerability
-family history of psychotic disorders
-Obstetric complications
44. It is important to remember that
psychosis is not caused by:
Family upbringing.
Problems with other people.
Having a “weak” character.
45. Dopamine in brain function
Dopamine is important in three areas of brain
function:
Mesolimbic-frontal cortex circuits
( psychotic symptoms).
Basal ganglia (control of muscle movement).
Parkinson’s disease; loss of dopamine cells
Hypothalamus-Pituitary (control of the hormone,
prolactin).
47. Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP)
Historically youth experience long DUP before coming
into contact with psychiatric services
2-5 years
Long DUPS translate to very poor clinical and social
outcomes
We now know that if this illness is caught
early, prognosis can be very positive with effective
treatment
49. Rational therapy for psychotic disorder
Antipsychotic medication along with therapy/education
are the cornerstone of effective treatment programs when
dealing with a known chronic psychotic illness such as
schizophrenia
50. Antipsychotic Medications
All antipsychotic medications influence
communication between brain cells involving the
neurotransmitter, dopamine.
Each medication may also influence a number of other
neurotransmitters in the brain, but the effect on
dopamine seems to be one common factor in reducing
psychosis.
51. First and Second Generation Antipsychotics
“Traditional” or “First Generation” antipsychotic
medications (1950-1988) (dopamine blockade):
Haloperidol, Chlorpromazine, Thioridazine and many
others.
Second Generation antipsychotics (serotonin-
dopamine antagonism)
“Clozapine / Clozaril (1990)
Risperidone / Risperdal (1992)
Olanzapine / Zyprexa (1996)
Quetiapine / Seroquel (1998)
Ziprasidone / Zeldox (2008)
Paliperidone / Invega (2008)
Aripiprazole (Abilify, 2009)
52. Side effects
First generation (due to Dopamine receptor
blockade):
Extrapyramidal (movement) symptoms (EPS)
Muscle stiffness, restlessness, involuntary movements.
The use of anti-parkinsonian “side effect” meds.
Prolactin (hormonal) elevation.
Ammenorhea and sexual dysfunction
“Dysphoria” (feeling bad).
Difficulty with concentration and memory.
53. Side effects
Second generation antipsychotics:
Sedation (early in treatment)
Sexual dysfunction
Weight gain
Metabolic dysregulation
Dylipidemia
Hypertriglyceridemia
Risk for diabetes
Cardiac dysfunction
Glaucoma
Stroke
Extrapyramidal side effects still a concern
54. General treatment guidelines
Individual basis
Try to treat with one medication at a time.
If there is an insufficient clinical improvement after 3-
6 months, try a different medication.
Use continuous treatment with medication for as long
as possible.
55. Treatment: How Long?
50% of patients who do not take medication in the
first year will relapse
56. Treatment
40-60% with effective treatment
(medicine, therapy, education, rehabilitation) can lead
productive lives achieving life goals had prior to the
onset of illness
57. Key Points
Psychosis is treatable.
Medication is a necessary, but not
sufficient, part of a total treatment plan.
The stress-vulnerability model helps us
understand treatment.
Adherence with treatment, including
medications, is a critical issue.
