bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early intervention program for psychosis: Experience and results in a mental health center
Authors: Campos Mangas M.C. , Ruiz Feliu M.A.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

This program aims to assist young people aged 16 to 35 years at risk for or who have a severe mental disorder, a psychosis both affected and unaffected, according to the principles of early intervention and assertive community treatment.

Objectives

Assisting young people with psychosis in order to achieve symptomatic and functional recovery, return to provide standardized environment and prevent deterioration.

Methods

Initial assessment is made and individualized plan of work.

Inclusion criteria

1.

Diagnosis: substance-induced psychotic disorder, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder and mood disorders with psychotic symptoms

2.

age: 16–35 years

3.

Informed consent

Evaluation Tools

PANSS, SCIP, CDS, CGI-S, PAS, CAN, EU, SFS, GAF, WHOQUOL-BREF, IEQ-EU, UKU, HoNOS, CGI-IP, CGI-IC

Results

The sample consisted of 22 patients. 45.5% men and 54.5% women. Mean age 24 (SD = 4.74). Diagnosis: schizophrenia 54.5%, 27.3% acute psychotic disorder, 4.5% and 13.6% schizoaffective disorder manic episode with psychotic symptoms. Clinical stage at the beginning of the program: 45.5% stage 2, 4.5% stage 3a; 22.7% stage 3b, 3c stage 22.7% and 4.5% stage 4.

Conclusions

It is necessary to implement such programs to establish the treatment as soon as possible to the onset of the disease and improve prognosis.
Therapeutic compliance in patients with psychosis in an outpatient setting
Authors: Ruiz Feliu M.A. , Campos Mangas M.C.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Numerous studies show that patients with psychotic disorders have low rates of adherence, which is the main cause of relapses and hospital admissions. It is fundamental to long-term drug treatment in the management of patients with psychosis, both in preventing relapses and the consequences that flow from them (hospital admissions, clinical deterioration, loss of functionality and quality of life of patients)

Objectives

Assess the benefits to be derived from the use of extended-release injectable antipsychotics in regard to adherence to treatment, the persistent improvement of psychotic symptoms and reducing the number of hospital admissions

Methods

Descriptive study. Sample: 40 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder treated at a mental health center. Patients are divided into two treatment groups: 20 patients are treated with risperidone in prolonged release of more than one year duration and the other group treated with oral antipsychotics.

Results

Adherence to treatment is higher in the group treated with injectable antipsychotics (90%) than with oral (50%). The age range from 20 to 61 years. The average hospitalization was greater for the group treated with antipsychotic injections in the period prior to treatment (17) compared to post-injection treatment outcome (5). In patients with oral antipsychotics were 20 hospitalizations in total.

Conclusions

Confirms the results on adherence and hospitalizations compared to other similar studies. There is a clinical and functional improvement, fewer hospitalizations, shorter average stays and higher outpatient adherence in patients with extended-release injectable antipsychotics compared with the group of patients with oral antipsychotics.
Autism comorbidities and social deficits in children aged 7–14
Authors: Mirfazeli F.S. , Memari A. , Kordi R.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Along with other neurodevelopmental disorders, recently, interest in studying the comorbidities of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) has grown. According to previous findings many ASD children often do experience a number of comorbid medical conditions and about 60–70% of them present with additional neuropsychiatric Disorders.

Aim

We aimed to examine the comorbidities of autistic children and identify whether or not the comorbidities affect their social and behavioral profile.

Methods

One hundred and seven children with ASD were surveyed. For all subjects, their parents were asked to complete three forms as the ATEC (autism treatment evaluation checklist), Vineland Social Maturity and a checklist for general and biomedical information.

We then compared the subjects as two groups with and without comorbidities.

Results

Fifty one (44.3 %) of subjects had at least one comorbid condition, and thirty six (31.3%) had at least one additional neuropsychiatric condition. Children with comorbidities showed significant lower score in social quotient against the others without comorbidities (p < 0.05, CI 1.6: 20.5). There was a significant correlation between number of comorbidites and physical-behavioral profile of children (r = 0.172, p < 0.05). Comparison of means between two groups showed a trend of higher severity in all dimensions of ATEC in Children with comorbidities but not significantly.

Conclusion

Our results extended the autism literature in association of comorbidities with lower performance in social and behavioral issues.
Psychological interventions to fight against the burden of the informal caregivers
Authors: Carretero S. , Garcés J.
Published: May 2011

Informal care has been conceptualized as a vital stress factor, which jointly with its chronic character and the lack of foresight about the time of its finalization, has been associated to the negative repercussions on the physical and psychological wellbeing of the informal caregiver. This situation has been generically denominated with the overall term of caregiver burden. Burden is associated with depression and anxiety as well as with abandonment and mistreatment of the dependent person. Optimal psychosocial interventions to be assumed by European Governments in their long - term care systems are still needed to be developed to fight succesfully against this burden.

The objective is to review the main psychological and social programmes developed to deal with the informal caregivers burden, with the aim to propose the more appropiate programmes to be adopted by the European long-term care systems.

