Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Psychoeducation Given to Children with Parental Psychiatric Disorders.

This study was aimed to determine the effectiveness of psychoeducation program which was developed to improve the coping skills and to increase the psychological resistance of 12-18 years children/adolescents whose parents' have psychiatric disorders. The study was carried out between May 2018 - November 2019 with children of patients who applied to the outpatient clinic and inpatient treatment at Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. Total of 40 children (experiment = 20 and control = 20), participated in the study. Data were collected using Personal Information Form, Adolescent Psychological Resilience Scale and Kidcope. The mean age of the children/adolescents in the experimental group was 14.05 ± 1.90, 50% was male and the mean age of the control group was 15.35 ± 2.08, and 55% were male. It was determined that the mean duration of psychiatric disorders were 11.50 ± 6.39 years and 40% of the psychiatric diagnosis was schizophrenia in the experimental group, and the mean duration psychiatric disorders were 6.10 ± 5.16 years and 30% of the psychiatric diagnosis was a depression in the control group. After psychoeducation, the total scores of scales in the experimental group showed an increase compared to the control group and a significant difference in a statistical context. It was found that children/adolescents participating in the psychoeducation program had increased psychological resilience levels and improved coping skills. This result shows that the psychoeducation program for children/adolescents with psychiatric disorders in their parents is effective.

Alterations in Body Uneasiness, Eating Attitudes, and Psychopathology Before and After Cross-Sex Hormonal Treatment in Patients with Female-to-Male Gender Dysphoria.

Body dissatisfaction plays an important role in the development of psychiatric problems such as eating disorders as well as gender dysphoria (GD). Cross-sex hormonal treatment (CHT) alleviates the dissatisfaction by making various changes in the body. We examined the alteration of body uneasiness, eating attitudes and behaviors, and psychological symptoms longitudinally in Turkish participants with female-to-male gender dysphoria (FtM GD) after CHT. Thirty-seven participants with FtM GD and 40 female controls were asked to complete the Body Uneasiness Test to explore different areas of body-related psychopathology, the Eating Attitudes Test to assess eating disturbances, and the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised to measure psychological state, both before CHT and after 6 months of CHT administration. The baseline mean body weight, BMI scores, body uneasiness scores, and general psychopathological symptoms of participants with FtM GD were significantly higher than female controls, whereas baseline eating attitudes and behaviors were not significantly different. Over time, FtM GD participants' mean body weight and BMI scores increased, body uneasiness and general psychopathological symptoms decreased, and eating attitudes and behaviors had not changed at 24th weeks following CHT administration compared to baseline. CHT may have a positive impact on body uneasiness and general psychopathological symptoms in participants with FtM GD. However, CHT does not have an impact on eating attitudes and behaviors.

The Change in Facial Emotion Recognition Ability in Inpatients with Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia After Electroconvulsive Therapy.

People with schizophrenia have impairments in emotion recognition along with other social cognitive deficits. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the immediate benefits of ECT on facial emotion recognition ability. Thirty-two treatment resistant patients with schizophrenia who have been indicated for ECT enrolled in the study. Facial emotion stimuli were a set of 56 photographs that depicted seven basic emotions: sadness, anger, happiness, disgust, surprise, fear, and neutral faces. The average age of the participants was 33.4 ± 10.5 years. The rate of recognizing the disgusted facial expression increased significantly after ECT (p < 0.05) and no significant changes were found in the rest of the facial expressions (p > 0.05). After the ECT, the time period of responding to the fear and happy facial expressions were significantly shorter (p < 0.05). Facial emotion recognition ability is an important social cognitive skill for social harmony, proper relation and living independently. At least, the ECT sessions do not seem to affect facial emotion recognition ability negatively and seem to improve identifying disgusted facial emotion which is related with dopamine enriched regions in brain.

Total Tau and Phosphorylated Tau Protein Serum Levels in Patients with Schizophrenia Compared with Controls.

Tau protein is located in the axons of neurons and in Alzheimer Disease, is abnormally phosphorylated and aggregates into paired helical filaments (neurofibrillary tangles) reflecting the degree of neurofibrillary pathology and neurodegeneration. Although tau and phosphorylated tau (p-Tau) pathology is a hallmark for dementia, few studies were performed in patients of schizophrenia. This preliminary serum study was designed to compare serum total tau and p-Tau levels of schizophrenia patients with healthy controls. The study was included 42 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 42 healthy control subjects. Sociodemographic form was applied to both groups and PANSS was applied to patient group. Serum total tau and p-Tau levels were measured by ELISA method. Total tau and p-Tau levels of patients were significantly lower than healthy controls. There was a positive correlation between amount of past electroconvulsive therapies and total tau level. However total tau and p-Tau levels were positively correlated. Our study results showed that serum total tau and p-Tau levels of patients with schizophrenia were significantly lower than healthy controls.

