Role of Prospective Memory in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Background: The role of memory in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been an area of research that has yielded mixed results, particularly in prospective memory (PM) functioning. Hence, one objective of the study was to assess PM deficits in patients with OCD. Also, research in this area has been sparse, and most researchers have used questionnaires and people with subclinical symptoms of OCD, which might have impacted the generalizability of the findings. Thus, the second objective was to assess PM functioning using a performance-based task in persons with OCD having clinical symptoms. Methods: This is a cross-sectional comparative study of 30 adults with OCD and 30 adults without psychiatric morbidity. The tools used were Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DY-BOCS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ 12), and Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT). Results: Event-based PM was significantly poor in the OCD group. In time-based PM, no significant difference was found between the groups. Three subgroups in OCD, predominantly obsessions, predominantly compulsions, and mixed types, did not differ significantly with respect to PM. Conclusion: The result suggested a deficit of event-based PM in OCD, which can help understand the psychopathology of memory deficit in the clinical population and bridge the gap with respect to memory research in this domain.

Effectiveness of neurofeedback training, behaviour management including attention enhancement training and medication in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder - A comparative follow up study.

BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders of childhood. Treatment of ADHD includes medications and Behavioural interventions. Neurofeedback, a type of biofeedback, has been found to be useful in ADHD. It helps patients to control their brain waves consciously. However, it is not yet conclusive if it is efficacious in comparison to behavioural management training and medication. AIM: To compare the efficacy of neurofeedback training, behaviour management including attention enhancement training and medication in children with ADHD. METHOD: Ninety children between 6 and 12 years with ADHD were taken and randomly divided into 3 treatment groups equally- neurofeedback, behaviour management and medication (methylphenidate). Conners 3-P Short Scale was applied for baseline assessment. The respective interventions were given and follow up was done at the end of 3 months by using Conners 3-P Short scale to assess the improvement in the symptoms. There were 6 dropouts, the final sample size was 84. RESULTS: The medication group showed the greatest reduction of symptoms in inattention, hyperactivity, executive functioning domain (core symptoms of ADHD). No statistically significant difference was observed between Neurofeedback and Behaviour Management in these domains. Learning problems improved in all three groups, neurofeedback being the most effective followed by medication. Both Neurofeedback and Medication groups showed similar effect which was higher than the Behavioural Management group in Peer Relation. CONCLUSION: Improvement in core ADHD symptoms have been observed with all 3 interventions with medication showing the greatest improvement Neurofeedback has been superior for learning problems. Thus, Neurofeedback can be an independent or combined intervention tool for children with ADHD in outpatient department of Psychiatry.

A population-based analysis of suicidality and its correlates: findings from the National Mental Health Survey of India, 2015-16.

BACKGROUND: India accounts for 18% of the global population and 26·6% of global suicide deaths. However, robust population-based, nationally representative data on suicidality are not readily available to plan and implement suicide prevention programmes in India. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and sociodemographic differentials of suicidality using data from the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) of India, 2015-16. METHODS: Trained field data collectors from the NMHS obtained information on suicidality (during the past month) from a community sample of adults aged 18 years and older using the suicidality module of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (version 6.0). Suicidality was categorised as low, moderate, high, and overall (representing any suicidality), and examined for sociodemographic differentials using normalised sampling weights. For each of the 12 surveyed states, we calculated the age-standardised suicidality prevalence for men and women, men-to-women ratio of weighted suicidality prevalence, ratio of suicidality to suicide deaths, and ratio of suicide attempts to suicide deaths. We used logistic regression analysis to examine the association between sociodemographic factors and overall suicidality and severity. FINDINGS: Among 34 748 participants with complete interviews, 5·1% (95% CI 4·7-5·6) had some level of suicidality, and 0·3% (0·2-0·4) had at least one suicide attempt in the past month. The prevalence of overall suicidality was higher in women (6·0% [5·4-6·6]) than in men (4·1% [3·7-4·6]). The prevalence of overall suicidality was highest in those aged 40-49 years among women and in those aged 60 years or older among men. Compared with their counterparts, individuals with lower educational attainment, individuals residing in urban metropolitan cities, individuals who were widowed, separated, or divorced, and unemployed individuals had a higher prevalence of overall suicidality. The men-to-women ratio of overall suicidality prevalence for India was 0·68 (range 0·55-0·85). For every death by suicide in India, there were more than 200 people with suicidality and more than 15 suicide attempts. We found variations for various severities of suicidality. We found an increased risk for overall suicidality in women versus men (odds ratio [OR] 1·54 [95% CI 1·31-1·81]; p<0·0001) and in individuals residing in urban metropolitan cities versus those residing in rural areas (1·75 [1·30-2·35]; p=0·0002). Individuals belonging to the lowest income quintile (reference group with OR <1·00 and p<0·05 for other income quintiles), those with depressive disorders (28·78 [20·04-41·33]; p<0.0001) and those with alcohol use disorders (6·52 [3·83-11·10]; p<0.0001) had an increased risk for high suicidality, compared with their corresponding counterparts. INTERPRETATION: A national suicide prevention strategy that is comprehensive, using multisectoral approaches, is required to address the prevailing sociodemographic and other risk factors for reducing suicidality and suicide deaths in India. This study also has implications for other low-income and middle-income countries in south Asia, where sociodemographic factors play a crucial role for suicide prevention. FUNDING: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

