bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigation of chemical interactions of small peptides and vitamin substances at the developed dopamine D2 receptor models
Authors: Aslancan R. , Aksoydan B. , Kantarcioglu I. , Erol I. , Salmas R.E. , Durdagi S. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionDopamine receptors perform various functions essential to vertebrate central nervous systems and they are the major targets of antipsychotic drugs. Our recent studies pioneered to perform molecular modeling studies of the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R), describing the mechanism and binding affinities of marketed antipsychotics into the active sites of the D2highR and D2LowR [1]. Another study provided significant information about changes of binding cavity properties of D2R [2].ObjectivesSince the marketed antipsychotics have serious side effects, we aim to explore ligands with better inhibition profiles on D2R with less unwanted outcomes. For this aim, we compare the effectiveness of the marketed drugs with small peptides and vitamin substances.AimsThe main goal of the research is to explore novel small molecules that inhibit D2R to be used in schizophrenia.MethodsIn this study, we used a large number of endogen vitamins and peptides with dopamine D2R active-inactive forms in monomeric-dimeric patterns to understand their interactions at the active sites of targets. Nineteen of antipsychotic drugs, which are widely used in schizophrenia treatment are selected as reference molecules. Molecular docking, molecular screening and molecular modeling approaches were used.ResultsSome of these endogen molecules showed similar or better inhibition profiles on D2R compared to the known standard inhibitors of the target.ConclusionsProposed molecules may be potent for D2 receptor inhibition with less side effects for the use for schizophrenia.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Pharmacodynamic targets of psychotic patients treated with a long-acting therapy
Authors: Ventriglio A. , Petito A. , Gentile A. , Vitrani G. , Bonfitto I. , Cecere A.C. , Rinaldi A. , Dimatteo C. , D’Andrea G. , Maurizio M. , Bellomo A. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionGiven the poor compliance of schizofrenic patients to antipsychotic therapies, are been developed drugs in long-acting formulation that for their pharmacokinetic ensures prolonged therapeutic activities. Currently, we consider that their efficacy depends on hereditary tracts, influencing both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic parameters.ObjectiveInvestigate relationships between clinical efficacy and genetic polymorphims of long-acting drugs’ pharmacodynamic targets.MethodsSeventy-eight psychotic patients, treated with atypical long-acting antipsychotics (olanzapine pamoate, paliperidone palmitate, risperidon and aripiprazole), were examined. We carried out a blood sampling to evaluate dopaminergic DRD2 and glutamatergic GRM3 genetic receptors polymorphisms. PANSS and BPRS scales were used to assess clinical condition.ResultsRegarding the GRM3 genes, the study of rs2228595 and rs6465084 polymorphisms showed a prevalence of wild type genotypic frequency of 81.2% and 56.2%, respectively. The prevalence of the patients with mutated heterozygote genotype (rs6465084 polymorphisms) resulted high (40.6%). Considering rs1989796 e rs274622 polymorphisms, the sample showed a prevalence of mutated heterozygote genotype in the 53.1% e 45.3%, respectively, with a percentage of 43.7% of patients with a mutation in homozygosis. Considering the rs146812 polymorphism, the 53.1% of patients resulted with a wild type genotype. Finally, findings showed a prevalence of 56.2% for the mutated heterozygote genotype in the DRD2 rs6277 polymorphism. The genotypic categorization analysis demonstrated a significative association between the GRM3 rs274622 polymorphism and higher BPRS scores.ConclusionsThe relationship between rs274622 polymorphism and worse clinical conditions could indicate a major resistance to long-acting antipsychotics in patients with genotypic frequency CT (mutated heterozygosis) for this polymorphism.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Analysis of ECT indications in the hospitalized psychiatric patients
Authors: Mihaljevic Peles A. , Bajs Janovic M. , Strucic A. , Janovic S. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionElectroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been considered a treatment option for the treatment resistance, mania, depression, suicidality and schizophrenia. It has been still controversial due to the lack of controlled clinical trials and unknown biological basis but also because of the negative image from the history of the treatment.ObjectiveSpecifics of the clinical judgement on when and for which patients’ indications, ECT was a treatment choice.Aim of the study was to evaluate indications for the ECT treatment in the hospitalized psychiatric patients at the psychiatric department.MethodFor all the patient cases in the last 7 years at the department (n = 326), data was analyzed regarding age, gender, number of hospitalizations, age of first episode, diagnose, previous treatment, leading indication for ECT and outcome after the ECT, regarding following treatment.ResultsThe leading indication for ECT was psychosis and/or pharmacological treatment resistance, followed by suicidality. Patients with psychosis were younger than patients with other diagnoses when receiving ECT treatment. Regarding the results, indications for ECT had been partially differentiated from expected guidelines. Outcomes after the ECT were favorable in terms of better controlling the symptoms, lowering exacerbation frequency and intensity and partially, functioning.ConclusionStudies on ECT indications and outcome could provide further insight on efficacy of the treatment, and possible improvements in clinical assessment on eligible patients who could benefit from the ECT treatment.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Art therapy for patients in acute psychotic episodes
Authors: Aladashvili T. 
