Balance-energy of resting state network in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Stability of the brain functional network is directly linked to organization of synchronous and anti-synchronous activities. Nevertheless, impact of arrangement of positive and negative links called links topology requires to be well understood. In this study, we investigated how topology of the functional links reduce balance-energy of the brain network in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and push the network to a more stable state as compared to healthy controls. Therefore, functional associations between the regions were measured using the phase synchrony between the EEG activities. Subsequently, balance-energy of the brain functional network was estimated based on the quality of triadic interactions. Occurrence rates of four different types of triadic interactions including weak and strong balanced, and unbalanced interactions were compared. In addition, impact of the links topology was also investigated by looking at the tendency of positive and negative links to making hubs. Our results showed although the number of positive and negative links were not statistically different between OCD and healthy controls, but positive links in OCDs' brain networks have more tendency to make hub. Moreover, lower number of unbalanced triads and higher number of strongly balanced triad reduced the balance-energy in OCDs' brain networks that conceptually has less requirement to change. We hope these findings could shed a light on better understanding of brain functional network in OCD.

Couple Burnout and Partner's Substance-Dependency: Is there any Association?

Objectives: Substance-dependency is a significant health problem that might affect couples' relationships and lead to several complications such as burnout. This study aimed to assess and compare couple burnout in women with and without substance-dependent partners. Methods: In this cross-sectional study samples of women with and without substance-dependent partners were studied. Couple burnout was assessed using the Couple Burnout Measure (CBM). The data then were compared between the study groups by performing descriptive statistics, independent t-test, and chi-square. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to examine the association between couple burnout and independent variables. Results: In all 264 women with (n = 121) and without (n = 143) substance-dependent partners were studied. Couple burnout was assessed using the Couple Burnout Measure (CBM). There were significant differences between both groups in most characteristics. The mean score of couple burnout in women with and without substance-dependent partners were 3.8 ± 1.2 and 2.6 ± 0.85 respectively (p < 0.001). In logistic regression analysis, the probability of couple burnout in women with substance-dependent partners was 4.5 times more than those without substance-dependent partners (OR = 4.50, CI = 2.48-8.17, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings showed that women with substance-dependent partners might suffer from higher couple burnout. Indeed, implementing appropriate interventions such as educational and counseling programs in health centers and substance abuse treatment centers is recommended. In fact, the current study highlights the extra burden that women with substance-dependent partners experience.

Validating MARK2 Gene Polymorphism as a Predictor of Response to Lithium Treatment in Bipolar Patients

Background: Lithium is a therapeutic option for the treatment of the acute phase of the bipolar disorder and long-term management of this disorder. However, it is estimated that 10 to 60% of patients do not properly response to this medication. Methods: To investigate the role of MARK2 gene in response to lithium, we genotyped the MARK2 rs10792421 polymorphism in Iranian bipolar patients using amplification Refractory Mutation System-PCR. Results: Results of this study showed a significant association of this polymorphism with response to lithium. The A allele was more frequent in the responder than the non-responder group and also in the semi- responder group compared to the non-responder group in the codominant model of analysis. AA and AG genotypes were more frequent in both the responder and semi-responder groups compared to the non-responder group in dominant model of analysis. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the current study, the rs10792421 variant of MARK2 gene could be considered as a potential biomarker for predicting the treatment outcome of bipolar disorder type 1 in Iranian population.

Comparison of health-promoting lifestyle and irrational health beliefs in healthy pregnant women and gestational diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common complication of pregnancy. The goal of this study was to compare health-promoting lifestyles and irrational health beliefs in pregnant women with GDM and healthy pregnant women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was a descriptive causal-comparative study in which 100 eligible GDM women and 100 eligible healthy women were selected through available sampling in three referral hospitals in Tehran In 2020. In this study, the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) and the Irrational Health Beliefs Scale (IHBS) were used. Data were analyzed using independent t-test and logistic regression by SPSS 16 software. RESULTS: Findings showed that there is a significant relationship between the variables of IHBS and HPLP. For every one unit increase in an IHBS score, the chance of having diabetes increases by 2.8%. In the case of HPLP, women who exercised well were 7.5% less likely to develop diabetes, and those who took good responsibility were 7.8% less likely to develop diabetes. Furthermore, in independent t-test, the HPLP variable showed a significant difference between the two groups with diabetes and healthy individuals (P < 0.001). Furthermore, in comparing the subscales of this variable, physical activity (P < 0.0001), self-fulfillment (P < 0.004), responsibility (P < 0.003), and stress control (P < 0.001), a significant difference was observed. The results of IHBS research showed a significant difference between the two groups of gestational diabetes and healthy individuals (P < 0.004). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study show the need to identify and focus on irrational health beliefs and health-promoting lifestyles. Modification of these psychological structures can be useful in the prevention and management of this chronic disease.

