Person:
Melero Carrasco, Helena

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First Name
Helena
Last Name
Melero Carrasco
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/80242
Affiliation
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Faculty / Institute
Psicología
Department
Psicobiología y Metodología en Ciencias del Comportamiento
Area
Psicobiología
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2020 - 20212
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    The interplay between functioning problems and symptoms in first episode of psychosis: An approach from network analysis
    (Journal of Psychiatric Research, 2021) Ana Izquierdo; María Cabello; Itziar Leal; Blanca Mellor-Marsá; Miriam Ayora; María-Fe Bravo-Ortiz; Ángela Ibáñez; Karina S. MacDowell; Norberto Malpica; Enrique Baca-García; Natalia E. Fares-Otero; Helena Melero; Pilar López-García; Covadonga M. Díaz-Caneja; Jose Luis Ayuso-Mateos; Manuel Durán-Cutilla; Jessica Merchán-Naranjo; Roberto Mediavilla-Torres; Ainoa Muñoz-Sanjosé; Luis Sanchez-Pastor; Monica Dompablo; Patricia Fernández-Martín; Pablo Puras-Rico; Lucía Albarracin-García; Melero Carrasco, Helena; Rodríguez Jiménez, Roberto; Díaz Marsa, Marina Francisca; Arango López, Celso; García-Albea Martín, Julia Isabel; Leza Cerro, Juan Carlos; Leticia León Quismondo
    The relationship between psychotic symptoms and global measures of functioning has been widely studied. No previous study has assessed so far the interplay between specific clinical symptoms and particular areas of functioning in first-episode psychosis (FEP) using network analysis methods. A total of 191 patients with FEP (age 24.45 ± 6.28 years, 64.9% male) participating in an observational and longitudinal study (AGES-CM) comprised the study sample. Functioning problems were assessed with the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS), whereas the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess symptom severity. Network analysis were conducted with the aim of analysing the patterns of relationships between the different dimensions of functioning and PANSS symptoms and factors at baseline. According to our results, the most important nodes were “conceptual disorganization”, “emotional withdrawal”, “lack of spontaneity and flow of conversation”, “delusions”, “unusual thought content”, “dealing with strangers” and “poor rapport”. Our findings suggest that these symptoms and functioning dimensions should be prioritized in the clinical assessment and management of patients with FEP. These areas may also become targets of future early intervention strategies, so as to improve quality of life in this population.
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    Real-time fMRI neurofeedback reduces auditory hallucinations and modulates resting state connectivity of involved brain regions: Part 2: Default mode network -preliminary evidence
    (Psychiatry Research, 2020) Clemens C.C. Bauer; Kana Okano; Satrajit S. Ghosh; Yoon Ji Lee; Carlo de los Angeles; Paul G. Nestor; Elisabetta C. del Re; Georg Northoff; Margaret A. Niznikiewicz; Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli; Melero Carrasco, Helena
    Auditory hallucinations (AHs) are one of the most distressing symptoms of schizophrenia (SZ) and are often resistant to medication. Imaging studies of individuals with SZ show hyperactivation of the default mode network (DMN) and the superior temporal gyrus (STG). Studies in SZ show DMN hyperconnectivity and reduced anticorrelation between DMN and the central executive network (CEN). DMN hyperconnectivity has been associated with positive symptoms such as AHs while reduced DMN anticorrelations with cognitive impairment. Using real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rt-fMRI-NFB) we trained SZ patients to modulate DMN and CEN networks. Meditation is effective in reducing AHs in SZ and to modulate brain network integration and increase DMN anticorrelations. Consequently, patients were provided with meditation strategies to enhance their abilities to modulate DMN/CEN. Results show a reduction of DMN hyperconnectivity and increase in DMNsingle bondCEN anticorrelation. Furthermore, the change in individual DMN connectivity significantly correlated with reductions in AHs. This is the first time that meditation enhanced through rt-fMRI-NFB is used to reduce AHs in SZ. Moreover, it provides the first empirical evidence for a direct causal relation between meditation enhanced rt-fMRI-NFB modulation of DMNsingle bondCEN activity and post-intervention modulation of resting state networks ensuing in reductions in frequency and severity of AHs.