Published: June 2017

PurposeEvaluate the efficacy of art therapy during acute psychotic episodes.MethodsThirty-six inpatients with ICD-diagnoses of schizophrenia (F20.0–F20.9) age between 20–60 were randomised to either 12 twice-weekly sessions of psychodynamic group art therapy plus treatment as usual or to standard treatment alone. Art therapy was administered in 12 sessions of 90 minutes for 6 weeks. At 12 weeks, 55% of patients randomised to art therapy, and 66% of patients receiving treatment as usual were examined. Scales used: 17 – Item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) for depression and Scale for the assessment of negative symptoms (SANS).InterventionsThe approach was non-directive – patients could choose to create whatever they wanted and use any available material. Interventions by the art therapist aimed at supporting the art process and helping to understand the image. The last 30 minutes of a session were reserved for a shared viewing and reflecting on the images.ResultsWith post-treatment and follow-up scores of SANS and HRSD patients who had received AT had a significantly greater mean reduction of positive and negative and also depressive symptoms at 12-week follow-up than patients treated as usual. Social functioning was significantly higher in the AT group. There were no significant interactions between intervention group and gender.ConclusionEvidence on the efficacy and effectiveness of AT in patients with schizophrenia is far from being conclusive and benefits might be limited to a subgroup of patients. Results of this study suggest AT can be implemented in routine hospital settings for patients experiencing acute psychotic states.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.
The medical model of rehabilitation treatment of drug addicts with psychiatric comorbidity: Efficacy evaluation
Authors: Bereza Z. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionThe medical model assumes the professional psychotherapeutic assistance at all stages of the rehabilitation process and pharmacological treatment of comorbid mental disorders.AimEvaluation of the efficacy of the medical model rehabilitation based on the clinical, psychological, and social characteristics of patients at the all stages of the treatment.SubjectsEighty-five drug-addicted patients with psychiatric comorbidity. The inclusion criteria were: age above 18 years, withdrawal status. The patients were examined four times:– 1 – during the first weeks of treatment;– 2 – after 45 days;– 3 – after 6 months;– 4 – after 12 months.Results and conclusionsThe primary evaluation the highest scores noted in the sections: “family and social connections”, “health status”, “psychiatric status” and “legal aspects” received lower scores. In the second measurement, the results established a significant improvement on the scale of “health status”, “mental status”, “alcohol”, “drug use” compared with original values. Early retired patients the most high-end performance observed on the scale of “drug alcohol using”, “job/livelihood”, “health status”, “legal aspects”, the “psychiatric status”, “family and social connections” recorded lower scores. Indicators on the scale of “drug use”, “alcohol” in this group of patients was significantly higher than patients who remain on treatment, which may indicate a possible updating of the attraction to the drugs. The third measurement showed a significant improvement ASI according to the all scales as compared to the previous ones. In the course of the rehabilitation process revealed positive changes in clinical, psychological and social characteristics of patients.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.
