先期徵兆..schizo + ADHD

童年腦部模式 透露罹精神病風險


更新日期:2010/07/05 21:59 （路透倫敦5日電）英國科學家相信，他們已發現兒童與年輕人腦部活動的特定模式，可能是以後罹患精神分裂等心理疾病的徵兆或指標。

英國諾丁漢大學（Nottingham University）研究員表示，此模式顯示未來可能在症狀出現前，早一步發現有患病風險的人。他們在荷蘭阿姆斯特丹歐洲神經科學研討會（Forum for European Neuroscience）發表這項研究。

進行該研究的葛魯姆（Maddie Groom）博士說：「我們或能透過神經認知腦部指標，來辨認罹患精神分裂症風險特別高的人。如果可以，就能降低風險並幫助他們過得更好。」他於倫敦向記者進行簡報。

　　他說：「如果我們給他們較好的開始，他們或許能以較正面的方式面對精神疾病，就不會病得那麼重。」

　　全世界數億人深受諸如精神分裂症、過動症（ADHD）、憂鬱症、癲癇與失智症等心理、行為與神經系統疾病影響。

　　許多心理健康出問題的人，童年就有行為問題病史。但專家表示，在童年階段及早發現問題所在的困難在於，當時的異常通常極難察覺。中央社（翻譯）

By Kate Kelland

LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists believe they have found specific patterns of brain activity in children and young people which could be signs or "markers" of those who will later go on to develop mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.



Researchers from Nottingham University, who presented their study at the Forum for European Neuroscience in Amsterdam, said the patterns suggest it may be possible in future to identify those at risk of becoming ill before they develop symptoms.



"If we can identify people who are at particularly high risk of developing schizophrenia, perhaps using neurocognitive brain markers, then we might be able to reduce that risk and also help them to function better," said Dr Maddie Groom, who worked on the study and gave a briefing to reporters in London.



"If we give them a better start, they may encounter the illness in a more positive way and not get quite so ill."



Hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by mental, behavioural and neurological illnesses such as schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, epilepsy and dementia.



Many people who go on to develop diverse mental health problems will have a history of behavioural problems going back to childhood, but experts say the problem with finding them at that stage is that differences then are often extremely subtle.



In one study, Groom and her colleagues investigated looked at the healthy siblings of people with schizophrenia, who also have a very slightly increased risk of developing schizophrenia compared with the general population.



Using brain imaging to read activity levels, the scientists asked the siblings to perform task which involved playing an alien-zapping computer game in which they needed to respond quickly, and crucially, halt the urge to respond if the wrong kind of alien popped up. The task was called a "go, no-go" task.



"When we measured the brain activity of the siblings of people with schizophrenia, their brain activity was reduced at the time when they needed to pay attention to the stimulus, and when they needed to inhibit their response," Groom explained.



She said this suggested the subtle differences in brain activity may act as a risk marker for the disorder.



In a second study, scientists compared brain activity of children with ADHD -- a mental disorder that affects between 8 and 12 percent of children, and 4 percent of adults worldwide.



The researchers used the same "go, no-go" task in various scenarios, including when the children were taking their medication, Ritalin, and when they were not, and then using an additional system of rewards and penalties.



Millions of people take ADHD drugs including Novartis (NOVN.VX) Ritalin, which is known generically as methylphenidate, and Shire Plc's (SHP.L) Adderall and Vyvanse. In the United States alone, 2008 sales for these drugs was about $4.8 billion, according to data from IMS Health.



Groom's results showed that children who were taking medication, and children given an incentive, performed better than those who had neither medicines nor incentives.



This suggests, Groom said, that doctors may be able to find new ways to treat children with ADHD using a combination of behavioural strategies and drugs.



(Editing by Jon Boyle)





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