A review of the main theories and results of the existing research to date about the concept of the informal caregiver's burden has been done mainly in policy papers, peer-reviewed journals and research developed by the authors.

The results lead to conclude that the psycho-educational intervention programs framed within the respite services jointly with the knowledge of the determining variables of the burden can comprise the first optimal approach in order to effectively deal with the burden problem of the informal caregivers of dependent senior citizens.
The role of social desirability in the assessment of mnestic and metacognitive efficiencies in adulthood: a preliminary study
Authors: Fastame M.C. , Penna M.P. , Leone B. , Puddu C.
Published: May 2011

Ageing is part of a continuum which is characterized by developmental and emotional changes as well as cognitive losses and gains. There is evidence that the perception of life quality in the elders is influenced by the level of efficiency of cognitive functions and personal beliefs on the senescence (e.g., De Beni, 2009). Indeed, when the early cognitive decline is negatively perceived, the late adults tend to show low self-esteem, social retirement, depression, low general life satisfaction. Overall, in geriatric studies scales designed to detect subjective psychological well-being are usually administrated ignoring the disturbing effect of several factors, such as the socially desirable responding, a construct referring to the attitude to project favorable images of themselves on questionnaires or during social interaction (e.g., Knauper et al., 2004). The present study was aimed to investigate whether social desirability is related to several measures of memory and metacognitive efficiencies. Forty-eight young (i.e., 20–30 years old) and old (i.e., 65–74 years aged) participants recruited in Ogliastra (e.g., an area in Sardinia known for the high prevalence of centenarians) were individually administrated a battery of tests including the Italian version of the Crowne-Marlowe Social Desirability Scale (Saggino and Perfetti, 2003) together with a measure of subjective mnestic efficiency for daily life facts (Questionnaire on Cognitive Failures, De Beni et al., 2008) and a self-report memory beliefs questionnaire (Cornoldi and De Beni, 2003). The results show that the measurement of the perceived mnestic and metacognitive efficiencies are susceptible to socially desirable responding.
Brain modeling - from electrical and electronic circuits and modules to objects and threads: Application to Tourette’s Syndrome
Authors: Arun C.P.
Published: May 2011

From the time of the discovery of electricity, scientists have actively borrowed ideas from technology to help understand brain function. The earliest ‘models’ depicted connexions between various parts of the nervous system as if they were electrical circuits. With the development of valve and transistor technology, excitatory, inhibitory circuits (and the actions of receptors and ligands) and neural loops came into fashion. Integrated Circuit (IC) hardware technology and modular software design (e.g. in languages such as C and FORTRAN) no doubt ushered in the move towards ‘modularity’. A review of the literature has revealed that multithreading, a key feature of modern software design has not been applied to modeling movement disorders. We aimed to model the clinical phenomena in Tourette’s Syndrome (TS) using multithreading. Using the programming language Java 6, we modelled motor and verbal tics as running on different threads. Tics were reproduced by impulsive generation of motivational threads for motor or verbal actions which were subject to voluntary control. Voluntary suppression was implemented using a ‘psychic threshold score’ which if exceeded allowed the motivational thread to initiate a motor thread which is turn was under some voluntary control. We find that from an internal representation standpoint (’software’) for the brain, motor and verbal tics are identical phenomena: only the peripheral manifestations are different. Various clinical phenomena such as tic suggestibility, suppression, release, etc can be demonstrated. Our experience of modeling TS leads us to recommend threads as the means to model other movement disorders and neuropsychiatric conditions.
Threads, objects and the tapestry of the mind
Authors: Arun C.P.
Published: May 2011

The brain is essentially a multiprocessor computer employing large-scale multithreading. Extending previous work, (Arun, C.P. European Psychiatry 2009 and 2010) we examine whether process threads and objects can simulate diverse mental illnesses. We used Java 6, an object oriented programming language to simulate thread and object generation in the mind. Process threads were programmed to allow control of

(1)

the clock speed’ of the brain's internal clock

(2)

duration of thread life and efficiency of garbage collection’

(3)

integrity of internal objects and

(4)

assignment of salience.

A few examples of the results are mentioned here. A fast clock speed led to the rapid generation of threads causing a rapid switch from one task/topic, manifesting among others, as a shortened attention span and flight of ideas (mania). Slow thread formation led to psychomotor agitation as well as a slow rate of speech output (depression). Failure to reign in (’garbage collect’) threads caused them to persist and led to many short and recurrent thoughts/actions (as in anxiety). Disordered weighting of threads and/or damage to objects led to the assignment of salience inappropriately (the hallmark of the psychoses). The failure to generate enough threads (’ loss of multithreading’) led to problems with complex tasks (like ability to recognise facial cues) and recurrent thread generation without variety, led to repetitive behaviour, hyperstimulation, etc (autism spectrum disorders). Studying Threads and Objects as integral parts of the computational Tapestry of the Mind provides rich insights into mental functions in health as well as illness.
Acute psychosis: are men and women different?
Authors: Groleger U.
Published: May 2011

According to valid classification systems no difference is aknowledged considering gender in acute psycosis, which is true for all other disorders in psychiatry as well. However several studies suggest that differences in clinical presentation of psychosis do exist in men and women in different areas of symptomatology, function, help-seeking behavior, DUP, teatment and course as well as outcome. The diffreneces seem to be important for both recognition of psychosis as well as treatment.