58. Challenges to Treatment
Non-adherence
Depression/risk of suicide
Substance use/abuse
Excessive stress/expectations
59. Predictors of Non-Adherence
Denial of illness Support Network
Symptoms of Illness Stigma
Delusions Insight
Depression Distressed by side effects
Cognitive impairment
Drug induced dysphoria
Belief that medications no (feeling bad) or
longer needed (I’m cured). akathisia (restlessness)
Attitudes of family and Cost of Medication
friends
60. Depression
Major depression during course of illness : 60%
Post-psychotic Depression: 25%
Attempted suicide: 25% - 40%
Successful suicide: 10% - 13%
61. Challenges:
Substance Use/Abuse
Substance use is very common in first episode psychosis
Up to 80%
Cannabis and alcohol are most frequently abused
substances
62. Cannabis and Early Psychosis
People with psychotic disorders have higher rates of cannabis use
than the general population
Cannabis use is associated with poorer functional and clinical
outcomes in this population, e.g. greater psychotic symptom
severity the effects of which can last up to 4 years later
Cannabis misuse associated with 4 times the risk of psychotic
relapse
One of the strongest predictors or risk factors associated with the
onset of psychotic illness
There is little evidence that the high rates if cannabis are is related
to self-medication for distressing symptoms or side effects of
meds
63. Common Issues in Recovery
Daily Life Relationships
Lack of Trying to establish independence
structure/disorganization from family
Lack of supports required Loneliness/Separation from social
to return to school or work groups
Negative experiences Increased anxiety in social groups
No plan to help recovery Difficulties in re-establishing
Lack of motivation relationships
Recovery takes time
65. Prevalence of Psychotic spectrum disorders per 1000
children/adolescents
Boys
8
In males
Girls particularly, schizophrenia is a
major disorder of adolescence
Hits adolescents in their prime – leads
6
to a disruption in education-attainment,
career building, employment
Alters relationships, family interactions,
4 (Reprinted) Spady et al. Prevalence
support of Mental Disorders in Children
Living in Alberta, Canada, as
Alters sense of self, esteem, Determined from Physician Billing
Data. 2001.Arch Pediatr Adolesc
productivity Med. 155: pp.1156.
2
0
Age
0 3 6 9 12 15 18
66. Phases of Illness
Birth
Premorbid
Phase
First Signs of Illness
Prodromal
?Primary prevention
Phase
Onset of Psychosis
Duration of
Secondary Untreated
prevention
First Treatment Psychosis
Recovery/Stabilization Phase
Residual/Stable Phase
67. “It is not an easy task to recognize psychosis in the early
stages and motivate a young psychotic person, who
might have persecutory delusions or other delusional
beliefs, to accept psychiatric treatment.”
Nordentoft M et al. Does a detection team shorten duration of untreated psychosis? Early Intervention in Psychiatry 2008;2 :22-26.
68. Challenges in identifying the prepsychotic phase –
The earliest symptoms identified are non-specific:
Sleep disturbance behavioral disturbance
Depressed mood social withdrawal
Anxiety irritability
In youth, changes that occur as part of the normal developmental
continuum can complicate psychiatric diagnoses. Patient
age, gender, developmental stage, identity, culture, belief system
are all significant diagnostic and therapeutic factors
The differential diagnosis for psychosis is widespread in youth
and depends upon a number of environmental factors that must
be examined
40% cases – initial diagnosis has cause to be changed in 3
months
69. Recognition of youth in trouble
Less than ½ of child & adolescent psychiatric
disorders are identified in primary care settings &
only a fraction are referred for mental health
services
70. Recognition of youth in trouble
Direction of help-seeking behavior
Help seeking behavior in adolescents is primarily
directed to friends, family and teachers before
physicians
71. Warning signs
Gradual onset of change in behavior, appearance, attitude etc
“he’s not himself”, “something’s up with him”
Isolation from friends, adopting new/unusual friend group
Decline in grades and overall functioning over time
Poor hygiene
Onset or increase in substance abuse, esp marijuana
Odd or bizarre comments, beliefs, behaviors
Easily distracted, sensitive to noise/light, wearing headphones
often with little eye contact
Appearing to be “out of touch” or daydreaming a lot, staring
Low mood, frustration, irritability, sadness, confusion
Avoiding hallways, crowds, buses
Fatigue during day (poor sleep)
72. How can you help?
Early identification
What do these youth really look like?
Support
Reduce stigma/increase acceptance
Substance use
declining grades/functioning
changes in behavior
Help access service/assessment
73.
74. Studies are now showing with earlier identification there
is a decline in the transition rate to psychotic disorder
in youth at high risk.