Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Short-Term Course of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

ABSTRACT: There is an understandable concern that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may worsen during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are little empirical data. We report the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the short-term course of OCD. A cohort of patients with a primary diagnosis of OCD (n = 240) who were on regular follow-up at a tertiary care specialty OCD clinic in India were assessed telephonically, about 2 months after the declaration of the pandemic ("pandemic" cohort). Data from the medical records of an independent set of patients with OCD (n = 207) who were followed up during the same period, 1 year prior, was used for comparison (historical controls). The pandemic group and historical controls did not differ in the trajectories of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale scores (chi-square likelihood ratio test of the group × time interaction = 2.73, p = 0.255) and relapse rate (21% vs. 20%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.41-1.59; p = 0.535). Preexisting contamination symptoms and COVID-19-related health anxiety measured by the COVID-Threat Scale did not predict relapse. Only a small proportion of patients (6%) reported COVID-19-themed obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The COVID-19 pandemic, at least in the short run, did not influence the course of illness.

Kerato-lenticular ocular deposits and visual impairment with prolonged chlorpromazine use: A case series.

Chlorpromazine is a low potency "typical" antipsychotic agent used to treat schizophrenia. It continues to be prescribed frequently in India owing to its lower cost. There have been previous reports of ocular adverse effects with prolonged use of chlorpromazine. We report three patients who developed corneal and lenticular opacities secondary to prolonged chlorpromazine use leading to visual impairment. Early detection of ocular deposits and switching over to risperidone from chlorpromazine helped in the reversal of chlorpromazine- induced ocular side effects in one of them. The case series further adds evidence to the causative relationship between chlorpromazine and ocular side effects.

Feasibility of Online Neuromodulation Using Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation in Schizophrenia.

Abnormalities in resting and event-related brain oscillations are known to be associated with cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) modulates these rhythms across the neuronal circuits and could have a potential therapeutic role in psychiatric disorders. In this report, we describe, for the first time, application of online tACS in a schizophrenia patient with working memory deficits. This case report supports the feasibility and potential utility of online tACS in schizophrenia, which needs further systematic research.