We are conducting a prospective study evaluating all patients with first episode acute psychosis that is currently at its second stage with revised instruments. At first stage we included 98 patients with acute psychosis and evaluated them using PANSS, CGI and GAS along with all other relevant information including therapy.

We will present both first and partial second stage information on differences in symtpoms in acute psychosis according to gender. Results show that with men negative symtpoms along with function decline and neglect are significantly more prominent. In women positive and mood symtpoms are predominant with preserved function and self-care.

Results are in concordance with other published studies and suggest that clincal presentations of acute psychosis might differ significantly to the point where these differences should be included in evaluating psychosis, the need for treatment and treatment choice as well.

Implications for future studies and clinical work will be proposed.
Pulmonary embolism as a potential side effect of olanzapine and the possible beneficiary side effect of duloxetine: A case study
Authors: Andrioti O. , Nikolaidis N. , Ntonias S.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Pulmonary embolism is a very serious, life threatening condition. It has been associated with the use of antipsychotic drugs, both typical and atypical, thus consisting a rare but potentially lethal side effect of this drug category. SSRIs/SNRIs on the other hand, are associated with bleeding, increased INR results and platelet dysfunction.

Objective and method

A clinical case was followed and reviewed to illustrate the possible connection between the withdrawal of duloxetine and the ongoing use of olanzapine with pulmonary embolism.

Results

A 36-year- old male, smoker of 30 cigarettes/day had been under treatment with olanzapine 30 mg/day and aripiprazole 30 mg/day for the past year. Duloxetine 90 mg/day had also been added for the past nine months and withdrawn after the improvement of depressive symptoms. Approximately one month after its withdrawal the man suffered pulmonary embolism and was hospitalised. During hospitalisation tests found no other factors predisposing to emboli creation. He was discharged with acenocumarol (Sintrom). His psychiatric medication was therefore adjusted to omit olanzapine and SSRIs /SNRIs because of their potential effect on coagulation.

Conclusions

Can it be that olanzapine played a role in promoting pulmonary embolism in this patient ?

Can it be that duloxetine was playing a protective role and its withdrawal facilitated the onset of pulmonary embolism? There is no certain way to tell but, to our knowledge, there has not been a similar case before and the time sequence of the events might not be coincidental.
Quetiapine-induced neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Authors: Freire Lucas R.M.
Published: May 2011

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is the most serious of acute neurological side effects produced by antipsychotic medication, the prevalence of which varies from 0,4–1,4%. It is typically characterized by hyperthermia, rigidity, altered consciousness and autonomic dysfunction. NMS is induced less by atypical antipsychotics than by conventional antipsychotics, and one particular atypical antipsychotic - quetiapine - rarely causes NMS. In this work, we describe a case of quetiapine-induced NMS, while reviewing the recent literature on this condition.

We searched for scientific articles about this topic on the databases MEDLINE, LILACS and PsycINFO, using the search words “neuroleptic malignant syndrome” and “quetiapine”. We chose to preferentially include original articles and recent reviews, or those considered classical articles in the scientific literature.
Cognition improving effects of clerodendron phlomidis linn. bark extract in mice
Authors: Joshi H. , Megeri K.
Published: May 2011

Normal ageing is known to deteriorate memory in human beings. Oxygen free radicals, the harmful byproducts of oxidative metabolism are known to cause organic damage to the living system, which may be responsible for the development of Alzheimer's disease in elderly. Clerodendron phlomidis Linn. (Verbenaceae) is known as Agnimantha in sanskrit. Bark of the plant is used in treating various nervous disorders. In the present study C. phlomidis was investigated for its potential as a nootropic agent in mice. The aqueous extract of the C. phlomidis (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) was administered for 6 successive days to both young and aged mice. Exteroceptive behavioral models such as elevated plus maze and passive avoidance paradigm were employed to evaluate short term and long term memory respectively. Scopolamine, diazepam were used to induce amnesia in mice. To delineate the mechanism by which C. phlomidis exerts nootropic action, its effect on brain acetyl cholinesterase levels were determined. Piracetam was used as a standard nootropic agent. Pretreatment with C. phlomidis (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) for 6 successive days significantly improved learning and memory in mice. It reversed the amnesia induced by scopolamine, diazepam and natural ageing. It also decreased the acetyl cholinesterase levels in the whole brain. The bark of C. phlomidis can be useful in treatment of cognitive disorders such as amnesia and Alzheimer's disease.
Psychiatric nurses’ attitudes to antipsychotic depot injections
Authors: Mnif L. , Masmoudi J. , Baâti I. , Hachicha C. , Charfi N. , Jaoua A.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

The use of conventional depots (CDs) continues to have a great importance in our psychiatric sectors due to the unavailability of atypical depot formulations.

