bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Subjective well-being under clozapine measured with the Serbian version of GASS-C: Preliminary results
Authors: Ristic D. Ignjatovic , Dan C. , Hinic D. , Jovic J. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionClinical benefits of antipsychotic treatment depend on the efficacy and on the patients’ tolerability and compliance. To reduce patient initiated treatment discontinuation, timely detection of treatment emergent side effects is essential. The Glasgow Antipsychotic Side-effects scale for clozapine (GASS-C) is a recently developed instrument to measure subjectively experienced clozapine side effects.ObjectivesTimely detection of unreported clozapine related side-effects.AimDocumenting the prevalence of side-effects in schizophrenia or chronic psychotic disorder with the Serbian version of the GASS-C.MethodsThe sample included 95 in and outpatients with schizophrenia or chronic psychotic disorder. All subjects filled out the Serbian version of the GASS-C and a sociodemographic questionnaire.ResultsThe median age was 46.1 years; 53.7% of subjects were male. Clozapine doses ranged from 25 to 423 mg. Drowsiness (78%) was the most commonly reported side-effect. Overall, 16.8% of the patients added other complaints, such as headache, pain, hand or leg numbing or nightmares. According to GASS-C total score categorization [2], only 4.2. % of subjects were rated with severe side-effects, while 14% of themselves rated their symptoms as severe or distressing. More side effects were reported by female patients and by inpatients. Only a weak positive correlation was found between the severity of the side effects and clozapine dosage.ConclusionsWe found the GASS-C to be a useful instrument that elicits both unknown side-effects and patients rating of their severity. Side effects did not clearly relate to the prescribed dose. Future research should include the relation of clozapine plasma levels with side effects assessed with GASS-C.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Mortality in people with psychotic disorders in Finland: A population-based 13-year follow-up study
Authors: Keinänen J. , Mantere O. , Markkula N. , Partti K. , Perälä J. , Saarni S.I. , Härkänen T. , Suvisaari J. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionPeople with psychotic disorders have increased mortality compared to the general population. The mortality is mostly due to natural causes and it is disproportionately high compared to the somatic morbidity of people with psychotic disorders.ObjectivesWe aimed to find predictors of mortality in psychotic disorders and to evaluate the extent to which sociodemographic and health-related factors explain the excess mortality.MethodsIn a nationally representative sample of Finns aged 30–70 years (n = 5642), psychotic disorders were diagnosed in 2000–2001. Information on mortality and causes of death was obtained of those who died by the end of year 2013. Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the mortality risk.ResultsAdjusting for age and sex, diagnosis of nonaffective psychotic disorder (NAP) (n = 106) was statistically significantly associated with all-cause mortality (HR 2.99, 95% CI 2.03–4.41) and natural-cause mortality (HR 2.81, 95% CI 1.85–4.28). After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, health status, inflammation and smoking, the HR dropped to 2.11 (95% CI 1.10–4.05) for all-cause and to 1.98 (95% CI 0.94–4.16) for natural-cause mortality. Within the NAP group, antipsychotic use at baseline was associated with reduced HR for natural-cause mortality (HR 0.25, 95% CI 0.07–0.96), and smoking with increased HR (HR 3.54, 95% CI 1.07–11.69).ConclusionsThe elevated mortality risk associated with NAP is only partly explained by socioeconomic factors, lifestyle, cardiometabolic comorbidities and inflammation. Smoking cessation should be prioritized in treatment of psychotic disorders. More research is needed on the quality of treatment of somatic conditions in people with psychotic disorders.Disclosure of interestJaakko Keinänen owns shares in pharmaceutical company Orion.
Social and nonsocial cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia: A comparative neuropsychological and neurophysiological study
Authors: Khalil M.A. , Saleh A.A. , El-Fayoumy N.M. , Gohar S.M. 
Published: June 2017

BackgroundPatients with schizophrenia suffer from cognitive deficits in seven domains in addition to social cognition. P300 latency and amplitude have been linked in these patients to the basic cognitive deficits.ObjectivesComparing patients suffering from schizophrenia with matched healthy subjects as regards auditory event related potential tests as measured by P300.Subjects and methodsFifty-two subjects were divided into 2 groups: group (A): 27 patients with schizophrenia according to the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-text revised (DSM-IV TR). Those with current substance use, psychiatric disorders or organic disorders were excluded. Group (B): 25 healthy control subjects with negative history of substance and psychiatric disorders. Patients were assessed using Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) for severity of psychotic symptoms, Addenbrook's Cognitive Examination Revised (ACE-R) for basic cognitive, reading the mind in the eye test for social cognition, P300 and electro-encephalography (EEG)ResultsThe two groups were different significantly in ACE total and its subtests measuring attention-orientation, memory, language, visuospatial and reading the mind in the eye test for social cognition scores with patients showing lower scores (P = 0.000, 0.012, 0.000, 0.038, 0.041 and 0.001 respectively). Control group had higher amplitude of P300 and shorter latency than patients (P = 0.003 and 0.005 respectively). P300 amplitude correlated positively with visuospatial memory (P = 0.015). PANSS general pathology scale correlated positively with duration of untreated psychosis (P = 0.029) and with fluency (P = 0.047).ConclusionPatients with schizophrenia differ from controls in P300.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
The Effect of Prefrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Resting State Functional Connectivity
Authors: Keeser D. 