Rapid Clozapine Titration in Patients with Treatment Refractory Schizophrenia.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of rapid clozapine titration in patients with schizophrenia in hospital settings. We conducted a retrospective two-center cohort study to compare the safety and effectiveness of clozapine with different titration rates in treatment-refractory patients with schizophrenia. In the first center, clozapine was started at 25-50 mg followed by 50-100 mg as needed every 6 h on day 1, followed by increases of 50-100 mg/day. In the second center, titration was slower; clozapine initiated with 12.5-50 mg on day 1 followed by increases of 25-50 mg/day. The number of days between starting of clozapine until discharge was shorter in the rapid titration group (22.4 ± 8.72 vs 27.0 ± 10.5, p = 0.1). Number of days of total hospital stay were significantly shorter in the rapid titration group (29.6 ± 10.6 vs 41.2 ± 14.8, p = 0.002). Hypotension was more common in the rapid titration group and one patient had suspected myocarditis. Rapid clozapine titration appeared safe and effective. The length of stay following initiation of clozapine was shorter in the rapid-titration group, although this was not statistically significant. However starting clozapine earlier together with rapid titration has significantly shortened the length of hospital stay in patients with treatment refractory schizophrenia.

Factors associated with the duration of untreated illness among patients with obsessive compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Patients suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), despite heightened levels of functional impairment and disability, often wait several years before starting pharmacological treatment. The interval between the onset of a specific psychiatric disorder and administration of the first pharmacological treatment has been conceptualized as the duration of untreated illness (DUI). The DUI has been increasingly investigated as a predictor of long-term outcomes for OCD and other anxiety disorders. The present study investigated DUI, and demographic-clinical factors associated with DUI, among a sample of patients with OCD. The relationships between DUI, insight, and treatment outcomes were also assessed. METHODS: We evaluated 96 subjects with a DSM-IV diagnosis of OCD using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders, a semistructured interview for sociodemographic and clinical features, the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), and a questionnaire designed by our group to identify reasons for delaying psychiatric admission. Patients with OCD showed a mean DUI of 84 months. However, DUI was not predictive of remission defined by a Y-BOCS total score of 10. Using the median value, a categorical cut-off for DUI of 4 years was calculated. RESULTS: For patients with a shorter DUI (≤4 years), the age of OCD onset was significantly older than patients with a longer DUI (>4 years) (p<.001). The following four items related to reasons for delaying treatment were significantly endorsed by patients: the fact that symptoms were spontaneously fluctuating over time (61.5%), believing that OCD symptoms were not associated with an illness (60.4%), believing that one can overcome symptoms by him/herself (55.2%), and not being significantly disturbed by OCD symptoms (33.3%). Delaying treatment because of perceived social stigma was only endorsed by 12.5% of patients. Believing that OCD symptoms were not associated with an illness was significantly associated with a longer DUI (p=.039). CONCLUSIONS: Results from the present study suggest that patients with OCD show a significant inclination toward delaying treatment admission. However, DUI was not predictive of remission in terms of symptomatology. Believing that OCD symptoms are not associated with an illness might indicate impairment in insight, a denial of the problem or could be associated with awareness of OCD as a mental illness. Factors related to the nature and course of OCD appear to be important determinants in delaying treatment among patients with OCD.

Relationships between IGF-1, schizophrenia, and treatment of metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: The use of atypical antipsychotic drugs in patients with psychiatric illness may result in dyslipidemia, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and abdominal obesity, which are together referred to as metabolic syndrome (MS). To investigate any correlations among insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), schizophrenia, and MS, we examined the metabolic profiles of patients with schizophrenia taking atypical antipsychotics. DESIGN: Patients with schizophrenia, their siblings, and controls participated in this study (N=50 in each group). The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis 1 Disorders (SCID I) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) were administered to patients, and SCID I was administered to patients' siblings. We drew blood to measure IGF-1 levels and to determine the metabolic profiles of all participants; we also conducted anthropometric measurements. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in IGF-1 levels between groups. By comparing IGF-1 levels with MS-related parameters, we found that IGF-1 levels were negatively correlated with triglyceride levels in the control group, and positively correlated with HDL levels in the patient group (Pearson's correlation: r=-0.291, P=0.04, and r=0.328, P=0.02, respectively). Compared to their siblings, patients with schizophrenia had a significantly different body mass index, waist circumference, and insulin resistance, and showed a trend toward a difference in glucose levels (ANOVA: P=0.004, P<0.0001, P=0.004, P=0.072, respectively). CONCLUSION: A correlation between IGF-1 and MS may significantly influence future therapeutic strategies for MS. In order to determine the role of IGF-1 in schizophrenia, comprehensive longitudinal studies with first-episode drug-naive patients are needed.

Childhood trauma and dissociation in schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: This study is concerned with relationships between childhood trauma history, dissociative experiences, and the clinical phenomenology of chronic schizophrenia. SAMPLING AND METHODS: Seventy patients with a schizophrenic disorder were evaluated using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, Dissociative Experiences Scale, Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule, Positive and Negative Symptoms Scales, and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. RESULTS: Childhood trauma scores were correlated with dissociation scale scores and dissociative symptom clusters, but not with core symptoms of the schizophrenic disorder. Cluster analysis identified a subgroup of patients with high dissociation and childhood trauma history. The dissociative subgroup was characterized by higher numbers of general psychiatric comorbidities, secondary features of dissociative identity disorder, Schneiderian symptoms, somatic complaints, and extrasensory perceptions. A significant majority of the dissociative subgroup fit the diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV borderline personality disorder concurrently. Among childhood trauma types, only physical abuse and physical neglect predicted dissociation. CONCLUSIONS: A trauma-related dissociative subtype of schizophrenia is supported. Childhood trauma is related to concurrent dissociation among patients with schizophrenic disorder. A duality model based on the interaction of 2 qualitatively distinct psychopathologies and a dimensional approach are proposed as possible explanations for the complex relationship between these 2 psychopathologies and childhood trauma.

P wave and QT changes among inpatients with schizophrenia after parenteral ziprasidone administration.

OBJECTIVE: Although ziprasidone has been reported to cause ventricular arrhythmias, there have been no studies regarding the influence of ziprasidone on atrial conduction. Intraatrial and interatrial conduction time prolongation and inhomogeneous propagation of sinus impulses are indicated by P wave changes on surface electrocardiography. We aimed to evaluate proneness to atrial fibrillation after intramuscular ziprasidone in drug-free inpatients with schizophrenia. METHODS: We evaluated 11 eligible inpatients who were drug free for at least 4 weeks with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia disorder and 11 healthy controls who were hospital staff members. Electrocardiography was performed at baseline and 1.5-2h after ziprasidone injection. A 12-lead surface electrocardiogram was obtained from each subject in the supine position at a paper speed of 50mm/s and 2mV/cm. RESULTS: The changes between baseline and the period after parenteral ziprasidone administration in P-wave duration, P-wave dispersion, QTc, QTc(max), QTc(min), and QT dispersion variables were significant (p>0.05). The initial P-wave dispersion was significantly longer in patients than in healthy controls (p<0.05). There were no correlations between electrocardiography parameters and clinical severity scores or demographic variables in either group. CONCLUSION: Intramuscular ziprasidone administration does not seem to influence atrial and ventricular electrical conduction in drug-free inpatients with schizophrenia. However, schizophrenia might affect atrial conduction resulting in atrial fibrillation, which may be a cause of some complications in inpatients with this schizophrenia.

Electrocardiographical P wave changes after electroconvulsive therapy in patients with schizophrenia: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac ventricular conduction has been studied in patients with schizophrenia who have undergone electroconvulsive therapies while they were drug-naive or drug-free or on drug regimens; however, atrial conduction has not been studied in this setting. We aimed to measure atrial and ventricular conduction changes in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia after convulsive therapy. METHODS: Fifteen people with schizophrenia and 15 healthy people enrolled in the study. The participants were assessed for fasting blood glucose and electrolyte levels before the study. All patients were receiving atypical antipsychotics. The electrocardiography records were obtained before the first convulsive therapy and after the third session. RESULTS: The baseline P minimum duration in the patient group was significantly smaller than healthy controls. There was a significant increase in patients' P maximum duration after the third convulsive therapy session (P < 0.05). The differences in P Wave Dispersion, QTc, and QT Dispersion between baseline and after the third session in patients were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The lower P wave duration minimum may be related to autonomic nervous system dysregulation in schizophrenia because an acute episode of the illness and/or antipsychotic drugs. In addition, we propose that electroconvulsive therapy alone or in combination with atypical antipsychotics may influence atrial conduction as evidenced by the significantly prolonged P wave maximum.

Clozapine use in two women with schizophrenia during pregnancy.