Objective

The aim of this work was to assess psychiatric nurses’ perspectives of CDs.

Methods

Forty nurses from our psychiatric department completed a questionnaire which included both open and multiple choice questions concerning the following topics:

-

CDs and improvement in adherence to treatment,

-

efficacy and tolerance of CDs,

-

interest and indications of CDs.

Results

*

Psychiatric nurses (PNs) reported that CDs allowed avoidance of oblivion (83%) and regular intake of treatment (54%). But, several PNs believed that the injections of CDs were complex (67%) and the majority considered that CDs did not have positive impact on patient adherence (85%).

*

PNs thought that CDs :

-

were more effective (fewer relapses 56%) and better tolerated than oral formulations.

-

did not require more precautions (80%).

-

provided more security to the patient (no risk of toxicity 97%).

*

PNs reported lots of indications: lack of family support (75%), multiple relapses (72%), poor adherence (70%) and self or hetero-aggressive behavior at relapse (52%).

They supported the advantages of CDs: improving social life (85%) and patient's autonomy (68%) and permitting remission (25%).

Conclusion

The findings suggest that PNs have positive attitude towards efficacy and tolerance of CDs but negative ideas about their indications, which could be the cause of patient stigmatization. That's why providing a clear piece of information seems necessary.
Steroid-induced psychosis responsive to risperidone: report of one case
Authors: Milanlioglu A. , Gulec M.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Steroids have been used effectively for many years to treat a wide variety of both acute and chronic medical conditions. Despite of some well known side effects, the association of psychiatric disturbances with the use of these drugs has not been well established and documented.

Objectives

We aimed to describe the case of a 46-year-old man with a recent diagnosis of optic neuritis that has psychotic symptoms appear to be induced by methylprednisolone.

Methods

The results will be discussed.

Results

Psychiatric symptoms emerged after the first dose of methylprednisolone and diagnosis of steroid-induced psychosis was made. After discontinuation of steroid therapy, psychiatric symptoms did not improve. But after four weeks of risperidone, he recovered completely. This case adds to small but progressive body of evidence supporting the incidence of steroid-induced psychiatric symptoms in patients with optic neuritis.

Conclusions

We suggest that the prevalence of this phenomenon might be considerably higher than has been reported in the current literature.
Antidepressant self-poisonings in iran
Authors: Naderi-Heiden A. , Shadnia S. , Salimi A.-R. , Naderi A. , Naderi M.M. , Schmid D. , Gleiss A. , Kasper S. , Frey R.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are more likely to cause cardiovascular and neurological toxicity than compared to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs).

Objectives

In a prospective hospital-based cohort study, we addressed the question of severity and outcome of antidepressant self-poisonings in patients who attended the Loghman-Hakim Hospital Poison Center. The severity was judged by impairment of consciousness, the outcome criteria were the requirement of inpatient treatment and endotracheal intubation as well as mortality. The aim of the study was to find out if TCA intoxications require more therapeutic efforts than SSRI intoxications.

Methods

From 28 March to 20 May 20 2006, all patients presented to the Poison Center were documented using preformatted forms by three trained nurses blinded to any study hypotheses. From 3.578 intoxications, a number of 334 patients with antidepressant or lithium self-poisoning was identified (9.3% of all poisoning cases; 233 females, 101 males; median age 24 years, min 13, max 70).

Results

As compared to SSRI single-substance intoxications (n = 17), TCA single-substance intoxications (n = 73) were associated with (1) a significantly lower level of consciousness (p = 0.005); (2) a significantly higher admission frequency (80.8% vs. 35.3%; p < 0.001) and (3) a higher intubation frequency (13.7% vs. 0%; p = ns). SSRI multiple-substance intoxications were associated with a significantly lower level of consciousness than SSRI single-substance intoxications (p = 0.042), while there was no significant difference between TCA multiple- and single-substance intoxications.

Conclusions

This study suggests that an overdose with SSRIs results in a more favorable clinical outcome than an overdose with TCAs.
Weight decrease in patients switching from olanzapine to aripiprazole : a series of case reports
Authors: Saitis M. , Katsigiannopoulos K. , Tzouramanis P. , Papazisis G.
Published: May 2011

Background and aim

Current data reveal that aripiprazole is associated with minimal weight gain. Patients who were stable and had gained excessive weight during olanzapine treatment were switched to aripiprazole. The objective was to evaluate the effect of this switch on body weight.

Method

The effective dosage of aripiprazole 15 mg/day was started while olanzapine 10 mg/day was gradually tapered and stopped.

Material

Case 1. M.A, a 49 -year old woman, had a history of bipolar disorder. She was treated with olanzapine and had gained 14 Kgr while taking aripiprazole, she had lost 9 kgr.

Case 2. Ms B, a 34-year-old woman had a history of schizophrenia. She had been treated with olanzapine and gained 10 kgr. She took aripiprazole and lost 4 Kgr.