Population attributable fraction (PAF) in repeated measures design: Childhood traumas as predictors of psychotherapy outcomes
Authors: Härkänen T. , Lindfors O. , Heinonen E. , Knekt P. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionPopulation attributable fraction (PAF) represents the proportion of treatment failure, which could be avoided, if the individuals at high risk were similar to the individuals at low risk. The PAF, however, has not been available for repeated measures designs.A relatively prevalent and strong risk factor for many adulthood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, are adversities and traumas experienced in childhood. Little is, however, known of their implications for common treatments such as psychotherapy.ObjectivesTo develop PAF for repeated measures, and to provide a useful tool in various research fields to provide decision-makers results, which are easier to interpret.This study will examine the relative importance of different childhood traumas as predictors of psychotherapy outcome in a patient population with depressive and anxiety disorders.MethodsPAF was calculated using generalized linear mixed models and Bayesian predictive distributions.The data is based on 326 outpatients, randomized in one long-term and two short-term psychotherapies by the Helsinki Psychotherapy Study. Patients were assessed up to 10 times during a 5-year follow-up. A combination of psychiatric symptoms measured, is used as the outcome measure.ResultsThe repeated measures PAF will provide a useful aggregate measure over the follow-up time and over the patient population.ConclusionsThe repeated measures PAF will provide insight on the relative importance of the different domains of childhood traumas on therapy outcome. Associations of individual-level risk factors do not provide guidelines for policy decisions, which should acknowledge also prevalences of the risk factors in the patient population.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Treatment profiles in a Danish psychiatric university hospital department
Authors: Okkels N. , Mogensen R.B. , Crean L. , Skadhede S. , Vestergaard C.H. , Rasmussen C. , Shanmuganathan J.W.D. , Hansen K.B. , Munk-Jørgensen P. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionDespite concerns about rising treatment of psychiatric patients with psychotropic medications and declining treatment with psychotherapy, actual treatment profiles of psychiatric patients is largely unknown.AimsTo describe patterns in the treatment of patients in a large psychiatric university hospital department.MethodsA descriptive mapping of treatment of in- and outpatients in a psychiatric department at Aarhus University Hospital Risskov, Denmark. Information was collected by health care staff using a 25-item survey form. The P-value was calculated with a Chi2 test and P < 0.05 was considered significant. The study was preceded by a pilot study on 41 patients.ResultsOver a 1 month period we assessed a total of 343 consecutive patients and hereof included 200 in the age range 18–90 years (mean 53.76); 86 men and 114 women. One hundred and eighty-eight patients (94%) used psychotropic medication, 37 (19%) as monotherapy and 148 (74%) in combination with non-pharmacological therapy. Ninety-seven (49%) had psychotherapy and 104 (52%) social support. Among inpatients, 21 (64%) had physical therapy, and 10 (30%) electroconvulsive therapy. In total, 163 (82%) had non-pharmacological therapy. Fifty-two (26%) patients had monotherapy and 148 (74%) polytherapy. Mean number of treatment modalities used pr. patient was 2.07 for all patients and 3.23 for inpatients.ConclusionsIn our department, polytherapy including non-pharmacological modalities is applied widely across all settings and patient categories. However, psychotropic medication clearly dominates as the most frequently applied treatment.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
H-index may influence more than methodological variables for publication in high impact psychiatry journals – A systematic review
Authors: Carvalho Alves L. Primo de , Rodrigues A.A. , Moreira Lima F. , Janovik N. , Sanguinetti Czepielewski L. , Mendes Ceresér K.M. , Sica da Rocha N. 
Published: June 2017

ObjectivesThe scientific community assumes that rigorous methodology research is more likely to be published in high impact psychiatry journals (HIJ). We aimed to test which methodological variables could predict publication in HIJ.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from 2013, January 1st to 2015, June 15th. Inclusion criteria were studies that were RCTs whose at least one arm of the study should be fluoxetine regarding adult patients (> 18 years old) with MDD. We performed logistic regression regarding the number of participants, intention-to-treat analysis, blinding, multicenter study, sample losses, positive result, sponsorship of pharmacy's industry, and h-index of the last author. A HIJ was considered if journal impact factor was above the median or 3rd quartile of our sample.ResultsForty-two studies were considered for the final analysis. The results of the univariate logistic regression found no differences between HIJ and low impact psychiatry journals for all methodological variables, except the h-index of the last author. By considering HIJ when impact factor was above the mean, h-index had an odds ratio = 1.09 (1.01–1.17), P = 0.02; considering HIJ when impact factor was above the 3rd quartile, h-index had an odds ratio = 1.07 (1.01–1.14), P = 0.02.DiscussionOur results indicate that the author productivity may be a relevant predictor for publication in a HIJ in the psychiatry/psychology field. Our study proposes that journals focus on identifying what are the relevant criteria for publication approval in the peer-review process.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Enhancement of flexible cognition in autism
Authors: Varanda C. , Fernandes F.D.M. 
