First rank symptoms for schizophrenia

Abstract

Background Early and accurate diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia may have long-term advantages for the patient; the longer psychosis goes untreated the more severe the repercussions for relapse and recovery. If the correct diagnosis is not schizophrenia, but another psychotic disorder with some symptoms similar to schizophrenia, appropriate treatment might be delayed, with possible severe repercussions for the person involved and their family. There is widespread uncertainty about the diagnostic accuracy of First Rank Symptoms (FRS); we examined whether they are a useful diagnostic tool to di erentiate schizophrenia from other psychotic disorders. Objectives To determine the diagnostic accuracy of one or multiple FRS for diagnosing schizophrenia, verified by clinical history and examination by a qualified professional (e.g. psychiatrists, nurses, social workers), with or without the use of operational criteria and checklists, in people thought to have non-organic psychotic symptoms.

The tail wagging the dog: the diagnostic accuracy of first rank symptoms

“…Despite the limitations they observed, Soares-Weiser et al argue in favour of the use of FRS in regions where there are few psychiatrists per capita and there is a need for simple, effective mental health screening tools to support the professionals delivering the service. They state that FRS perform better at ‘ruling out’ than ‘ruling in’ schizophrenia (Soares-Weiser 2015); however, this claim is not supported by the findings of their review. FRS would need to be shown to have a higher sensitivity than specificity in order to be better at ‘ruling out’ than ‘ruling in’ a diagnosis of schizophrenia.…”

“…The review by Soares-Weiser et al (2015) in this month's Cochrane Corner aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of FRS for schizophrenia, compared with assessment by a qualified professional with or without the use of operational criteria and checklists. It included 21 studies reporting the assessment of 6253 adults and adolescents.…”

Utilizing Machine Learning on Internet Search Activity to Support the Diagnostic Process and Relapse Detection in Young Individuals With Early Psychosis: Feasibility Study

“…Compared to healthy participants, those with SSD made fewer searches and their searches consisted of fewer words. Reduced search activity may represent declining interests and engagement with the environment [ 53 - 55 ]; as positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia escalate, individuals with SSD may become less invested in their environment and increasingly internally preoccupied. Alternatively, reduced search activity could be related to cognitive deficits that are commonly associated with schizophrenia [ 56 ].…”

Cannabis and Psychosis Through the Lens of DSM-5

“…In addition to the chronicity required for a Schizophrenia diagnosis the concept of “first rank” psychotic symptoms has historically been used to help differentiate schizophrenia from other psychotic conditions [26]. First rank psychotic symptoms are relatively severe and are somewhat specific for Schizophrenia [27,28]. First rank psychotic symptoms include auditory hallucinations, delusional perceptions, experiences of thought interference, and passivity experiences [26,27].…”

“…First rank psychotic symptoms are relatively severe and are somewhat specific for Schizophrenia [27,28]. First rank psychotic symptoms include auditory hallucinations, delusional perceptions, experiences of thought interference, and passivity experiences [26,27]. Schizophrenia can lead to a devastating impairment in quality of life.…”