Sexual assertiveness in women with and without substance-dependent partners: a comparative study.

Sexual assertiveness is one of the main issues in the sexual relationships between couples. Since substance dependence might disrupt this relationship, the present cross-sectional study was conducted to assess and compare sexual assertiveness in women with and without substance-dependent partners living in Tehran, Iran. To assess sexual assertiveness, the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness was used. The data then were compared between the study samples. Logistic regression analysis was performed. In all 300 women with and without substance-dependent partners entered into the study. The mean age of women was 37.31 ± 8.79 and 32.70 ± 7.24 years respectively. The mean score of sexual assertiveness was 50.66 ± 14.31 in the women with substance-dependent partners and 58.42 ± 13.86 in those with non-substance-dependent partners (P < .001). In addition, sexual assertiveness differed significantly among subgroups of women having a partner using different types of substances (P = .039). The risk of lower assertiveness for women with substance-dependent partners was 2.2 times more than women with non-substance-dependent partners (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.28-3.70; P = .004). Indeed, the partner's substance dependency is an issue that is worthy of attention in sexual and marital counseling. Perhaps sexual assertiveness can be improved in women with substance-dependent partners through the implementation of appropriate interventions, such as educational and counseling programs.

Prevalence of Mental Health Problems and Its Associated Factors Among Recovered COVID-19 Patients During the Pandemic: A Single-Center Study.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is profoundly affecting the mental health status. Although the burden of mental health problems has been reported in the general population and health care workers, little is known about the prevalence of mental health disorders among recovered COVID-19 patients and their associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional telephonic-study of recovered COVID-19 patients with and without a history of hospitalization was conducted from April 20 to June 20, 2020, in Tehran, Iran. We assessed the anxiety symptoms, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among participants, using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4) and PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Logistic regression analyses were used to explore the risk factors associated with mental health problems. Results: A total of 602 individuals with a mean age of 53.2 years (SD: 14.7), completed the study. The rates of mental health symptoms among the respondents were 5.8% (95% CI: 4.2-7.8%) for anxiety, 5.0% (95% CI: 3.5-7.0%) for depression, and 3.8% (95% CI: 2.3-5.3%) for PTSD disorders. Moreover, being younger than 50 years and female gender was significantly associated with a higher probability of reporting anxiety (p < 0.01), and depression (p < 0.001 for being younger than 50 years, p < 0.02 for female gender). Conclusions: The current study indicated that patients with COVID-19 presented features of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. These results may help implement appropriate mental health intervention policies for those at risk and minimize the mental health consequences of the COVID-19.

Inflammation but not programmed cell death is activated in methamphetamine-dependent patients: Relevance to the brain function.

Animal studies have shown that methamphetamine (MA) induces neurodegeneration through programmed cell death, however, the effects of MA on human brain and the extent of induced neural degeneration is not well understood. Given that the dose and duration of MA administration differ in animals and humans, we evaluated MA effects on active users considering brain damage mechanisms. Nineteen active MA-dependent patients and 18 healthy controls performed the color-word Stroop task, during fMRI and their blood samples were collected. Human enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and quantitative PCR were applied to measure circulating proteins and miRNAs involved in various programmed cell death pathways (apoptosis, necroptosis, and autophagy), brain damage and neuroinflammation. Results showed the performance deficit in color-word Stroop task in MA abusers as well as higher activations of the right inferior and middle temporal gyri detected by fMRI. Structural MRI revealed increased white matter volume in MA-dependent patients in the superior and medial frontal gyri, and left/right middle temporal gyrus. Molecular analyses detected no significant differences in the plasma levels of the studied proteins and miRNAs of MA-dependent patients and controls except the higher levels of MBP, S100B, and TNFα in MA abusers. Results showed that MA induced physiological and structural changes accompanied by inflammation and release of damage-associated molecules in MA-dependent patients.