Published: June 2017

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is currently investigated as therapeutic non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) approach in major depressive (MDD) and other neuropsychiatric disorders. In both conditions, different sub regions of the PFC (e.g. the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and others) are critically involved in their respective pathophysiology. Although the neurophysiological properties of tDCS have been extensively investigated at the motor cortex level, the action of PFC tDCS on resting state and functional MRI connectivity of neural networks is largely unexplored. Beyond motor cortex paradigms, we aim to establish a model for PFC tDCS modulating functional connectivity in different conditions to provide tailored tDCS protocols for clinical efficacy studies in major psychiatric disorders such as MDD and schizophrenia. One major obstacle in brain research is that patients represent themselves as individuals not as groups. Recent research has shown that the individual human brain functional MRI connectivity shows different within-variability than the variability found between subjects. Several neuroimaging methods may be useful to find a classifier that can be reliable used to predict NIBS effects. These neuroimaging methods include individual brain properties as well as the evaluation of state-dependency. Anatomical targeted analyses of rTMS and tDCS in neuropsychiatric patients and healthy subjects have found promising results.By combining neuroimaging and NIBS new functional models can be developed and compared in different health and pathology states, e.g. in the development of any given psychiatric disorder.Disclosure of interestSupported by the Federal Ministry of Research and Education (“Forschungsnetz für psychische Erkrankungen”, German Center for Brain Stimulation–GCBS–WP5).
A thalamo-cortical genetic co-expression network is associated with thalamic functional connectivity linked with familial risk for schizophrenia
Authors: Passiatore R. , Antonucci L.A. , Di Carlo P. , Papalino M. , Monda A. , Taurisano P. , Bertolino A. , Pergola G. , Blasi G. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionThe genetic architecture of schizophrenia is based on polygenic trajectories. Indeed, genes converge on molecular co-expression pathways, which may be associated with heritable characteristics of patients and their siblings, called intermediate phenotypes, such as prefrontal anomalies and thalamic dysconnectivity during attentional control [2].ObjectivesHere, we investigated in healthy humans association between co-expression of genes with coordinated thalamo-prefrontal (THA-PFC) expression and functional connectivity during attentional control.MethodsWe used Brainspan dataset to characterize a coordinated THA-PFC expression gene list by correlating post-mortem gene expression in both areas (Kendall's Tau>.76, Bonferroni P < .05). Then, we identified a PFC co-expression network1 and tested all gene sets for THA-PFC and PGC loci [3] enrichments (P < .05). SNPs associated with the first principal component of the resulting enriched gene set were combined in a Polygenic Co-Expression Index (PCI) [1]. We conducted Independent Component Analysis (ICA) on attentional control fMRI data (n = 265) and selected Independent Components (ICs) including the thalamus and being highly correlated with an attentional control network2. Multiple regressions were conducted (predictor: PCI) using a thalamic cluster previously associated with familial risk for schizophrenia [2] as ROI (FWE P < .05).ResultsIn one of the 8 ICs of interest there was a positive effect of PCI on thalamic connectivity strength in a cluster overlapping with our ROI (Z = 4.3).ConclusionDecreased co-expression of genes included in PCI predicts thalamic dysconnectivity during attentional control, suggesting a novel co-regulated molecular pathway potentially implicated in genetic risk for schizophrenia.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Hyperthermia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome-Case report
Authors: Puljić K. , Herceg M. , Jukić V. 