Case 3. Mr C, a 45-year-old man, had a history of delusional disorder. He was treated with olanzapine and gained 12 kgr. He took aripiprazole and lost 5 Kgr

Case 4. Mr D, a 25-year-old man, had a diagnosis of schizotypal personality disorder. He was treated with olanzapine and gained 9 kgr, while taking aripiprazole, he had lost 8 Kgr

Case 5. Mr E, a 40-year-old woman, had a diagnosis of schizophrenia. She was treated with olanzapine and had gained 14 kgr, while taking aripiprazole, she had lost 6 Kgr

Conclusions

This study suggests that switching treatment to aripiprazole may be a useful strategy for patients who have gained excessive weight with olanzapine.
Improving use of resources-health care in patients with psychiatric pathology after introduction of risperidone long-acting injection (RLAI)
Authors: Valdivia F. , Asensio M. , Soler A. , López L.
Published: May 2011

Enhance adherence to treatment is one of the main objectives in psychiatric clinical practice. The aim of this study is to evaluate changes in the use of oral antipsychotic medication, the use of rehabilitation resources and the number and duration of income in Psychiatric Inpatient Unit, comparing one year before and one year after RLAI's introduction, in patients with different psychiatric disorders, followed up by Mental Health Center and have maintained adherence to treatment for a defined period. We performed an observational, retrospective study by reviewing medical records of patients in ambulatory monitoring. The sample consisted of all patients (112) who had maintained RLAI treatment for a year, excluding those who did not fulfill the guideline correctly (14), remaining n = 98. We included patients of various pathologies, establishing groups as qualitative variables (F.20 = 56; F.25 = 12; F.22–28 = 20; F.60 = 10); of both sexes (V = 71; M = 27) and all ages. The preliminary results obtained showed a greater use of rehabilitation resources and decreased use of oral antipsychotics.
Risperidone and olanzapine in treatment of delusional disorders
Authors: Zivkovic N. , Bajovic B. , Djokic G. , Pavicevic D. , Nenadovic M.
Published: May 2011

Delusional disorders are severe psychotic disorders with characteristic non-bizarre delusions often organized in permanent delusional system.

Aim

To estimate efficacy of risperidone and olanzapine in treatment of DD.

Methods

135 patients with DD were divided into Haloperidol-control (41), Risperidone (49) and Olanzapine group (45 patients). Patients were observed for 6 months according to protocol, which included PANSS Scale and CGI1-4 Scale. Control group was treated with haloperidol 5–30 mg/24 h. Experimental groups were treated with risperidone 2–6 mg/24 h and olanzapine 10–20 mg/24 h.

Results

Pretrial PANSS score was 57.28 in risperidone(R), 60.47 in olanzapine(O) and 58.45 in control(H) group. PANSS score after 180 days was 34.32 in R, 35.58 in O and 37.97 in H group. There was no statistical difference in pretrial scores for PANSS (p = 0.691), CGI1 (p = 0.733), CGI2 (p = 1.000), and CGI3 (p = 1.000) scores. There was statistical significance in PANSS and CGI1-4 score reduction after 180 days in all groups (p = 0.000). There was no statistical difference in PANSS score reduction between R and H (p = 0.114) and O and H group (p = 0.136). CGI1-4 scores reduction: CGI1, Rvs.H, p = 0.019 and Ovs.H, p = 0.032 with high statistical significance; CGI2, Rvs.H, p = 0.153 and Ovs.H, p = 0.179 with no statistical significance; CGI3, Rvs.H, p = 0.183 and Ovs.H, p = 0.161 with no statistical significance; CGI4, Rvs.H, p = 0.000 and Ovs.H, p = 0.000 with high statistical significance. Adverse effects were significantly lower in Risperidone (21.42%) and Olanzapine (21.81%) than in Haloperidol (57.5%) group.

Conclusion

Risperidone and Olanzapine have slightly better efficacy in treatment of DD comparing to haloperidol, with statisticaly significant lower adverse effects rate.
Emotion regulation - a transdiagnostic approach
Authors: Endtner K. , Hänni M. , Tschacher W.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Psychotherapy research shows that problems in emotion regulation are at the core of many different psychiatric disorders. Greenberg and colleagues distinguish between two categories of emotion regulation problems: emotional under- and overregulation. Whereas the first category is associated with diminished impulse control, the second is constituted of difficulties in perceiving and expressing emotions.

Objective

Is it possible to validate the clinical concept of emotional underregulation and overregulation?

Aims

Patients of a psychotherapy day clinic attended a specific group therapy program aimed at improving emotion regulation. The program included interventions to control impulses as well as interventions focussing on a more appropriate perception and expression of emotions.

Methods

The evaluation of the program was based on pre-post comparisons of standard questionnaires and on repeated assessments of therapy processes using session reports.

Results

Results of about 50 patients attending the group therapy program will be presented. Different clusters depending on a patient's position on the two emotion regulation dimensions were found. Each cluster represented a unique pattern of emotion regulation.