Published: June 2017

Autism is defined by qualitative deficits in communication, social interaction and restricted patterns of interests and behavior. There are also reported difficulties in the dynamic activation and modification of cognitive processes in response to changes in tasks demands. It is assumed that poor flexible cognition is related to those difficulties. This research aimed to assess and intervene in cognitive flexibility in subjects with autism.Ten subjects diagnosed with autism by psychiatrists, aged 5y to 13y5m, were assessed in cognitive flexibility through WCST in pretest and in patterns of social interactions, behaviors and communication through ADI-R. An intervention program with 14 to 21 sessions designed to enhance cognitive flexibility through activities of local coherence inference, constructive praxis, attentional shifting, inhibitory control, besides drama games after reading stories. In posttest, they were assessed in WCST and ADI-R. Raw scores of categories completed and perseverative errors and responses were used.Regarding flexible cognition, perseverative errors and responses were lower in posttest (P = 0.028). Categories completed were improved in posttest (P = 0.049). Total scores on ADI-R were lower in posttest (P = 0.051) and as well as scores on communication abilities (P = 0.033).The qualitative improvement showed by the individuals of this research concerning flexible cognition and also patterns of restricted behavior, social interaction and communication abilities suggests that individuals with autism can benefit from the development of strategies for the rehabilitation of flexible cognition and more research is suggested with a larger sample among subjects on the autism spectrum.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
The effect of aripiprazole on nicotine dependency in patients under methadone maintenance therapy
Authors: Zamir S.M. , Javdani H. , Massoudifar A. , Naghdipour M. , Mehrnami A. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionThe prevalence of smoking in patients under methadone maintenance therapy is high (85–98%). Most of these patients tend to quit smoking, but only a few of them receive treatment or referred to quit smoking. Recent study on aripiprazole, has been shown to reduce smoking.AimsThe aim of this study was to evaluate aripiprazole on smoking in patients under methadone maintenance therapy.Material and methodThis study was a double-blind intervention study. Patients under Methadone maintenance therapy in 22 Bahman Hospital randomly divided into two intervention and control group. First with the FTQ questionnaire, nicotine dependency assessed in all patients. Then, 6-week aripiprazole administered to intervention group. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 21.ResultsThe age range of patients was 67–25 years. Two groups were matched in demographic characteristics. Finally, mean number of FTQ questionnaire in case group before intervention was 8.9 ± 1.4 and after intervention was 8.4 ± 1.6. This difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0007).ConclusionThe study results show the aripiprazole effect in reducing the desire to smoke in patients under methadone maintenance therapy. The overall level of dependency on nicotine on the basis of test FTQ has decreased. By choosing aripiprazole as adjunctive therapy to quit smoking, by reducing the tendency of patients to smoking, can decrease cardiovascular complications and other problems caused by smoking and we can reduce the mortality rate of these patients.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
Alcoholic psychoses and suicide trends in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine
Authors: Razvodovsky Y. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionThe dramatic fluctuations in suicide mortality in the countries of the former Soviet Union (fSU) over the past decades have been widely discussed in the scientific literature and are still relatively unexplored. Accumulated evidence suggests that the mixture of cultural acceptance of heavy drinking, high rate of distilled spirits consumption, and binge drinking pattern is major contributor to the suicide mortality burden in fSU countries.AimsThe present study aims to analyze whether binge drinking is able to explain the dramatic fluctuations in suicide mortality in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine from the late Soviet to post-Soviet period.MethodTrends in alcoholic psychoses incidence and suicide rates from 1980 to 2015 in Russia Belarus and Ukraine were analyzed employing a Spearman's rank-order correlation analysis.ResultsThe estimates based on the Soviet data suggest a strong positive association between alcoholic psychoses and suicide rates in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. This positive relationship was less evident in the post-Soviet period.ConclusionCollectively, these findings indicate that alcohol has played an important role in the fluctuation of suicide mortality rates in the former Soviet republics during the last decades. Further monitoring of suicide mortality trends in the former Soviet countries and detailed comparisons with earlier developments in other countries remain a priority for future research.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.
Neurocognitive functions in inpatient suicide attempters and non-attempters: A comparison
Authors: Sant’Angelo R.P. , Ambrosini F. , Pacetti M. , Raggini R. , Piraccini G. 
Published: June 2017

IntroductionAccording to many studies, suicide attempters, compared to healthy general population, exhibit some neurocognitive deficits, which are considered promising endophenotype of suicidal behavior disorder. A similar pattern of impairment is widespread in individuals affected by psychiatric disorders.ObjectivesTo compare neurocognitive functions of hospitalized suicide attempters (A) with those of an inpatient group without history of suicidal behavior (NA), likewise affected by psychiatric disorders.AimsThe purpose of the study is to evaluate if neurocognitive impairment is associated to suicidal behaviors, regardless of underlying psychiatric diagnosis.MethodsThe whole sample is composed of 70 adult psychiatric inpatients (34 males, 36 females), divided into two groups (A and NA) of 35 patients with diagnosis of Psychotic, affective and personality disorders. Neurocognitive functions were assessed using Tower of London Test (TOL), Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (MCST), Stroop Test (ST) and Attentional Matrices (AM). Differences between A and NA groups were analyzed using U-test of Mann–Whitney and cross tabulations, taking into account the three diagnostic areas.ResultsStatistically significant differences were found between A and NA with regard to the ability of categorization (MCST), planning, problem solving and inhibition of automatic response (TOL), which proved to be more preserved in A individuals. No significant differences were found on selective attention tasks (ST and AM).ConclusionsThese preliminary findings show statistically significant differences on executive functions between suicide attempters and psychiatric non-attempter individuals. Further research on larger samples is needed to investigate these associations.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.