Published: June 2017

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare, but life-threatening, idiosyncratic reaction to neuroleptic medications that is characterized by fever, muscular rigidity, altered mental status, and autonomic dysfunction. NMS often occurs shortly after the initiation of neuroleptic treatment, or after dose increases. Malignant hyperthermia (MH) or malignant hyperpyrexia is a rare life-threatening condition that is usually triggered by exposure to certain drugs. The 46-years-old female patient was diagnosed schizophrenia at the age of 22. Currently, she is hospitalized due to psychotic decompensation. The patient was admitted with following daily dose therapy of: haloperidol 15 mg, biperiden 4 mg and diazepam 15 mg. During this hospitalization she developes muscle rigidity, tremor, hyperthermia, and laboratory results showed increase of enzimes CPK and LDH, so we started treatment of suspected malignant neuroleptic syndrome. After a treatment and recovery with complete withdrawal of all presented symptoms, our patient developed a malignant hypertermia that was resistant to all applicated medications. Our dilemma is whether presented symptoms of malignant hyperthermia are related to malignant neuroleptic syndrome or not?Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Can drug interaction be useful? Case report of a schizophrenic patient treated with paliperidone long-acting injection
Authors: Sarpe M. , Bran M. , Maria L. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionIntramuscular paliperidone palmitate (PLAI) is a long-acting atypical anti-psychotic approved in Romania for the maintenance treatment of adults with schizophrenia.ObjectivesTo determine the efficacy and tolerability of PLAI in a non-compliant patient with previously very low tolerability to oral anti-psychotics. The patient had been on risperidone long acting injection (RLAI) and had significant adverse events (i.e. tremor, akatisia) which persisted even when treated with the lowest dose of PLAI: 50 mg.AimsSince the efficacy of PLAI was good, and since a lower dose (than 50 mg of PLAI) is not available in Romania, we tried different ways to lower plasma concentration (PC) of the anti-psychotic because the patient presented clinically significant adverse effects (AE).MethodsInitially the time between the injections was extended at maximum recommended (35 days), with a slight effect, then an off label treatment was associated in order to lower the PC of PLAI. We used 300 mg of carbamazepine long acting, that may lower the PC of PLAI up to 30%. For the evaluation of the efficacy and tolerability, we applied: the clinical evaluation, the positive and negative syndrome scale, the Barnes Akathisia rating scale, the Simpson-Angus Scale and the abnormal involuntary movement scale.ResultsAfter using the above mentioned, strategies, the one that had indeed good results on reducing AE, with no alteration of the psychic status of the patient, was the association of carbamazepine.ConclusionsIn clinical practice, some off label medication associations may be salutary!Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Antipsychotics in chronic schizoaffective disorder: A naturalistic study
Authors: Tsygankov B. , Ryzhukhinskaya A. , Evgeny K. , Pavlichenko A. 
Published: June 2017

In spite of the beneficial effects of antipsychotics (AP) on the course of schizoaffective disorder (SAD) in general, there is an evidence for some negative aspects of their application. The objective of the study was to investigate the clinical manifestations and the course of resistant SAD while treated by the different AP. At present, the research includes 63 patients with SAD and duration of psychotic and/or affective symptoms more than six months. The research was naturalistic follow-up. The first group of patients (n = 18) were treated with SGA. An average duration of hospitalization was 61.2 days. After a reduction of acute psychotic condition, subthreshold psychotic and anxiety symptoms were still remaining. The total PANSS score was 71 ± 8. The second group (n = 24) was treated with a combination of FGA and SGA. An average duration of hospitalization was 53.8 days, the total PANSS score was 79 ± 6. It has been prevailed subthreshold bipolar symptoms. The third group of patients (n = 21) were treated with FGA. An average duration of hospitalization was 45.5 days; the total PANSS score was 63 ± 10. The negative symptoms and subthreshold depressions have been prevailed among the patients.To conclude, the treatment of SAD by the SGA and combination of SGA and FGA are more likely associated with persistence of subthreshold psychotic and/or bipolar disorder and the longer duration of hospitalizations. On the other hand, application of FGA in SAD is more likely associated with negative symptoms and depressions after a reduction of acute psychotic condition.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
EEG spectral power changes in solving spatial logical task in schizophrenia patients in the first episode and in remission
Authors: Zaytseva Y. , Garakh Z. , Morozova A. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionDespite the assumption that the EEG parameters in schizophrenia may be predictive for the treatment outcome, there are only a small number of such studies present. We hypothesised that the characteristics of the changes in EEG rhythms during cognitive load might differ in the first episode of psychosis and remission being dependent on the stage of the illness.MethodsThe EEG rhyths spectral power (SP) in the resting state and their changes during the performance of spatial logical task in 25 first-episode psychosis patients (FEP) and same patients in remission (REM) after 6–18 months were analysed. Control group included healthy subjects matched with patient group by gender, age and years of education.ResultsThe resting state SP values did not differ in FEP and REM. When performing a task, FEP theta SP was decreased compared to the resting state values in F7, F8, P3, T6 sites (P < 0.05), while gamma2 SP was increased in Fz (P < 0.001) and Pz (P < 0.01). REM theta, alpha, and beta1 SP was decreased in the same way as in norm in all sites (P < 0.05). Gamma2 SP increase was found in sites Fp1, F8, Fz (P < 0.05). FEP theta and beta1 SP changes during cognitive load positively correlated with the PANSS scales (delusions, thought disorders, hallucinations). REM did not have significant correlations between SP and PANSS parameters.ConclusionsThe analysed REM EEG characteristics differ less from the norm than the FEP. Based on the results, the performance of the task is related to the stage of the illness.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Multidisciplinary approach about contraception in a day hospital of mental health
Authors: Calahorro C.M. , Guerrero Jiménez M. , Girela Serrano B.M. 