Discussion

It was possible to validate the clinical construct of emotional underregulation and overregulation. The results contribute to a transdiagnostic approach to emotion regulation.
Improving child and adolescent adherence to evidence-based mental health interventions
Authors: Gearing R. , Schwalbe C.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

The exponential growth of evidence-based practice (EBP) interventions offers clinicians a growing number of empirically-supported psychosocial treatments for youth mental disorders. These interventions are likely to be ineffective with clients who drop out of treatment prematurely or who fail to adhere to the required intervention protocols. However, despite the critical role of client adherence, systematic evidence about strategies to support client adherence is lacking.

Objectives

The primary aim of this present study is to establish an empirical base for developing adjunctive adherence promoters to enhance client participation in psychosocial interventions.

Methods

Mental health child and adolescent intervention researchers who published RCT on three psychosocial interventions (CBT, IPT. Psycho-ed) were surveyed on type, use, and efficacy of intervention adherence promoters.

Results

Interventions included an average of 13.4 sessions (SD = 7.8) across 5 months. Most researchers reported using multiple adherence promoting interventions throughout their studies. On average, respondents reported using little more than one promoter per session and devoting approximately 12.4 minutes per session on all adherence promoters.

Conclusions

Results of this study will assist practitioners and researchers in improving adherence to psychiatric interventions for children and adolescents. Specifically, study results fill gaps in the literature on active efforts to sustain and increase client adherence to treatment for childhood and adolescent mental health disorders. Findings of this study support best practices for adherence promotion and open new avenues for research into the tailoring of adherence to EBP interventions for child and adolescent mental health problems.
Inpatient schizophrenics compensation gain in remission, influenced by complex psychotherapy
Authors: Golenishenko A. , Kulikova O.
Published: May 2011

Due to personality disorders recovery being paid much attention, we observe psychotherapy obtaining great importance in schizophrenics combination therapy. Successful adaptation to social functioning various conditions depends largely on psychological defence. An adequate reaction to disease and realistic attitude to treatment promote life upgrading.

The objectives of the research is to define the effectiveness of psychotherapy in connection of adaptive mechanism of the psychological defence.

The aims include the study of the correction possibilities of unadapted psychological mechanism with the help of psychotherapy.

We examined 53 patients with schizophrenic spectrum disorders. Used Positive and Negative Syndromes Scale (PANSS) to estimate patients clinical state, a test method TOBOL to diagnose attitude to disease. Psychological defence mechanisms were investigated by the help of enquirers FKBS, SBAK

We discovered that disease syntonic attitude increased noticeably (p < 0,05). Also we registered anxious, dysphoric and sensitive attitudes decrease (p < 0,041; p < 0,036; p < 0,05). There is a tendency to reduce anosognosic and anergic relationship towards disease (p < 0,053; p < 0,06).

These data indicate patients intention to estimate realistically their condition without over- or under- statements. We observe less anxiety, suspicion and dismay concerning catadromes, complications, ineffective treatment and mental activity increase.

After psychotherapy being applied, the maximum indices reduction was fixed in defence mechanisms such as: “against object”, “denial” (p < 0,05), “against the self’ appeal (p < 0,05), “social contacts avoidance” (p < 0,01). The symptoms investigation results prove that schizophrenics subjected to psychotherapy observe primitive defences tension decrease. All the validation, anxiety and self-aggression decrease.
Investigation the effect of musical themes and their presentation techniques (active and passive) on reducing anxiety
Authors: Fard R. Johari
Published: May 2011

Theme therapy is a new technique to prescribe art works, special musical peaces, which during several researches, were found three therapeutic musical themes: Relaxation Themes (Cognitive Themes), Mood-Making Themes (Emotional Themes) and Somatization Themes (Body Themes) (Joharifard, 2009).

In this investigation, were studied the effect of therapeutic musical themes and their presentation techniques (active and passive) on reducing anxiety.

96 students, were chose randomly from 386 anxious students, assigned to 8 groups (6 experimental groups and 2 control groups), and each group was measured two times, before investigation (as pretest) and after investigation (as posttest) during 6 weeks.

Data were calculated by description and deductive statistics, such as ANOVA and post-hoc tests. The findings suggested that, the relaxation theme with relaxation technique has been most effect on reducing anxiety. Also the effect of active presentation is more than the effect of passive music therapy on reducing anxiety.
A systemic view of treatment for patients with alcohol problems
Authors: Mihai A. , Meiler A. , Meiler C.
Published: May 2011

The purpose of this presentation is to familiarize the attendants with a systemic view of treatment of patients with alcohol problems. The systemic approach takes account of relational and interactional issues which gives a new understanding of alcohol use as a symptom.

There will be treated theoretical aspects of family transactions and constellations in alcoholic systems, showed how to investigate the systemic function of drinking and how to use this knowledge in therapy.

This systemic view of treatment for patients with alcohol problems offer a new perspective and new resources in our therapeutically approach, for all psychiatrists, not only for those who practice systemic family therapy.
The influence of health beliefs and social stigma on choice of internet support groups over formal mental health services
Authors: Townsend L. , Gearing R.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

The relationship between health beliefs regarding formal mental health services, practical variables (time, affordability, transportation), stigma, and use of internet support groups in lieu of formal treatment has received little empirical attention.