Investigation of the impact of an ADCY2 polymorphism as a predictive biomarker in bipolar disorder, suicide tendency and response to lithium carbonate therapy: the first report from Iran.

High rates of mortality due to both suicide and medical comorbidities in bipolar patients can be decreased through the administration of lithium, which affects the cerebral endothelium as well as neurons. To investigate the role of ADCY2 in risk of bipolar disorder, we genotyped the ADCY2 rs2290910 in bipolar patients and healthy controls using amplification refractory mutation system PCR. This polymorphism was associated with risk of bipolar disorder (odds ratio [OR]: 0.430; 95% CI: 0.296-0.624; p = 0.001). The C allele was more frequent in suicide ideation group compared other groups (OR: 2.7; 95% CI: 1.386-5.302; p = 0.004). The T allele was more frequent in suicide attempt group compared with suicide ideation group (OR: 0.238; 95% CI: 0.111-0.509; p = 0.001).

The role of long non-coding RNA MALAT1 in patients with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorders are known as chronic, recurrent, and heterogenic diseases. Regarding, diagnosis and treatment of them are very complex. The molecular mechanism and pathophysiology of bipolar disorder are slightly known. Accordingly, long noncoding RNAs are considered as one of the main factors that are dysfunctional in many diseases such as the nervous system diseases. Hence, we aim to investigate the expression of two long non coding RNAs, MALAT1 and UCA1, in patients in bipolar disorder. The levels of MALAT1 and UCA1 lncRNA were evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 50 bipolar patients and 50 healthy controls with real-time PCR. Also, ROC curve analysis and correlation analysis were performed between the gene expression and some clinical features of bipolar individuals. The significant decline of MALAT1 expression level was found in the patients compared to controls; but no significant difference was observed in the UCA1 expression level between the patients and controls. Furthermore, computational analysis of CpG Islands and miRNAs binding sites on LncRNAs, MALAT1, and UCA1 was conducted. Also, The ROC curve area (AUC) of MALAT1 was 0.80. The current results suggest that the expression level of MALAT1 could serve as a potential diagnostic biomarker for bipolar patients.

Frontocingulate Dysfunction Is Associated with Depression and Decreased Serum PON1 in Methamphetamine-Dependent Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Studies have been reported that frequent use of methamphetamine (MA) is associated with brain function impairment, mood disorders and excessive free radical production accompanied by the decreased level of the antioxidant response elements, but no study investigated their correlations simultaneously. In the current study, the correlation of brain function, depression and anxiety levels, and the serum levels of PON1 (an antioxidant) in MA-dependent patients were investigated. METHODS: Nineteen active MA abusers and 18 control subjects performed color-word Stroop task during fMRI and the state of their depression, anxiety, and stress were measured by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) questionnaire. Their blood samples were collected to measure the level of PON1 by the human enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit and its correlation with the measured variables was studied. RESULTS: Analysis of fMRI findings showed frontocingulate dysfunction in Stroop effect condition, including left anterior cingulate cortex, paracingulate gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, and frontal pole in MA-dependent patients, which was associated with a higher level of depression and decreased level of serum PON1 in these patients. DISCUSSION: The results of the current study showed that MA-dependency is associated with frontocingulate dysfunction, decreased serum PON1 concentration, and increased depression/anxiety, which is worth to be more studied to elucidate their roles in the pathophysiology of MA addiction.

Effects of Viola odorata as an Add-On Therapy on Insomnia in Patients with Obsession or Depression: A Pilot Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of Viola odorata extracted syrup on the quality and patterns of sleep in patients with depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as add-on therapy. Design: A pilot double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. Settings/Location: Psychiatric Clinic of Imam Hossein Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Subjects: Participants were 16-15 years of age with mild and moderate depression or OCD having insomnia. Interventions: This pilot study was conducted on patients with insomnia divided into two groups with depression (40 patients) or OCD (43 patients). Each group randomly assigned into two arms with the same conditions at baseline. The intervention arm daily received 5 mL V. odorata syrup every 12 h for 4 weeks, and the control arm received 5 mL placebo syrup every 12 h for 4 weeks. None of the participants was deprived of their routine treatment for depression or OCD. Outcome measures: The scores of insomnia symptoms were evaluated using total score of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the scores of its components, the depression score using the final Beck depression inventory-II (BDI-II) score, and OCD score using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS). Results: The total PSQI score was found to be improved significantly in the intervention arms with depression or OCD (p < 0.001) compared with the corresponding control arms. Significant improvements were also observed in the final mean difference of BDI-II (p = 0.009) and YBOCS (p = 0.001) scores in the intervention arms. Conclusions: V. odorata syrup significantly improved insomnia symptoms and the scores of depression and OCD.