Published: June 2017

BackgroundWomen with mental illness are a disadvantaged group both in terms of their gender and because of their mental disorders, and they experience serious problems related to reproductive health.The high rates of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies among women with schizophrenia underscore the importance of understanding their attitudes and practices related to family planning. Different studies reveal that even though many sexually active women with serious mental illnesses do not want to become pregnant, they do not use birth control.ObjectivesRelease last data about contraception methods among patients with severe mental illness after doing a bibliographical review. Also reflect present setup in Motril day hospital women patients and their relationship with sexuality and contraception. At the same time we intend to clarify and unify the proceedings on ethical problems respecting subject's autonomy, beneficence, qualification and minors’ protection.MethodsData were collected through face-to-face interviews and a questionnaire based on the literature and prepared by the researchers which was designed to determine the kinds of reproductive health issues the patients were experiencing.ResultsIt was found that female patients with psychiatric disorders had more negative attributes with regard to contraception approach and sexuality compared with a corresponding healthy population.ConclusionsWe reached an agreement about future contraception approaches in Motril day hospital users as part of the global treatment offered in our section.MotrilHospital gynaecology service has facilitated the proceedings for contraceptive subcutaneous implants insertion in those indicated women.Day hospital patients were instructed individually and through group work about healthy sexuality.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Sperm donation and surrogacy from a male perspective
Authors: Carolino N. , Galhardo A. , Moura-Ramos M. , Cunha M. , Monteiro B. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionSocietal changes in the last decades led to the arise of new paradigms on gender equity. Studies addressing fertility/infertility issues have been conducted mainly in women and in this research area, male partners have deserved less attention. More recently there has been a major focus on the idea that fertility/infertility aspects have to be conceptualized from a couples’ perspective.GoalsThe current study sought to explore attitudes towards gamete donation and surrogacy in a sample of young men in reproductive age.MethodsA total of 111 males with ages ranging from 18 to 40 years old and without children completed an online questionnaire addressing attitudes towards gamete donation and surrogacy.ResultsThe majority of participants (77.3%) would be willing to donate their sperm, and their main motivation for doing that would be to feel “happy to help a couple struggling to have a child”. Participants stated that the likelihood of donating would increase if they were able to attend counseling, to complete the procedure in an IVF center located in their residence area, and being provided with more information about infertility. Regarding surrogacy 82% are in favor of this procedure legalization and 49.5% would be willing to use it if they needed.ConclusionMen showed a positive attitude towards sperm donation and surrogacy, emphasizing the importance of counseling and information availability on these topics. This may suggest that they are willing to get involved when fertility issues are addressed.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Sexual excitation, sexual inhibition and a prevalence of sexual disorders among msm and heterosexual men
Authors: Kowalczyk R. , Kaluga M. , Jacek K. , Nowosielski K. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionDual control model of the sexual response (DCM) indicates, that there are two separate, but cooperating systems of sexual excitation and inhibition. Previous studies using DCM concept have shown, that MSM (men having sex with men) had higher excitation (SES) and one of the types of inhibition (SIS1) levels, in comparison to the exclusively heterosexual men. MSM also reported more frequent occurrence of sexual disorders (erectile disorders, premature ejaculation and decreased sexual desire).ObjectivesComparison of the MSM and heterosexual men groups in order to verify erenow observed differences in sexual excitation/inhibition propensity and prevalence of sexual problems.MethodsThe sample consisted of two groups: 47 heterosexual men and 60 MSM. The participants have anonymously filled up questionnaires (Polish version of the Sexual Inhibition/Sexual Excitation Scales SIS/SES and the author's survey) via internet. Then statistical analysis was executed.ResultsOur findings have shown, that both groups were similar in their propensities for sexual excitation (SES) and inhibition due to the risks of failure in sexual performance (SIS1), while MSM scored higher on the inhibition scale, related to the threat of negative consequences of sexual response (SIS2). Heterosexual men more frequently suffered from premature ejaculation and less commonly reported decreased desire. There were no differences in the erectile disorders report between MSM and heterosexual men.ConclusionsOur findings are mostly in conflict with previous DCM studies results. Several issues, just like method of sexual orientation assessment or cultural differences may had its impact on such results. More detailed studies on these issues are required.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.