Objectives

The study examines the relationship between health beliefs, practical variables, stigma, and engagement in internet support groups among adults.

Aims

The study addresses whether beliefs regarding formal mental health services, having the time, finances, and transportation to use them, and the social consequences of being identified as having a mental health problem influence the use of internet support groups.

Methods

Data were analyzed from 2,532 respondents who endorsed perceiving the need for but not receiving formal mental health treatment in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008). Binary logistic regression was used to examine the relationships between health beliefs, practical variables, stigma, and the use of internet support groups.

Results

The strongest positive predictors of internet support group use were fear of being hospitalized/taking medications (AOR = 8.252, CI = 8.170–8.334), lack of transportation (AOR = 2.313, CI = 2.271–2.357), and insufficient insurance coverage (AOR = 2.640, CI = 2.610–2.670). The strongest negative predictors of internet support group use were lack of belief in the efficacy of formal treatment (AOR = .629, CI = .618–.641), fearing that others would find out (AOR = .660, CI = .645–.675), and not thinking formal treatment was needed at the time (AOR = .681, CI = .665–.696).

Conclusions

Using the internet for relief from mental health symptoms has proliferated, yet has received little empirical attention. Research is needed to examine the implications of using internet technology rather than formal mental health treatment.
Attitude of patients treated with antipsychotics at acute units
Authors: San-Molina L. , Rubio G. , Bernardo-Fernández I. , Miguélez-Fernández S.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Antipsychotic treatment and psychosocial interventions can reduce the risk of relapse and prevent functional impairment. The DAI questionnaire enables the effect of treatment perceived by patients to be evaluated.

Objectives

To assess the attitude of patients to treatment on hospital discharge compared when the drug of admission is modified on discharge and when it is maintained.

Methods

A multicenter, naturalistic, retrospective study to analyse the immediate clinical outcome after a medical intervention in 1346 patients with schizophrenia in acute units in Spain. Clinical progression of the first five days of hospital intervention and at hospital discharge was collected retrospectively. Afterwards, the DAI questionnaire was completed.

Results

1238 patients completed the DAI questionnaire. The average score was 15.6 (range 10–20). In the group of patients where the main antipsychotic drug during hospital stay was the same as that received at the time of hospital discharge, no statistically significant differences were found vs the group where the antipsychotic was modified (15.6 vs 15.4, p = 0.630).

Conclusion

At acute units the effect of the drug perceived by patients assessed through the DAI questionnaire on hospital discharge is similar for all antipsychotic drugs whether the treatment is modified on hospital admission or not.
Altered motor pathway integrity in schizophrenia
Authors: Bracht T. , Schnell S. , Federspiel A. , Jann K. , Razavi N. , Horn H. , Wiest R. , Dierks T. , Strik W. , Müller T. , Walther S.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Motor symptoms are frequent in patients with schizophrenia. Although recent DTI studies point to white matter alterations of the motor system in schizophrenia little is known about specific changes.

Objectives

To date there is a lack of approaches with hypothesis driven quantification of specific anatomical fibre tracts. Therefore, we aimed to compare structural connectivity between specific parts of the motor system such as the pre-supplementary motor area (SMA), the SMA-proper, the primary motor cortex and the basal ganglia in patients with schizophrenia and in healthy controls in a DTI-fibre-tracking study.

Aims

It is the aim of this study to investigate whether fibre tract integrity of the motor system is altered in patients with schizophrenia.

Methods

DTI-data were measured in 21 patients with schizophrenia and in 21 healthy controls. Applying a probabilistic fibre tracking approach the most probable anatomical pathways between key regions of the motor system of each participant have been identified. The resulting probabilistic maps were normalized to obtain values between 0 and 1, normalized into the standard MNI-space and smoothed using an isotropic 3-mm Gaussian kernel. Group comparisons have been calculated using two-sample-t-tests.

Results

First results point to altered fibre tract microstructure of loops including cortical motor areas and the basal ganglia. The data analysis is preliminary. Definite results will be presented at the conference.

Conclusions

Altered motor behaviour might be reflected by altered white matter integrity of loops including cortical motor areas and the basal ganglia.
Explicit memory in Schizophrenia
Authors: Calero-Fernandez M.R.
Published: May 2011

Objective

Study of explicit memory of schizophrenic patients. Compared with control subjects.

Methods

n = 21:

-

Schizophrenia Group (GE): 14 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (DSM-IV criteria)

-

Control Group (CG): 7 subjects with no psychiatric diagnosis.

Data analysis:

-

Analysis of variance for comparison between groups

-

Contrast-Test Means for intragroup analysis performance

Results

Variables: gender, age, duration, and medication, as well as attitude, mood, attention, comprehension, difficulty and interest shown in the tests.