BDNF association study with obsessive-compulsive disorder, its clinical characteristics, and response to fluvoxamine-treatment in Iranian patients.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic neuropsychiatric disorder with complex genetic inheritance. Findings suggest a role for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in OCD, but reports are limited. Here we studied the association of BDNF polymorphisms rs6265 and rs2883187 with OCD and its clinical characteristics in Iranian patients as well as the fluvoxamine-treatment outcome of OCD patients. Iranian OCD patients who were diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR entered the study. DNAs were extracted from blood samples and were genotyped by means of PCR-RFLP. A total of 200 OCD cases and 225 controls for rs6265 and 219 cases and 224 controls for rs2883187 were studied in the genetic association analysis. Pharmacotherapy was defined as 12 weeks treatment with fluvoxamine (daily dose: 150-300 mg), and patients were classified into 3 groups (responders, nonresponders, and refractory) based on the reduction in their Y-BOCS severity scores. Data of 94 patients for rs6265 and 106 patients for rs2883187 was analyzed to evaluate the association of these single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) with treatment response. A significant association was detected between the BDNF polymorphism rs2883187 and OCD (p = .00). The other BDNF polymorphism, rs6265, was not associated with OCD, but a weak association with the cleaning-contamination subtype was detected (p = .038). No association was detected between BDNF SNPs and sex, age of onset, and family history. None of the studied BDNF SNPs or their haplotypes were associated with fluvoxamine treatment response. Results propose BDNF SNP, rs2883187, as a candidate genetic factor in OCD but not in OCD treatment response with fluvoxamine. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Using caffeine on the patients as therapeutic option against treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder.

INTRODUCTION: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the most common and debilitating diseases. Approximately 40-30% of these patients are resistant to treatment, which auxiliary drugs are used to treat these patients. One of these drugs is caffeine, which is capable of affecting adenosine receptors and interfering with its release and serotonin reuptake. Considering the limitations of previous studies in this area, including lack of control group, this double-blind study compared the effectiveness of caffeine in the management of patients with treatment-resistant OCD in comparison with placebo group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 62 patients who referred to the psychiatric clinic of Imam Hossein Hospital in Tehran from 2017 to 2018 were enrolled in the study. According to the psychiatrist's interview, patients with OCD were selected randomly in two groups including caffeine and placebo, after having met the criteria for inclusion and obtaining informed consent. Patients were followed for 8 weeks and compared in terms of the severity of OCD before and after intervention using YBOCS questionnaire. RESULTS: The two groups of treatment and control were similar in terms of study variables (gender, age, education, age, comorbidity). The mean Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) in the treatment and control groups before intervention were determined to be 27.16 and 25.4, respectively, which changed to 24 and 27.23 after medication intervention, which exhibited a decrease of about 3 points (12%) in the treatment group, and was statistically significant based on linear regression analysis (P = 0.009). Considering other variables, the effect of caffeine was still statistically significant in the two groups. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of our study, caffeine can reduce the severity of the symptoms of OCD and serve as an auxiliary treatment for OCD.

