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Objectives: To assess clinical and genetic factors affecting response to treatment in a sample of patients with schizophrenia (treatment-resistant patients versus treatment responders). We also aimed at examining if these factors are different when we consider two different resistance classifications (the positive and negative syndrome scale, PANSS and the brief psychiatric rating scale, BPRS). Material and Methods: A case-control study included treatment-resistant patients and good responders. Patients were stratified in two groups based on the established criteria for treatment-resistant schizophrenia using BPRS and PANSS. The study was approved by the ethical committees (references: CEHDF1017; HPC-017-2017) and all patients/legal representatives gave their written consent. Clinical factors were assessed. DNA was obtained using a buccal swab and genotyping for OPRM1, COMT, DRD2 et MTHFR genes using the Lightcycler® (Roche). Results: Some discrepancies between the BPRS and PANSS definitions were noted in our study when assessing the patients’ psychopathological symptoms and response to treatment. The multivariable analysis, taking the presence versus absence of treatment resistance as the dependent variable, showed that that family history of schizophrenia, university studies, time since the beginning of treatment and chlorpromazine equivalent dose as well as the COMT gene are associated with resistance to treatment. In addition, a gender-related difference was noted for COMT SNP; men with at least one Met allele were more prone to be resistant to treatment than Val/Val patients. Conclusion: Uncovering the clinical and genetic factors associated with resistance to treatment could help us better treat our schizophrenic patients in a concept of personalized medicine.

Impulsivity is a psychiatric symptom that seems to be more prevalent in some mental disorders such as bipolar disorders (BDs). It is a trait that seems to be influenced by many clinical and sociodemographic variables across BD. To examine the relationship between impulsivity and these variables, we performed a cross-sectional study on 50 patients diagnosed with BD and 50 healthy subjects. Both groups were administered the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale; the Structural Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, for borderline personality disorder; the Beirut District Scale; and the Athens Insomnia Scale to assess impulsivity, borderline personality disorder, psychological distress, and sleep disturbances, respectively. A significantly higher nonplanning impulsivity (p = 0.001), motor impulsivity (p < 0.0001), total impulsivity (p < 0.0001), body mass index (p < 0.0001), and insomnia (p = 0.002) were found in subjects with BDs compared with healthy ones. Exposure to violence (odds ratio [OR] = 7.63), the loss of a parent (OR = 3.83), being a current smoker (OR = 14.56), and a higher motor impulsivity score (OR = 1.27) were all significantly associated with the presence of BD. Impulsivity was shown to be strongly associated with the presence of a diagnosis of BD, and further studies are warranted to fully characterize it through the course of the illness.

Objectives: To assess the association between disordered eating and bipolar disorder (BD). Methods/Design: A case-control study, conducted between April and September 2018, enrolled 50 patients and 50 controls. Results: Higher eating attitude test scores were significantly associated with the presence of BD. This association remained after the introduction of other factors (marital status, family history of BD, shopping and gambling addictions, sleep quality, and insomnia severity) that were also associated with the presence of BD.