Extracting spurious messages from noise and risk of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in a prodromal population.
Atendency to extract spurious, message-like meaning from meaningless noise was assessed as a risk factor leading to schizophrenia-spectrum disorders by assessing word length of speech illusions elicited by multispeaker babble in 43 people with prodromal symptoms. These individuals were randomised to olanzapine v. placebo groups during year 1 followed by no pharmacological treatment for those with no disorder conversion during year 2. A time-dependent Cox regression analysis of conversion to schizophrenia-spectrum disorder revealed a significant interaction between condition (olanzapine v. no drug) and length of speech illusion, with the latter strongly predicting subsequent conversion during medication-free intervals but not during olanzapine treatment.
Hoffman
Ralph E
RE
Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital, 184 Liberty Street LV108, New Haven, CT 06519, USA. ralph.hoffman@yale.edu
Woods
Scott W
SW
Hawkins
Keith A
KA
Pittman
Brian
B
Tohen
Mauricio
M
Preda
Adrian
A
Breier
Alan
A
Glist
Jill
J
Addington
Jean
J
Perkins
Diana O
DO
McGlashan
Thomas H
TH
D003702:Delusions / Q000523:psychology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards; D009622:Noise; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013067:Speech Perception