Fluvoxamine treatment response prediction in obsessive-compulsive disorder: association rule mining approach.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts or repetitive behaviors. Clinicians use serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) for OCD treatment, but 40%-60% of the patients do not respond to them adequately. Here, we described an association rule mining approach for treatment response prediction using an Iranian OCD data set. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred and thirty OCD patients fulfilling DSM-5 criteria were initially included, but 151 subjects completed their pharmacotherapy which was defined as 12-week treatment with fluvoxamine (150-300 mg). Treatment response was considered as >35% reduction in the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) score. Apriori algorithm was applied to the OCD data set for extraction of the association rules predicting response to fluvoxamine pharmacotherapy in OCD patients. We considered the association of each attribute with treatment response using interestingness measures and found important attributes that associated with treatment response. RESULTS: Results showed that low obsession and compulsion severities, family history of mental illness, illness duration less than 5 years, being married, and female were the most associated variables with responsiveness to fluvoxamine pharmacotherapy. Meanwhile, if an OCD patient reported a family history of mental illness and his/her illness duration was less than 5 years, he/she responded to 12-week fluvoxamine pharmacotherapy with the probability of 91%. We also found useful and applicable rules for resistant and refractory patients. CONCLUSION: This is the first study where association rule mining approach was used to extract predicting rules for treatment response in OCD. Application of this method in personalized medicine may help clinicians in taking the right therapeutic decision.

Genetic and pharmacogenetic study of glutamate transporter (SLC1A1) in Iranian patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic neuropsychiatric disorder. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first line of medication for OCD treatment; however, 40%-60% of patients with OCD do not respond to SSRIs adequately. There are growing pieces of evidence which suggest a significant role for the glutamatergic system in the genesis of OCD and its consequent treatment. In the present study, we aimed to assess the association of SLC1A1 polymorphisms (rs301430, rs2228622 and rs3780413) with OCD and its clinical characteristics, as well as the importance of these SNPs in the response of OCD patients to SSRI pharmacotherapy. METHODS: Sample study consisted of 243 OCD cases and 221 control subjects. Patients were treated 12 weeks with fluvoxamine (daily dose: 150-300 mg). Based on the reduction in obsessive and compulsive severity scores using Y-BOCS severity scale, patients were classified as responders, non-responders and refractory. A total of 239, 228 and 215 patients were genotyped for rs301430, rs2228622 and rs3780413, respectively, by the means of PCR-RFLP. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: No association was detected between SLC1A1 SNPs and OCD, except an association between the familial form of the disease in males with rs2228622 (P = 0.033). The results of pharmacogenetic studies revealed the associations of two SLC1A1 SNPs, rs2228622 (P = 0.031) and rs3780413 (P = 0.008), with treatment response. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Results of the current study suggest a role for the glutamate transporter in OCD treatment response with SSRIs which should encourage researchers to further investigate the importance of glutamate transporter in OCD pharmacogenetics.

Association of HTR1A gene polymorphisms with obsessive-compulsive disorder and its treatment response: the influence of sex and clinical characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: There have been controversial results in the literature on the association between HTR1A polymorphisms (rs10042486, C-1019G, and Gly272Asp) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Here, the plausibility for such genetic and pharmacogenetic association was investigated by assessing a sample of Iranian OCD patients. METHOD: OCD patients had fulfilled the criteria for DSM-IV-TR with Y-BOCS scores higher than 9. A total of 207 controls and 205 patients' blood samples were genotyped by means of PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: The results showed that there was no association between these three SNPs and the treatment response. The distribution of rs10042486 genotypes was significantly different in the patients compared to the controls. The association analyses of the C-1019G showed significant differences in the genotypic frequency of the patients with or without a positive family history of psychiatric disorders. Similar differences in female patients were also observed. We found that the age of onset also associates with the C-1019G polymorphism but only in the female patients. No association of Gly272Asp polymorphism and OCD was observed in this study. CONCLUSION: We concluded that among the HTR1A polymorphisms, only the association of rs10042486 CT genotype and OCD was statistically significant. The association of C-1019G with OCD by considering the age of onset and family history was just significant in the female patients. No significant association between the studied HTR1A SNPs with treatment response was observed. Acquiring both positive and negative pharmacogenetic outcomes in each population helps to select the appropriate medication for a particular patient with fewer side effects.

Executive functions, selective attention and information processing in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder: A study from west of Iran.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with cognitive dysfunction. Deeper and wider knowledge of the cognitive components of these patients can play an important role in better understanding of this disorder. This study aimed to compare executive function, selective attention and information processing in OCD patients and healthy controls. The current study was performed on 54 patients meeting DSM-5 criteria for OCD and 54 healthy subjects who matched with patients in gender, age, marital and educational status. The cognitive functions were assessed by The Stroop test, Wisconsin Cart Sorting Test (WCST), Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) and the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). The performance of the OCD group was significantly worse than the healthy group in comparison with the all subscales of the Stroop and WSCT tests. Also, functions in information processing among two groups were statistically significant for 3- and 2-second PASAT. The results demonstrated that OCD patients have deficits in several aspects of cognitive functions. Hence, the treatment of these patients can be contributed by paying more attention to these deficits.