The National Mental Health Survey of India (2016): Prevalence, socio-demographic correlates and treatment gap of mental morbidity.

BACKGROUND: Recognizing the need for good quality, scientific and reliable information for strengthening mental health policies and programmes, the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) of India was implemented by National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, in the year 2015-2016. AIM: To estimate the prevalence, socio-demographic correlates and treatment gap of mental morbidity in a representative population of India. METHODS: NMHS was conducted across 12 Indian states where trained field investigators completed 34,802 interviews using tablet-assisted personal interviews. Eligible study subjects (18+ years) in households were selected by a multi-stage, stratified, random cluster sampling technique. Mental morbidity was assessed using MINI 6. Three-tier data monitoring system was adopted for quality assurance. Weighted and specific prevalence estimates were derived (current and lifetime) for different mental disorders. Mental morbidity was defined as those disorders as per the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision Diagnostic Criteria for Research (ICD-10 DCR). Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to examine risk for mental morbidity by different socio-demographic factors. Survey was approved by central and state-level institutional ethical committees. RESULTS: The weighted lifetime prevalence of 'any mental morbidity' was estimated at 13.67% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 13.61, 13.73) and current prevalence was 10.56% (95% CI = 10.51, 10.61). Mental and behavioural problems due to psychoactive substance use (F10-F19; 22.44%), mood disorders (F30-F39; 5.61%) and neurotic and stress-related disorders (F40-F48; 3.70%) were the most commonly prevalent mental morbidity in India. The overall prevalence was estimated to be higher among males, middle-aged individuals, in urban-metros, among less educated and in households with lower income. Treatment gap for overall mental morbidity was 84.5%. CONCLUSION: NMHS is the largest reported survey of mental morbidity in India. Survey estimated that nearly 150 million individuals suffer from one or the other mental morbidity in India. This information is to be used for planning, delivery and evaluating mental health programming in the country.

Efficacy of PASS Reading Enhancement Programme on Neuropsychological Functions of a Child with Mild Vascular Neurocognitive Disorder and Comorbid Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Case Study.

BACKGROUND: PASS Reading Enhancement Programme (PREP), a reading enhancement tool focusing on successive and simultaneous processing tasks, has been used successfully to improve the information processing strategies that underlie reading. The study explored the effects of training with successive processing task of PREP on various cognitive and neuropsychological functioning of an 8-year-old child with mild vascular neurocognitive disorder with comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A pre-post intervention single case design was used. AIIMS Comprehensive Neuropsychological Battery in Hindi, Children's Form was used to assess the baseline performance on various neuropsychological domains. After 25 sessions of weekly outpatient-based training with PREP, reassessment was done using the same test battery. RESULTS: Results indicated posttraining global improvement in the neuropsychological functioning like receptive and expressive speech, intellectual processes, memory, and reading and writing abilities. CONCLUSION: Cognitive remediation programs focusing on training in successive processing could be used in the enhancement of overall neuropsychological functioning in children with neurocognitive disorder.

Prevalence and socioeconomic impact of depressive disorders in India: multisite population-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) of India was undertaken with the objectives of (1) estimating the prevalence and patterns of various mental disorders in representative Indian population and (2) identifying the treatment gap, healthcare utilisation, disabilities and impact of mental disorders. This paper highlights findings pertaining to depressive disorders (DD) from the NMHS. DESIGN: Multisite population-based cross-sectional study. Subjects were selected by multistage stratified random cluster sampling technique with random selection based on probability proportionate to size at each stage. SETTING: Conducted across 12 states in India (representing varied cultural and geographical diversity), employing uniform, standardised and robust methodology. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 34 802 adults (>18 years) were interviewed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Prevalence of depressive disorders (ICD-10 DCR) diagnosed using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview V.6.0. RESULTS: The weighted prevalence of lifetime and current DD was 5.25% (95% CI: 5.21% to 5.29%, n=34 802) and 2.68% (95% CI: 2.65% to 2.71%, n=34 802), respectively. Prevalence was highest in the 40-59 age groups (3.6%, n=10 302), among females (3.0%, n=18 217) and those residing in cities with population >1 million (5.2%, n=4244). Age, gender, place of residence, education and household income were found to be significantly associated with current DD. Nearly two-thirds of individuals with DD reported disability of varying severity, and the treatment gap for depression in the study population was 79.1%. On an average, households spent INR1500/month (~US$ 23.0/month) towards care of persons affected with DD. CONCLUSION: Around 23 million adults would need care for DD in India at any given time. Since productive population is affected most, DD entails considerable socioeconomic impact at individual and family levels. This is a clarion call for all the concerned stakeholders to scale up services under National Mental Health Programme in India along with integrating care for DD with other ongoing national health programmes.

National Mental Health Survey of India, 2016 - Rationale, design and methods.

Understanding the burden and pattern of mental disorders as well as mapping the existing resources for delivery of mental health services in India, has been a felt need over decades. Recognizing this necessity, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, commissioned the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) in the year 2014-15. The NMHS aimed to estimate the prevalence and burden of mental health disorders in India and identify current treatment gaps, existing patterns of health-care seeking, service utilization patterns, along with an understanding of the impact and disability due to these disorders. This paper describes the design, steps and the methodology adopted for phase 1 of the NMHS conducted in India. The NMHS phase 1 covered a representative population of 39,532 from 12 states across 6 regions of India, namely, the states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh (North); Tamil Nadu and Kerala (South); Jharkhand and West Bengal (East); Rajasthan and Gujarat (West); Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (Central) and Assam and Manipur (North East). The NMHS of India (2015-16) is a unique representative survey which adopted a uniform and standardized methodology which sought to overcome limitations of previous surveys. It employed a multi-stage, stratified, random cluster sampling technique, with random selection of clusters based on Probability Proportionate to Size. It was expected that the findings from the NMHS 2015-16 would reveal the burden of mental disorders, the magnitude of the treatment gap, existing challenges and prevailing barriers in the mental-health delivery systems in the country at a single point in time. It is hoped that the results of NMHS will provide the evidence to strengthen and implement mental health policies and programs in the near future and provide the rationale to enhance investment in mental health care in India. It is also hoped that the NMHS will provide a framework for conducting similar population based surveys on mental health and other public health problems in low and middle-income countries.

The Mood Spectrum and Temperamental Instability in Unipolar and Bipolar Disorder.

BACKGROUND: The current categorical split of mood disorders in bipolar (BP) disorders and depressive disorders has recently been questioned. The presence of a significant number of manic/hypomanic symptoms in patients with recurrent unipolar depression seems to challenge the traditional dichotomy of unipolar-BP disorder. Two highly unstable personality features, i.e., the cyclothymic temperament (CT) and borderline personality disorder, have been found to be more common in BP disorder than in major depressive disorder. AIM: The aim was to assess the distributions of the number of mood spectrum, CT, and borderline personality items between two groups. Finding no bimodal distribution (a "zone of rarity") of these items would support a continuity between the two disorders. METHODS: Forty euthymic BP disorder patients and forty unipolar depression patients were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for the Mood Spectrum, which assesses lifetime symptoms, traits, and lifestyles that characterize threshold and subthreshold mood episodes. CT was assessed using Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-A relative to CT and borderline personality trait (BPT) was assessed using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders II personality questionnaire relative to BPT. The distribution of the number of CT and BPT items was studied by Kernel density estimate. RESULT: Patient with recurrent depression endorsed manic/hypomanic items though less than BP group. However, the Kernel density estimates distributions of the number of hypomanic/manic items, CT and BPT items in the entire sample had a normal-like shape (i.e. no bimodality). CONCLUSION: Normal-like curves in the distributions of mood symptoms, number of CT and BPT items in the entire sample, suggest significant amount of overlap of these characteristic in both the groups. Using the bimodality approach, continuity between BP and major depressive disorder (MDD) seems to be supported, questioning the current categorical splitting of BP and MDD based on classic diagnostic validators.

Olanzapine-induced Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a life-threatening adverse effect usually seen with typical antipsychotic drugs. Rarely, NMS can occur with atypical antipsychotics also. A 19-year-old male diagnosed as a case of acute and transient psychotic disorder developed NMS, following the treatment with an atypical antipsychotic, olanzapine 20 mg/day. The patient was diagnosed NMS, an offending agent olanzapine was immediately withdrawn, and prompt treatment by maintaining hydration and giving bromocriptine produced recovery.