Stabilized patients who receive clozapine may wish to have children; but studies on pregnant women receiving clozapine treatment are limited. In this study, we report on clozapine use during pregnancy in two women. The first woman (Case 1) had two deliveries while she was receiving clozapine treatment for schizophrenia. Both her deliveries were term, uncomplicated vaginal deliveries, and the clozapine dose was reduced throughout pregnancy. The second woman (Case 2) developed schizophrenia after her first child was born. She became pregnant after clozapine initiation. She delivered twins by term, uncomplicated vaginal delivery. In our cases, no specific risks for the mothers and their children can be attributed to the use of clozapine. Physicians must be aware of the changes in fertility induced by prolactin-sparing drugs. Mothers who receive clozapine treatment should not be advised to breastfeed their children.

Effectiveness of olanzapine in neurosyphilis related organic psychosis: a case report.

The clinicians usually do not consider syphilis in the differential diagnosis for patients with acute and chronic psychiatric symptoms. To familiarize clinicians particularly with neurosyphilis (NS) and to discuss the atypical antipsychotic alternatives, we wish to present a case with agitated, resistant psychotic symptoms related to neurosyphilis. The case was a 55-year-old male who has had anxiety, irritability, auditory hallucinations, ataxia, dysarthric speech, paranoid and persecutory delusions and agitated behaviour. Parenteral ziprasidone 20 mg/bid was initialized at the first day of admission to reduce agitation. Then it was switched to olanzapine velotab 10 mg/bid because of inefficacy. Parenteral cephtriaxon 1 g/daily was administered because of seropositive VDRl and TPHA and positive cerebrospinal fluid VDRl. Olanzapine velotab may be a good alternative antipsychotic and should be considered in reducing agitation and psychotic symptoms in NS.

Decreased Expression of α-Synuclein, Nogo-A and UCH-L1 in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Preliminary Serum Study.

OBJECTIVE: α-synuclein, Nogo-A and Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) have neuromodulatory roles for human brain. Therefore, abnormalities of these molecules are associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Although some serum studies in the other disorders have been made, serum study of α-synuclein, Nogo-A and UCH-L1 is not present in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Therefore, our aim was to compare serum levels of α-synuclein, Nogo-A and UCH-L1 of the patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. METHODS: Forty-four patients with schizophrenia who is followed by psychotic disorders unit, and 40 healthy control were included in this study. Socio-demographic form and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was applied to patients, and sociodemographic form was applied to control group. Fasting bloods were collected and the serum levels of α-synuclein, Nogo-A and UCH-L1 were measured by ELISA method. RESULTS: Serum α-synuclein [patient: 12.73 (5.18-31.84) ng/mL; control: 41.77 (15.12-66.98) ng/mL], Nogo-A [patient: 33.58 (3.09-77.26) ng/mL; control: 286.05 (136.56-346.82) ng/mL] and UCH-L1 [patient: 5.26 (1.64-10.87) ng/mL; control: 20.48 (11.01-20.81) ng/mL] levels of the patients with schizophrenia were significianly lower than healthy controls (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study results added new evidence for explaining the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia on the basis of neurochemical markers.

Neurological soft signs in antisocial men and relation with psychopathy.

Neurological soft signs (NSS) were studied in some axis-I disorders like schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, alcohol and substance abuse disorder. Aim of this study is detection of neurological soft signs in antisocial personality disorder and relation of these signs with psychopathy. The study was included 41 antisocial men and 41 healthy control subjects. Sociodemographic form, neurological evaluation scale and Hare psychopathy checklist was applied to the antisocial subjects, whereas sociodemographic form and neurological evaluation scale were applied to the controls. Antisocial men exhibited significiantly more NSS in total score and subgroups scales (p<0.05). It was shown that there was a significant association with psychopathy scores and NSS sequencing complex motor tasks (r=0.309; p=0.049) and NSS other tests subgroup scores (r=0.328; p=0.037). Similar relation was also observed in comparison between psychopathy subgroups. NSS accepted as being endophenotypes in schizophrenia, were also detected in antisocial group significantly more than controls in our study. Significant relationship between psychopathy and NSS may also hint the role of genetic mechanisms in personality development, though new extended studies with larger sample size are needed for clarification of this relationship.

Prolonged anorexia nervosa associated with female-to-male gender dysphoria: A case report.

Transsexual (TS) individuals seem to display an increased risk in having eating disorders. Several case reports describe TS individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN). In order to understand better the impact of gender dysphoria (GD) and hormonal/surgical treatments on the occurrence and course of eating disorders in TS patients long term follow-up studies are needed. We present here a 41-year-old female-to-male TS patient suffering from AN. History revealed that pathological eating habits could strongly be associated with her GD. Hormonal and surgical treatments resulted in substantial improvement in the given eating disorder. The impact of GD on the development and treatment of eating disorder is discussed in this report.