Association of serotonin receptor 2a haplotypes with obsessive-compulsive disorder and its treatment response in Iranian patients: a genetic and pharmacogenetic study.

INTRODUCTION: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder causing intrusive thoughts or repetitive behaviors. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors are used for OCD treatment, but 40%-60% of patients do not respond to them adequately. In this study, the associations of serotonin receptor 2a polymorphisms rs6311 and rs6313 with OCD, its familial form and fluvoxamine treatment response in Iranian population were investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Association analyses were conducted in 293 OCD cases fulfilling the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV-TR and 245 controls. Pharmacotherapy was defined as 12 weeks of treatment with fluvoxamine (150-300 mg). Treatment response was considered as >25% reduction in Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale score. Genotyping was performed by means of PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: The results showed no association of rs6311 or rs6313 with OCD, but their haplotypes had different distribution patterns in cases and controls. Moreover, rs6313 was associated with the familial form of OCD in females significantly (P=0.005) under the recessive genetic model. Moreover, rs6311-rs6313 haplotypes were associated with fluvoxamine treatment response in OCD patients with more AC and less AT in responders. CONCLUSION: HTR2A haplotypes are associated with OCD and its treatment response with a fluvoxamine in Iranian patients. Furthermore, the observed association of rs6313 with the familial form of OCD in females suggests different genetic background of OCD familial and non-familial forms, which needs further investigation.

Psychometric properties of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and prevalence of alcohol use among Iranian psychiatric outpatients.

BACKGROUND: Iran is a developing and Islamic country where the consumption of alcoholic beverages is banned. However, psychiatric disorders and alcohol use disorders are often co-occurring. We used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use and examined the psychometric properties of the test among psychiatric outpatients in Teheran, Iran. METHODS: AUDIT was completed by 846 consecutive (sequential) patients. Descriptive statistics, internal consistency (Cronbach alpha), confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were used to analyze the prevalence of alcohol use, reliability and construct validity. RESULTS: 12% of men and 1% of women were hazardous alcohol consumers. Internal reliability of the Iranian version of AUDIT was excellent. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the construct validity and the fit of previous factor structures (1, 2 and 3 factors) to data were not good and seemingly contradicted results from the explorative principal axis factoring, which showed that a 1-factor solution explained 77% of the co-variances. CONCLUSIONS: We could not reproduce the suggested factor structure of AUDIT, probably due to the skewed distribution of alcohol consumption. Only 19% of men and 3% of women scored above 0 on AUDIT. This could be explained by the fact that alcohol is illegal in Iran. In conclusion the AUDIT exhibited good internal reliability when used as a single scale. The prevalence estimates according to AUDIT were somewhat higher among psychiatric patients compared to what was reported by WHO regarding the general population.

Detecting allocentric and egocentric navigation deficits in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder using virtual reality.

Present evidence suggests that the use of virtual reality has great advantages in evaluating visuospatial navigation and memory for the diagnosis of psychiatric or other neurological disorders. There are a few virtual reality studies on allocentric and egocentric memories in schizophrenia, but studies on both memories in bipolar disorder are lacking. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of allocentric and egocentric memories in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. For this resolve, an advanced virtual reality navigation task (VRNT) was presented to distinguish the navigational performances of these patients. Twenty subjects with schizophrenia and 20 bipolar disorder patients were compared with 20 healthy-matched controls on the newly developed VRNT consisting of a virtual neighbourhood (allocentric memory) and a virtual maze (egocentric memory). The results demonstrated that schizophrenia patients were significantly impaired on all allocentric, egocentric, visual, and verbal memory tasks compared with patients with bipolar disorder and normal subjects. Dissimilarly, the performance of patients with bipolar disorder was slightly lower than that of control subjects in all these abilities, but no significant differences were observed. It was concluded that allocentric and egocentric navigation deficits are detectable in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder using VRNT, and this task along with RAVLT and ROCFT can be used as a valid clinical tool for distinguishing these patients from normal subjects.