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Anhedonia in adolescents at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis: findings from a 1-year longitudinal study

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Abstract

Previous findings suggested deficits in pleasure experience in schizophrenia, but little is known in psychosis risk prodrome, especially in adolescence. Aim of this study was (1) to assess anhedonia in distinct help-seeking subgroups of adolescents identified through the ultra-high risk (UHR) criteria, (2) to explore any association of anhedonia with other psychopathological aspects in the UHR group, and (3) to monitor longitudinally the stability of anhedonia in UHR individuals across 1-year follow-up period. 123 participants (13–18 years) completed the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS), the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief version, the Brief-O-LIFE questionnaire (BOL), and the Brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-BREF). Two different indexes of anhedonia were used: CAARMS “Anhedonia” item 4.3 and BOL “Introvertive Anhedonia” subscale scores. No difference in anhedonia levels between UHR and First Episode Psychosis (FEP) groups was found. UHR adolescents showed higher CAARMS and BOL anhedonia scores than non-UHR/FEP. After 1-year follow-up period, UHR adolescents had a significant decrease in severity only in CAARMS anhedonia subscores. In UHR subgroup, CAARMS anhedonia measures showed significant correlations with impaired role functioning and negative symptoms, while BOL anhedonia was significantly correlated with specific schizotypal personality traits concerning interpersonal deficits. Anhedonia is prominent in the psychosis prodrome, also in adolescence. Its severity is not statistically different from that of FEP adolescents and is related to more severe functioning impairment and a worse quality of life.

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Acknowledgements

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agency, commercial or not-for-profit sector. ReARMS project is partly financed through a special regional fund: “Progetto Esordi Psicotici della Regione Emilia Romagna”. We gratefully acknowledge the support of Dr. Enrico Semrov and all the other departmental group members for the “Early Intervention in Psychosis” of the Reggio Emilia Department of Mental Health and Pathological Addiciton.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mental Health and Pathological Addiction, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola n.2, 42100, Reggio Emilia, RE, Italy

    Lorenzo Pelizza, Michele Poletti, Silvia Azzali, Federica Paterlini, Sara Garlassi & Ilaria Scazza

  2. Department of Mental Health and Pathological Addiciton, Azienda USL di Parma, Strada del Quartiere n.2, c/o Centro “Santi”, Via Vasari n.13, 43100, Parma, PR, Italy

    Lorenzo Pelizza

  3. Department of Primary Care, Azienda USL di Parma, Strada del Quartiere n.2, 43100, Parma, PR, Italy

    Luigi R. Chiri

  4. Anesthesia and Resuscitation Service, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Via Gramsci n.14, 43100, Parma, PR, Italy

    Simona Pupo

  5. Melograno Medical Psychotherapy Centre, Via Saturnia n.4/a, 00183, Rome, Italy

    Eva Gebhardt

  6. Division of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Piazza Università n.1, 06123, Perugia, PG, Italy

    Andrea Raballo

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  1. Lorenzo Pelizza
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Correspondence to Lorenzo Pelizza.

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Pelizza, L., Poletti, M., Azzali, S. et al. Anhedonia in adolescents at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis: findings from a 1-year longitudinal study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 270, 337–350 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-019-01018-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-019-01018-9

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