Summary: A large multicenter study has revealed that sex influences the course and characteristics of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Women with schizophrenia tended to begin treatment later, while men with schizophrenia had the highest rates of substance use.
Individuals with bipolar disorder showed better functioning and cognitive performance than those with schizophrenia, with women scoring higher in verbal memory and psychomotor speed. The findings underscore the importance of tailoring treatment approaches to sex differences to improve clinical outcomes and long-term care.
Key Facts:
- Sex-Specific Differences: Women with schizophrenia started treatment later; men had higher substance use.
- Cognitive Performance: Bipolar patients performed better than schizophrenia patients, especially women.
- Health Implications: Both groups showed higher thyroid alterations than healthy controls.
Source: Wiley
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are serious mental illnesses that affect both males and females, but research in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica indicates that sex may influence the characteristics and course of these conditions.
The research included 1,516 individuals from the multicenter PsyCourse Study: 543 with bipolar disorder, 517 with schizophrenia, and 456 healthy controls.
Several differences between groups and sexes were identified in age at diagnosis, age at treatment, illness duration, illicit drug use, and smoking. For example, females in the schizophrenia group were older than males at first outpatient treatment compared with females in the bipolar disorder group.
Moreover, those who were older at first outpatient treatment presented a longer duration of illness.
Regarding substance use, the highest rates were observed in males with schizophrenia. People with bipolar disorder showed better functioning and neurocognitive performance than those with schizophrenia.
Among individuals with bipolar disorder, females reported better performance in verbal memory and psychomotor speed than males.
Both females and males with serious mental illnesses showed higher rates of thyroid alterations than healthy controls.
“Our findings reveal a clear message: sex-sensitive treatment is essential for improving clinical outcomes, promoting healthy habits, and managing comorbidities,” said corresponding author Anabel Martinez-Arán, PhD, of the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona.
About this schizophrenia and bipolar disorder research news
Author: Sara Henning-Stout
Source: Wiley
Contact: Sara Henning-Stout – Wiley
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Influence of sex and diagnosis on clinical variables and neurocognitive performance in severe mental illness. Results from the PsyCourse Study” by Anabel Martinez-Arán et al. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
Abstract
Influence of sex and diagnosis on clinical variables and neurocognitive performance in severe mental illness. Results from the PsyCourse Study
Introduction
Bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ) are serious mental illnesses (SMI) with overlapping symptoms but distinct differences in onset and course. Sex differences are an area of growing interest in SMI.
This study aims to examine potential interactions between sex and diagnosis across a broad range of variables, to compare males and females within SZ and BD, and to investigate sex-specific group differences.
Methods
A total of 1516 individuals were included in a cross-sectional study using baseline data from the multicenter PsyCourse Study, including BD (n = 543), SZ (n = 517), and healthy controls (HC) (n = 456).
Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, psychosocial functioning, quality of life, neurocognitive performance, and somatic comorbidities were assessed. Generalized linear models were used to analyze differences between groups and sexes. False Discovery Rate (FDR) and Bonferroni post hoc comparisons were performed.
Results
Significant interactions were identified in age (p = 0.001), age at treatment (p = 0.05), illness duration (p = 0.03), illicit drug use (p = 0.01), and smoking (p = 0.05). Differences in substance use were observed across groups and sexes, with the highest rates found in males with SZ. The BD group showed better functioning and neurocognitive performance compared with the SZ group.
Within the BD group, females reported better performance in verbal memory (p = 0.003) and psychomotor speed (p < 0.001) than males. Moreover, both females and males with SMI showed higher rates of thyroid alterations compared with HC (p = 0.01 for females and p = 0.002 for males).
Conclusions
Significant sex differences were observed in substance use and somatic comorbidities. Interactions between diagnosis and sex underscore the importance of considering both factors in clinical assessments.
These findings highlight the need to tailor sex-specific treatment for each patient. Further research is needed to explore the role of sex hormones and other biological and societal factors in the presentation and course of these disorders.