Effectiveness of ultra-rapid dose titration of clozapine for treatment-resistant bipolar mania: case series.

Treatment of severe and refractory manic episodes in hospital settings can occasionally be very difficult. In particular, severely excited patients showing aggressive, hostile, impulsive behaviours frequently require physical restraint and seclusion, high doses of antipsychotics and benzodiazepines, and sometimes, electroconvulsive therapy. Hospital stay is generally prolonged and such patients cause great emotional distress for other patients in the ward and clinical staff involved in their care. Here we report on three patients with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and one patient with a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder bipolar subtype, all of whom were hospitalized for severe manic episodes with psychotic features. These patients were extremely difficult to manage in the ward as no response could be obtained in the first week of treatment despite high doses of antipsychotics and benzodiazepine administration. The introduction and rapid titration of clozapine proved remarkably effective and was well tolerated in the acute management of these patients. We observed that clozapine had a superior and fast mood stabilization effect with rapid titration and could be extremely helpful in the management of such patients.

[Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of Transsexual Individuals who Applied to a Psychiatry Clinic for Sex Reassignment Surgery]. / Cinsiyet Degistirme Ameliyati Için Psikiyatri Klinigine Basvuran Transseksüel Bireylerin Sosyodemografik ve Klinik Özellikleri.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of people with gender dysphoria and differences of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics between female-to-male (FtM) and male-to-female (MtF) transsexual individuals. METHOD: This study examined retrospectively sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of 139 cases with the diagnosis of gender dysphoria who were willing to undergo sex reassignment surgery and were referred to the Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty between 2007-2013. RESULTS: Among 139 patients with gender dysphoria 102 were MtF (73,4%), and 37 patients were FtM (26,6%). In MtFs, rates of working in jobs which do not require high education level, unemployment, being a sex worker (p < 0,001), drug use (p = 0,017), and not having the health insurance (p < 0,001) were found to be significantly higher than FtMs. Rates of receiving psychotherapy for gender dysphoria (p = 0,001) and starting hormone therapy under the supervision of a doctor (p < 0,001) were significantly higher in FtMs, however higher rates of taking hormone therapy (p < 0,001) and undergoing surgery for sex reassignment (p < 0,001) were observed in the MtFs. CONCLUSION: There are significant differences both in sociodemographic characteristics and clinical characteristics between MtFs and FtMs. However further studies would be needed to identify underlying causes.

Affective temperaments in subjects with female-to-male gender dysphoria.

BACKGROUND: Males and females have different temperaments. In individuals with gender dysphoria (GD) there is marked incongruence between a person׳s expressed/experienced gender and their biological sex. The present study aimed to investigate the most common affective temperaments in individuals with female-to-male (FtM) GD. METHODS: We performed a prospective and comparative study investigating affective temperaments in subjects with FtM GD. Eighty subjects with FtM GD and 68 female controls were enrolled. The Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) was completed by all participants. RESULTS: TEMPS-A scores were significantly higher in subjects with FtM GD for hyperthymic temperament (p≤0.001), whereas depressive (p≤0.001), anxious (p≤0.001), and cyclothymic (p=0.028) temperament scores were significantly higher in female controls. LIMITATIONS: The study was limited by the lack of male-to-female subjects and male controls. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study indicate that individuals with FtM GD have significantly higher scores of hyperthymic temperament, measured by TEMPS-A. Biological basis underlying the development of gender identity independent from the biological sex might be related with affective temperaments.

Clozapine treatment of refractory schizophrenia during essential chemotherapy: a case study and mini review of a clinical dilemma.

BACKGROUND: Clozapine remains the antipsychotic of choice for refractory schizophrenia. Given the particular side effects of clozapine including neutropenia and myelosuppression, safety and efficacy of add-on chemotherapy for patients who are already under clozapine treatment remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: We present evidence from a patient with a diagnosis of refractory schizophrenia on clozapine medication, who required essential chemotherapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We have also reviewed literature regarding this challenging clinical dilemma. METHOD: We report details about a patient with treatment-resistant schizophrenia who was given chemotherapy (fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab) for CLL in the course of concomitant treatment with clozapine and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSFs). In addition, we have reviewed literature using the PUBMED data base. RESULTS: Current evidence remains insufficient to provide authoritative guide to clinicians regarding the efficacy and safety of the combined use of clozapine and chemotherapy. However, general conclusion from our case and of the published evidence is that a combination of clozapine use and chemotherapeutic agents do not cause additional hematological worsening with no decreasing efficacy concerns raised. CONCLUSION: Continuing with clozapine in the course of chemotherapy may be relatively safer for patients who responded well to clozapine concomitant with G-CSF treatment.