LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf Hospital of the Heinrich-Heine University ...

LVR-KLINIKUM DÜsseLDORF – hOsPITaL OF The heINRIch-heINe UNIVeRsITY DÜsseLDORF
Effects of facial affect recognition training in
patients with schizophrenia and violence
N. Frommann, W. Wölwer in cooperation with
W. Schmidbauer (Department or Forensic Psychiatry, Haina)
Project period: 2006–2009
Financing: Research budgets of participating departments
With regard to the association reported in the literature
between impaired affect decoding for negative emotions
and violence, this project is designed to investigate
whether a positive effect on facial affect recognition by
means of Training of Affect Recognition (TAR) can also
be demonstrated in patients with schizophrenia and
violent behaviour. Moreover, the relationship between
affect decoding and other, known predictors of aggressive
behaviour will be investigated. So far, 22 male patients have
been included in the ongoing study at the Department for
Forensic Psychiatry Haina and treated over six weeks with
TAR within a randomised waiting-group design.
Decoding of facial affect and violence in
schizophrenia: principles and treatment
N. Frommann, S. Stroth, J. Brinkmeyer, W. Wölwer
in cooperation with C. Luckhaus
Project period: 2008–2010
Financing: Research commission of the Faculty of Medicine,
Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf
As an extension of the aforementioned project, possible
performance differences between patients with
schizophrenia with and without violent behaviour are being
investigated in this project. In addition, the relationship
between the performance deficits of violent persons and
the type of emotion, as hypothesised in the literature, is
being tested. In order to get hints about the neurobiological
principles of these impairments, electrophysiological
correlates of facial affect decoding are being assessed over
the course of a six-week treatment and compared with those
of healthy controls, who are also investigated twice within
six weeks. So far, 16 patients with schizophrenia, with and
without violent behaviour, have been included in the ongoing
study, along with 10 healthy control persons.
The effects of nicotine on social cognitions
and social stress on schizophrenia
W. Wölwer, J. Brinkmeyer, K. Drusch, K. Fisahn in cooperation
with the Neuropsychiatric Research Laboratory (G. Winterer)
and the Jülich Research Centre (G. Fink and J. Shah)
Project period: 2007–2010
Financing: DFG funding WO 640/3-1
Against the background of the hypothesis that the high
prevalence of nicotine dependence in schizophrenia is to be
understood in the sense of a self-medication of cognitive
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impairments and increased sensitivity to stress, this project
investigates how nicotine affects facial affect decoding
(as a basic building block for social cognition) and stress
reactions in association with social interaction in patients
with schizophrenia. Using a 2 x 2 factorial, randomised and
controlled design, the effects of nicotine vs. placebo on
facial affect decoding are being experimentally investigated
in nicotine-addicted patients with schizophrenia vs. healthy
controls. In addition, electrophysiological and brainfunctional
correlates of facial affect decoding as well as nonverbal
behaviour in a communication role-play are being
analysed. The study is being carried out as an associated
project of the study “Attention, nicotine dependence & nACh
receptor α4β2 genotype” (Project director: G. Winterer) using
simultaneous EEG and fMRT measurements in the Jülich
Research Centre. Following an extensive preparation period,
within the reporting period 22 subjects were included in the
study.
Effects of aripiprazole vs. haloperidol on the expression
and perception of facial affect in patients with
schizophrenia by using objective measurements
W. Gaebel, W. Wölwer, B. Lindel in cooperation with
V. Larach-Walters (Andres Bello University,
Santiago de Chile)
Project period: 2004–2009
Financing: Bristol-Myers-Squibb
In this project, the hypothetical benefits of atypical
antipsychotics in the treatment of negative symptoms
were evaluated by using objective assessment methods to
compare the effects of aripiprazole with those of haloperidol
as standard typical antipsychotic treatment. In addition
to clinical-psychopathological assessment of affective
flattening in the context of negative symptoms, the objective
methods should address in particular characteristics
of decoding and of non-verbal expressions of affects in
social interaction. The project, carried out at both the LVR-
Klinikum and the Andes Bello University in Santiago de
Chile, included a total of 56 patients; n=25 of those treated
with aripiprazole and n=20 of those treated with haloperidol
could be fully investigated before and after the 6-week
treatment phase. An additional 12 healthy control persons
were recruited at both centres. The project is currently in the
phase of statistical analysis.