Significant differences were observed between schizophrenic and control in cued recall (proportion of hits: GE = 33% +41% Chronic severe, GC = 60%: p = 0.009) and recognition (hit rate: GE = 32% +32% Acute Chronic, GC = 41.11%, p = 0.009) that could be explained by a deficit in encoding and retrieval presemantic. Free Recall No significant (P = 0.0113) There were no significant differences between acute and chronic in Free Recall (P = 0.0864), cued recall (P = 0.255) and recognition (p = 0.998).

Conclusion

In the sample studied was observed:

Explicit Memory Impairement from early stages of schizophrenia.

-

Impairment of memory processes that require conscious control

-

Difficulty in voluntary recall, conscious and strategic characteristic of explicit memory, although providing it with keys.
Daytime sleepiness, executive functions and working memory in schizophrenia patients treated with sertindole and olanzapine
Authors: Denisiuk M. , Wichniak A. , Jędrasik-Styła M. , Zdunek I. , Waliniowska E. , Wierzbicka A. , Jernajczyk W. , Jarema M.
Published: May 2011

Objectives

Sedation is a frequent side effect of antipsychotic drugs with a high impact on patients’ functioning. We investigated whether patients who were switched from sedative antipsychotics to sertindole, an antipsychotic drug without sedative effect, showed better results in measures of sleepiness, executive functions and working memory than patients with a good tolerance to sedative effect of olanzapine.

Methods

18 patients with schizophrenia treated with sertindole (9 females, mean age 27.9 ± 4,1, mean dose 15.6 ± 3.0 mg/d) and 18 sex and age matched patients treated with olanzapine (15.3 ± 6.5 mg/d) underwent EEG recording, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), psychomotor vigilance task, filled out Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and Athens insomnia scale (AIS). PANSS, UKU, BARS scales and DAI-30 were used to rate mental state, medication side effects and subjective attitude to treatment.

Results

At time of the assessment PANSS scores were similar in sertindole (43.6 ± 7.1) and olanzapine (42.3 ± 12.2) groups. Increased slow wave activity (SWA) was found in EEG in 3 patients treated with sertindole and in 10 with olanzapine (p < 0.05). Treatment with sertindole was also related to lower ratings on BARS scale (p < 0.05) and item “prolongation of sleep” in the UKU scale (p < 0.05). However, no superiority of sertindole was found in other used measures.

Conclusions

Although sertindole does not induce SWA in EEG and prolong sleep, patients who were switched to sertindole did not have improved executive functions, vigilance and working memory as compared to patients treated with olanzapine.
High prevalence of human herpesvirus 8 in a Tunisian sample of Schizophrenic patients
Authors: El Kissi Y. , Hannach N. , Gaabout S. , Samoud S. , Ayachi M. , Boukadida J. , Ali B. Ben Hadj
Published: May 2011

Background

The prevalence of Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) has never been investigated in schizophrenic patients.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of HHV8 serum antibodies in schizophrenic patients and in healthy controls.

Methods

During a 24 months period, we consecutively enrolled 108 patients meeting DSM-IV criteria of schizophrenia, in psychiatry department of Sousse Farhat Hached hospital (Tunisia). We also enrolled 108 controls among consenting blood donors. They were age and sex matched and free from any psychotic disorder as screened by MINI-Plus.

Psychopathology and severity were measured using PANSS, BPRS, SANS, SAPS and CGI. Sera samples were obtained from patients and controls and then analyzed for the presence of anti-HHV8 antibodies (anti-HHV8) using a sensitive indirect immunofluorescence assay to latent and lytic HHV8 antigens.

Results

A significantly higher prevalence of anti-HHV8 in schizophrenic patients than in healthy controls was found (28.7% vs. 14.8%, p = 0.01). Marital status, educational level, professional activity, poverty, promiscuity, number of children, sexual behavior or presence of risk factors of blood transmission were not associated with HHV8 prevalence (p > 0.05). However, among schizophrenic patients, HHV8 prevalence was statically associated with positive symptoms (SAPS score) (p = 0.01) and the severity of illness (CGI score) (p = 0.02).

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this would be the first report of high HHV8 prevalence in schizophrenic patients, which support the role of this virus in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. To go on further with this hypothesis, more investigations of HHV8 in schizophrenia are needed.
Cognitive Deficits in Patients Diagnosed with Schizophrenia or Other Psychotic Disorders
Authors: Ferreira O.
Published: May 2011

Introduction

Cognitive deficits in patients with psychotic disorders have been described both in literature and clinical practice.

Objectives/aims

Analysis of the cognitive deficits in patients with psychotic disorders.

Methods

Observation of 8 subjects performance on the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) and Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM), by the consultation of their psychological assessment clinical files. Subjects are aged between 20 and 29 years old and diagnosed with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder.

Results

The analysis of the performance on the psychological tests indicated significant differences in the areas of remote memory, attention, calculation, immediate verbal memory, visual memory and non verbal reasoning. No significant differences in the areas of spatial and temporal orientation were observed.

Conclusions

This study confirms the presence of neuropsychological deficits in several areas of memory and non verbal reasoning ability of young patients with psychotic disorders. Neuropsychological rehabilitation is a key area of intervention in such disorders, considering the young age of these patients and the impact that these alterations can have on their social, educational and professional prospects.