A survey of violence and vulgarity in children television programmes: A content analysis, and assessment of perceptions of parents and children (ViCTiM study).

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the depiction of violence and vulgarity in television programmes for children, and to assess the perception and practices of parents and children about television programmes meant for children. METHODS: We conducted this mixed-methods cross-sectional study in Karachi, Pakistan in the months of August-September 2018, after approval from the ethics review board of Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. First, a content analysis of over 102 hours of various television programmes meant for children was performed in the light of the guidelines set out by the World Health Organisation, the United States Federal Communication Commission and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority. Seven trained researchers sampled the children prime time throughout a week, including the weekends, using a structured tally sheet. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with dyad of parent-children from the employees' list of a public-sector university. A questionnaire was also administered to assess the practices and perceptions of the parents-children dyad about the programmes. Data was analysed using SPSS 24. RESULTS: Of the 173 subjects, 84(48.6%) were parents and 89(51.4%) were children. The mean age of the children was 9.8±3.7 years. Content analysis comprised 6130 minutes, of which 5442(88.8%) had depictions of violence and vulgarity. Depiction of violence and vulgarity was prevalent on television channels that were watched the most, but there was no significant difference in this regard (p=0.238). Of the parents, 68(81%) expressed concern over the effect of screen time and content on the mental health of their children. CONCLUSIONS: Television programmes meant for children were found to be inappropriate with seriously high proportion of violence and vulgarity in their contents.

An Overview of the Neurotrophic and Neuroprotective Properties of the Psychoactive Drug Lithium as an Autophagy Modulator in Neurodegenerative Conditions.

For both short-term and long-term treatment of bipolar disorder, lithium is a prototypical mood stabilizer. Lithium's neuroprotective properties were revealed by cumulative translational research, which opened the door to reforming the chemical as a treatment for neurodegenerative illnesses. The control of homeostatic systems such as oxidative stress, autophagy, apoptosis, mitochondrial function, and inflammation underlies lithium's neuroprotective characteristics. The fact that lithium inhibits the enzymes inositol monophosphatase (IMPase) and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3 may be the cause of the various intracellular reactions. In this article, we review lithium's neurobiological properties, as demonstrated by its neurotrophic and neuroprotective capabilities, as well as translational studies in cells in culture and in animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), Prion disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), ischemic stroke, and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL), discussing the justification for the drug's use in the treatment of these neurodegenerative disorders.

A case of trichotillomania and bulimia nervosa in a patient with adult-onset attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Key Clinical Message: Identifying any potential comorbidity such as bulimia nervosa (BN) and ADHD in trichotillomania patients is essential for a thorough treatment plan. Combining a multidisciplinary approach was found to be feasible and effective in the treatment. Abstract: Trichotillomania is frequently considered an isolated disorder; nevertheless, emerging evidence suggests that other psychiatric conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are often found to coexist. Several studies showed that eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa, were found in chronic hair-pullers, while OCD was considered a factor in predicting the prevalence of eating disorders, as well as the severity of trichotillomania in the populations. While the relationship between trichotillomania and OCD has been quite well-documented, the evidence of its association with bulimia nervosa and ADHD remains limited. Here, we report a case of trichotillomania with comorbid bulimia nervosa, major depressive disorder, and ADHD.

Factors Associated With Psychological Disturbances During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multicountry Online Study.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health of individuals. However, the susceptibility of individuals to be impacted by the pandemic is variable, suggesting potential influences of specific factors related to participants' demographics, attitudes, and practices. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify the factors associated with psychological symptoms related to the effects of the first wave of the pandemic in a multicountry cohort of internet users. METHODS: This study anonymously screened 13,332 internet users worldwide for acute psychological symptoms related to the COVID-19 pandemic from March 29 to April 14, 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic amidst strict lockdown conditions. A total of 12,817 responses were considered valid. Moreover, 1077 participants from Europe were screened a second time from May 15 to May 30, 2020, to ascertain the presence of psychological effects after the ease down of restrictions. RESULTS: Female gender, pre-existing psychiatric conditions, and prior exposure to trauma were identified as notable factors associated with increased psychological symptoms during the first wave of COVID-19 (P<.001). The same factors, in addition to being related to someone who died due to COVID-19 and using social media more than usual, were associated with persistence of psychological disturbances in the limited second assessment of European participants after the restrictions had relatively eased (P<.001). Optimism, ability to share concerns with family and friends like usual, positive prediction about COVID-19, and daily exercise were related to fewer psychological symptoms in both assessments (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at the worldwide level on the mental health of internet users and elucidates prominent associations with their demographics, history of psychiatric disease risk factors, household conditions, certain personality traits, and attitudes toward COVID-19.

Worsening of Preexisting Psychiatric Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives: To ascertain factors associated with worsening of psychiatric conditions during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: This study anonymously examined 2,734 psychiatric patients worldwide for worsening of their preexisting psychiatric conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. An independent clinical investigation of 318 psychiatric patients from United States was used for verification. Results: Valid responses mainly from 12 featured countries indicated self-reported worsening of psychiatric conditions in two-thirds of the patients assessed that was through their significantly higher scores on scales for general psychological disturbance, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression. Female gender, feeling no control of the situation, reporting dissatisfaction with the response of the state during the COVID-19 pandemic, and reduced interaction with family and friends increased the worsening of preexisting psychiatric conditions, whereas optimism, ability to share concerns with family and friends, and using social media like usual were associated with less worsening. An independent clinical investigation from the United States confirmed worsening of psychiatric conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic based on identification of new symptoms that necessitated clinical interventions such as dose adjustment or starting new medications in more than half of the patients. Conclusions: More than half of the patients are experiencing worsening of their psychiatric conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic.