-
Moderators and mediators of antipsychotic response in delusional disorder: Further steps are needed.World Journal of Psychiatry Apr 2020Delusional disorder (DD) has been traditionally considered a relatively rare and treatment-resistant psychotic disorder. In the last decade, increasing attention has... (Review)
Review
Delusional disorder (DD) has been traditionally considered a relatively rare and treatment-resistant psychotic disorder. In the last decade, increasing attention has focused on therapeutic outcomes of individuals affected by this disorder. The aim of this paper is to provide a synthesis of the literature addressing two very important questions arising from DD research: (1) For which patients with DD do antipsychotic medications work best (the moderators of response); and (2) What variables best explain the relationship between such treatments and their effectiveness (the mediators of response). We searched PubMed and Google Scholar databases for English, German, French and Spanish language papers published since 2000. We also included a few classic earlier papers addressing this topic. Variables potentially moderating antipsychotic response in DD are gender, reproductive status, age, duration of illness, the presence of comorbidity (especially psychiatric comorbidity) and its treatment, brain structure, and genetics of neurochemical receptors and drug metabolizing enzymes. Antipsychotic and hormonal blood levels during treatment, as well as functional brain changes, are potential mediating variables. Some, but not all, patients with DD benefit from antipsychotic treatment. Understanding the circumstances under which treatment works best can serve to guide optimal management.
PubMed: 32399397
DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v10.i4.34 -
The Israel Medical Association Journal... Jul 2018Delusional parasitosis (DP) is a somatic type of delusional disorder, usually mono-symptomatic, in which the patients are convinced they are being infested with animal... (Review)
Review
Delusional parasitosis (DP) is a somatic type of delusional disorder, usually mono-symptomatic, in which the patients are convinced they are being infested with animal parasites while no objective evidence exists to support this belief. The complaints are usually about skin infestation, but involvement of the gastrointestinal tract has also been described. Numerous samples are brought for examination from skin, clothes, and environmental sources, while a detailed description of the "parasite" is given. In primary DP, the delusion arises spontaneously as a mono-delusional disorder, while in secondary DP, the delusional disorder arises secondary to another major medical, neurological, or psychiatric disorder. Practically all patients refuse psychiatric help. Shared psychotic disorder - folie à deux - is a known mode of presentation in delusional parasitosis. More than one member within a family may experience the same delusional state. For diagnosis and treatment of DP, a close collaboration among dermatologists, psychiatrists, and parasitologists is essential. Patients whose delusion of parasitosis is not severe can sometimes be relieved of their symptoms by establishing a reliable and meaningful therapeutic relationship. Symptomatic medication may be prescribed for the relief of pruritus, pain, and other symptoms. In more severe cases, such patients should be treated with psychopharmacological agents.
Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Delusional Parasitosis; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Male
PubMed: 30109800
DOI: No ID Found -
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue... Jan 2018To contribute to a better differential clinical categorisation of delusional disorder (DD) versus schizophrenia (SZ) and to add and complete evidence from previous... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
OBJECTIVE
To contribute to a better differential clinical categorisation of delusional disorder (DD) versus schizophrenia (SZ) and to add and complete evidence from previous clinical studies of DD compared to schizophrenia.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study using a clinical sample of 275 patients (132 patients with DD) was studied. Patients were consecutively attending public clinics located in urban and rural areas in both Andalusia and Catalonia (Spain). All participants met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for either DD or SZ. Data were gathered on sociodemographics, illness duration, Barona-Index estimation of intelligence quotient (IQ), and global functioning, along with a thorough psychopathological assessment using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Comparisons between both groups were calculated using χ, Student t, and multivariate analysis of covariance tests.
RESULTS
Patients with DD were older (mean [SD], 50.3 [14.6] years vs. 36.6 [11.1] years; t = 8.597; P ≤ 0.0001), were more frequently married (45.4% vs. 10.8%; χ = 38.569; P ≤ 0.0001), and had a higher mean estimated premorbid IQ (111.4 vs. 105.4; t = 2.609; P ≤ 0.01). On the other hand, SZ patients were predominantly male (71.4% vs. 48.9%; χ = 14.433; P ≤ 0.0001) and had greater work-related disability than DD patients (20.5% vs. 50.3%; χ = 19.564; P ≤ 0.001). Overall, the DD group showed a less severe PANSS psychopathology than SZ group. Thus, total mean (SD) PANSS scores for schizophrenia and delusional disorder, respectively, were 76.2 (22.4) versus 54.1 (18.4) ( t = -8.762; P ≤ 0.0001). Moreover, patients with DD showed a better global functioning than those with SZ (62.7 [13.2] vs. 51.9 [16.9]; F = 44.114; P ≤ 0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS
DD is a milder and distinct disorder compared to SZ in terms of psychopathology and global functionality.
Topics: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia, Paranoid; Spain; Young Adult
PubMed: 28595494
DOI: 10.1177/0706743717706347 -
Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica : a... Mar 2008Since the beginning of the 19th century, delusions have been classified mainly by their content or theme. Clinical psychopathological investigation requires additional... (Review)
Review
Since the beginning of the 19th century, delusions have been classified mainly by their content or theme. Clinical psychopathological investigation requires additional variables that will allow investigators to describe the structure of delusional experience more accurately. Delusions are multidimensional constructs that may change across the various mental disorders. Several authors have developed rating scales with the aim to measure individual dimensions of delusional structure. In this paper, common rating scales are mentioned and the main characteristics of the Simple Delusional Syndrome Scale (SDSS) are summarized. The SDSS scale consists of 7 items (logical organization, systemization, stability, conviction, influence on the action, extension, and insertion), scored from 1 to 5. Results of the statistical analysis confirm good psychometric characteristics of the scale, Cronbach coefficient alpha=0.8327. The SDSS may contribute to a better understanding and diagnostics of delusional disorders and, using statistical methods, can help quantify the relationship between the delusional syndrome and the primary disease process. The SDSS scale may also be utilized in the assessment of changes occurring in delusional syndromes depending on the therapeutic effect of psychopharmacological drugs.
Topics: Delusions; Humans; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychometrics; Schizophrenia, Paranoid; Syndrome; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 18771017
DOI: No ID Found -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... May 2015Delusional disorder is commonly considered to be difficult to treat. Antipsychotic medications are frequently used and there is growing interest in a potential role for... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Delusional disorder is commonly considered to be difficult to treat. Antipsychotic medications are frequently used and there is growing interest in a potential role for psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in the treatment of delusional disorder.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the effectiveness of medication (antipsychotic medication, antidepressants, mood stabilisers) and psychotherapy, in comparison with placebo in delusional disorder.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's Trials Register (28 February 2012).
SELECTION CRITERIA
Relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating treatments in delusional disorder.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
All review authors extracted data independently for the one eligible trial. For dichotomous data we calculated risk ratios (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) on an intention-to-treat basis with a fixed-effect model. Where possible, we calculated illustrative comparative risks for primary outcomes. For continuous data, we calculated mean differences (MD), again with a fixed-effect model. We assessed the risk of bias of the included study and used the GRADE approach to rate the quality of the evidence.
MAIN RESULTS
Only one randomised trial met our inclusion criteria, despite our initial search yielding 141 citations. This was a small study, with 17 people completing a trial comparing CBT to an attention placebo (supportive psychotherapy) for people with delusional disorder. Most participants were already taking medication and this was continued during the trial. We were not able to include any randomised trials on medications of any type due to poor data reporting, which left us with no usable data for these trials. For the included study, usable data were limited, risk of bias varied and the numbers involved were small, making interpretation of data difficult. In particular there were no data on outcomes such as global state and behaviour, nor any information on possible adverse effects.A positive effect for CBT was found for social self esteem using the Social Self-Esteem Inventory (1 RCT, n = 17, MD 30.5, CI 7.51 to 53.49, very low quality evidence), however this is only a measure of self worth in social situations and may thus not be well correlated to social function. More people left the study early if they were in the supportive psychotherapy group with 6/12 leaving early compared to 1/6 from the CBT group, but the difference was not significant (1 RCT, n = 17, RR 0.17, CI 0.02 to 1.18, moderate quality evidence). For mental state outcomes the results were skewed making interpretation difficult, especially given the small sample.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Despite international recognition of this disorder in psychiatric classification systems such as ICD-10 and DSM-5, there is a paucity of high quality randomised trials on delusional disorder. There is currently insufficient evidence to make evidence-based recommendations for treatments of any type for people with delusional disorder. The limited evidence that we found is not generalisable to the population of people with delusional disorder. Until further evidence is found, it seems reasonable to offer treatments which have efficacy in other psychotic disorders. Further research is needed in this area and could be enhanced in two ways: firstly, by conducting randomised trials specifically for people with delusional disorder and, secondly, by high quality reporting of results for people with delusional disorder who are often recruited into larger studies for people with a variety of psychoses.
Topics: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Humans; Psychotherapy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Schizophrenia, Paranoid; Self Concept
PubMed: 25997589
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009785.pub2 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2020Delusional disorders (DD) are difficult conditions for health professionals to treat successfully. They are also difficult for family members to bear. The aim of this... (Review)
Review
Delusional disorders (DD) are difficult conditions for health professionals to treat successfully. They are also difficult for family members to bear. The aim of this narrative review is to select from the clinical literature the psychosocial interventions that appear to work best for these conditions and to see whether similar strategies can be modeled or taught to family members so that tensions at home are reduced. Because the content of men's and women's delusions sometimes differ, it has been suggested that optimal interventions for the two sexes may also differ. This review explores three areas: (a) specific treatments for men and women; (b) recommended psychological approaches by health professionals, especially in early encounters with patients with DD; and (c) recommended psychoeducation for families. Findings are that there is no evidence for differentiated psychosocial treatment for men and women with delusional disorder. What is recommended in the literature is to empathically elicit the details of the content of delusions, to address the accompanying emotions rather than the logic of the presented argument, to teach self-soothing techniques, and to monitor behavior with respect to its safety. These recommendations have only been validated in individual patients and families. More rigorous clinical trials need to be conducted.
Topics: Delusions; Emotions; Family; Female; Humans; Male; Schizophrenia, Paranoid
PubMed: 32630566
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17124583 -
Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in... Nov 2023Schizophrenia stands as one of the most studied and storied disorders in the history of clinical psychology; however, it remains a nexus of conflicting and competing... (Review)
Review
Schizophrenia stands as one of the most studied and storied disorders in the history of clinical psychology; however, it remains a nexus of conflicting and competing conceptualizations. Patients endure great stigma, poor treatment outcomes, and condemnatory prognosis. Current conceptualizations suffer from unstable categorical borders, heterogeneity in presentation, outcome and etiology, and holes in etiological models. Taken in aggregate, research and clinical experience indicate that the class of psychopathologies oriented toward schizophrenia are best understood as spectra of phenomenological, cognitive, and behavioral modalities. These apparently taxonomic expressions are rooted in normal human personality traits as described in both psychodynamic and Five Factor personality models, and more accurately represent explicable distress reactions to biopsychosocial stress and trauma. Current categorical approaches are internally hampered by axiomatic bias and systemic inertia rooted in the foundational history of psychological inquiry; however, when such axioms are schematically decentralized, convergent cross-disciplinary evidence outlines a more robust explanatory construct. By reconceptualizing these disorders under a dimensional and cybernetic model, the aforementioned issues of instability and inaccuracy may be resolved, while simultaneously opening avenues for both early detection and intervention, as well as for more targeted and effective treatment approaches.
Topics: Humans; Schizotypal Personality Disorder; Schizophrenia, Paranoid; Schizoid Personality Disorder; Personality; Paranoid Personality Disorder
PubMed: 37936219
DOI: 10.1186/s13010-023-00142-8 -
BMC Psychiatry Sep 2023Literature has typically associated delusional disorder with a poorer prognosis relative to schizophrenia, without considering the confounding effect of age despite the...
BACKGROUND
Literature has typically associated delusional disorder with a poorer prognosis relative to schizophrenia, without considering the confounding effect of age despite the differential age of onset. This study therefore aims to investigate the diagnostic stability, clinical, functional, and neurocognitive differences of Chinese first-episode psychosis age-matched patients with delusional disorder and schizophrenia at four years.
METHODS
71 delusional disorder and 71 age-matched schizophrenia patients were followed up for four years after their initial episode. Their symptoms, insight in psychosis, side effects of medication, medication compliance, functioning, and neurocognitive performance were assessed at four years.
RESULTS
At four years, 65% of DD patients maintained the same diagnosis, while the rest shifted to SZ. Only those without a diagnostic shift were included in the analysis. Delusional disorder patients (n = 46) experienced greater general psychopathology and poorer insight, but better attitude towards medication than schizophrenia patients (n = 71). Social and occupational functioning, quality of life, and cognitive functioning, however, were similar in delusional disorder and schizophrenia patients.
CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that delusional disorder is less diagnostically stable than schizophrenia. Their outcomes in a Chinese population were largely similar at four years after removing the confounding age factor, implying that delusional disorder and schizophrenia may not be as distinct as previously thought.
Topics: Humans; Child, Preschool; Follow-Up Studies; Quality of Life; Schizophrenia, Paranoid; Psychotic Disorders; Age Factors
PubMed: 37723482
DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05175-z -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2023Compared to other psychotic disorders, there is little information about staging care in delusional disorder (DD). Unlike schizophrenia, this is a disorder that begins... (Review)
Review
Compared to other psychotic disorders, there is little information about staging care in delusional disorder (DD). Unlike schizophrenia, this is a disorder that begins in middle age, a time at which chronic medical comorbidities have already begun to impact global functioning. With age, the combination of psychological and somatic conditions leads to new behaviours, e.g., agitation, aggression, and behaviours that require specific preventive and interventive measures. With further age, knowledgeable end-of-life care becomes necessary for this population. : The aim of this article was to review existing evidence on the management of these successive phases. : We conducted a narrative review using PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov and searched for the following terms: (agitation OR aggressivity OR aggression OR palliative OR "end-of-life") AND ("delusional disorder"). : We found that the literature was sparse. Existing evidence suggests that medical causes are frequently at the root of agitation and aggression. With respect to management, de-escalation strategies are generally preferred over pharmacotherapy. Specific delusional syndromes, e.g., de Clérambault, Othello, Capgras, Fregoli, as well as folie à deux, are associated with aggression. The somatic subtype of DD is the one most often requiring palliative care at the end of life. : We conclude that insufficient attention has been given to the care needs of the accelerated aging process in DD.
PubMed: 36832992
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11040458