Religious Characteristics of Romanian Physicians: Towards an Integrative Support of Religious Psychiatric Patients.

BACKGROUND: The growing closeness between psychiatry and theology may impact positively the healthcare of the religious psychiatric patients. However, some significant divergences regarding the health care religious methods and the concept and believe in the demonic possession of psychiatric patients continue to shape the relationships between these professionals. While the religions generally admit the demonic or spirit possession as real, the current views of physicians and psychiatric patients are just taken for granted and therefore demands new investigations. In this study, we have performed a targeted survey on this subject. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The survey was based on a questionnaire addressed to 216 psychiatrists and 201 non-psychiatrists, and 408 psychiatric patients. For physicians, the questionnaire was randomized sent to hospitals in Romania. The patients received the questionnaire on paper. Except for patients with dementia and those in the acute phase of a psychiatric illness, all psychiatric disorders available at the time of the investigation were randomized included in the study. RESULTS: The results showed that about 20% of physicians and 60% of psychiatric patients considered that demonic possession might be associated to a psychiatric illness, while the later would like a priest in the therapeutic team (89.4%, CI: 0.86-0.92). In addition, the psychiatrists declared a lower attendance of religious services, although the majority would accept a priest in the therapeutic team (p>0.05, CI: 0.61-0.70). CONCLUSION: These findings invite to a more practical collaboration between psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and theologians/priests with training in psychiatry for a more integrative mental care of the religious psychiatric patients. The results call as well for more efficient practical solutions for psychiatric patients, raise awareness towards the personal religious needs and critical beliefs of such patients, and finally might narrow the gap of the controversy between psychiatrists, non-psychiatrists, psychologists and theologians/priests on the addressed issues.

Benzodiazepines and Mood Stabilizers in Schizophrenia Patients Treated with Oral versus Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics-An Observational Study.

Schizophrenia is a chronic, invalidating, and polymorphic disease, characterized by relapses and remission periods. The main treatment option in schizophrenia are antipsychotics, administered as an oral or as a long-acting injectable (LAI) formulation. Although international guidelines rarely recommend it, mood stabilizers (MS) and/or benzodiazepines (BZD) are frequently prescribed as adjunctive therapy in schizophrenia patients for various reasons. This is an observational, cross-sectional study including stabilized schizophrenia patients. A total of 315 patients were enrolled. Of these, 77 patients (24.44%) were stabilized on LAIs and 238 (75.56%) patients on oral antipsychotics (OAP). Eighty-four patients (26.66%) had concomitant treatment with MS and 119 patients (37.77%) had concomitant benzodiazepine treatment. No statistical significance was observed in MS or BZD use between LAIs and OAPs. In total, 136 patients (43.17%) were stabilized on antipsychotic monotherapy. Our study shows that the long-term use of benzodiazepines and mood stabilizers remains elevated among stabilized schizophrenia patients, regardless of the antipsychotic formulation (oral or LAI). Patients receiving second-generation LAI antipsychotics (SGA-LAI) seem to be more likely to be stabilized on monotherapy compared to those receiving oral antipsychotics. Further randomized controlled trials are necessary in order to clarify the benefits of the current drug polypharmacy trends.

A Mini-Review Regarding the Modalities to Study Neurodevelopmental Disorders-Like Impairments in Zebrafish-Focussing on Neurobehavioural and Psychological Responses.

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are complex disorders which can be associated with many comorbidities and exhibit multifactorial-dependent phenotypes. An important characteristic is represented by the early onset of the symptoms, during childhood or young adulthood, with a great impact on the socio-cognitive functioning of the affected individuals. Thus, the aim of our review is to describe and to argue the necessity of early developmental stages zebrafish models, focusing on NDDs, especially autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and also on schizophrenia. The utility of the animal models in NDDs or schizophrenia research remains quite controversial. Relevant discussions can be opened regarding the specific characteristics of the animal models and the relationship with the etiologies, physiopathology, and development of these disorders. The zebrafish models behaviors displayed as early as during the pre-hatching embryo stage (locomotor activity prone to repetitive behavior), and post-hatching embryo stage, such as memory, perception, affective-like, and social behaviors can be relevant in ASD and schizophrenia research. The neurophysiological processes impaired in both ASD and schizophrenia are generally highly conserved across all vertebrates. However, the relatively late individual development and conscious social behavior exhibited later in the larval stage are some of the most important limitations of these model animal species.

[Cardiovascular risk of haloperidol vs. atypical anti-psychotic drugs in schizophrenia treatment]. / Riscul cardiovascular al haloperidolului versus antipsihotice atipice in terapia schizofreniei.

The present study examined the safety of the atypical antipsychotic drugs sertindol, olanzapine and quetiapine used in the treatment of schizophrenia. Haloperidol, a typical antipsychotic drug, was used for comparison. These data may account for the different therapeutic effects and side-effect profiles (cardiovascular risk) of typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs in schizophrenia.

Computer use and addiction in Romanian children and teenagers--an observational study.

The computer has provided some wonderful opportunities for our children. Although research on the effects of children's use of computer is still ambiguous, some initial indications of positive and negative effects are beginning t emerge. They commonly use computers for playing games, completing school assignments, email, and connecting to the Internet. This may sometimes come at the expense of other activities such as homework or normal social interchange. Although most children seem to naturally correct the problem, parents and educators must monitor the signs of misuse. Studies of general computer users suggest that some children's may experience psychological problems such as social isolation, depression, loneliness, and time mismanagement related to their computer use and failure at school. The purpose of this study is to investigate issues related to computer use by school students from 11 to 18 years old. The survey included a representative sample of 439 school students of ages 11 to 18. All of the students came from 3 gymnasium schools and 5 high schools of Iasi, Romania. The students answered to a questionnaire comprising 34 questions related to computer activities. The children's parents answered to a second questionnaire with the same subject. Most questions supposed to rate on a scale the frequency of occurrence of a certain event or issue; some questions solicited an open-answer or to choose an answer from a list. These were aimed at highlighting: (1) The frequency of computer use by the students; (2) The interference of excessive use with school performance and social life; (3) The identification of a possible computer addiction. The data was processed using the SPSS statistics software, version 11.0. Results show that the school students prefer to spend a considerable amount of time with their computers, over 3 hours/day. More than 65.7% of the students have a computer at home. More than 70% of the parents admit they do not or only occasionally discuss computer use with their children. This indicates the fact that, although they bought a computer for their children, they do not supervise the way it is used. The family is rather a passive presence, vaguely responsible and lacking involvement. But, the parents consider that, for better school results, their children should use their computers. This study tried to identify aspects of computer addiction in gymnasium and high school students, as well.

[The effects of computer-use on adolescents]. / Efectele utilizarii calculatorului la copii si adolescenti.

Computers continue to play a vital role in today's generation. The need for information about the effects of computers on their users also increases. The purpose of this study is to investigate how children and adolescents use a computer and to explore the beneficial and harmful effects of computer use on children's mental and physical health. The studied group of samples comprised 69 subjects, aged between 13 and 18 years, who answered to a questionnaire. The parents of the children also answered another questionnaire with the same subject. Data have been statistically processed using the program SPSS. The results were obtained about computer use and the pathological use was identified. Some children spend much time on computers, 4% more than five hours/day. 41% of the parents believe that the usage of the computer is favorable to the children's mental and physical health and development, 49% of parents believe that the computer may be harmful. 1.4% of the children had pathological use of the computer.