Internet addiction, prevalence and epidemiological features in mazandaran province, northern Iran

The concept of internet addiction, also called internet addictive disorder or pathological internet use, entered the medical lexicon in 1995. This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of internet addiction among north Iranian internet users and to explore the epidemiological features associated with internet addiction.1856 internet user volunteers' from Mazandaran Province cities were surveyed, using Farsi version of Young's Internet Addiction Questionnaire during 2005-2006. 424 dependent users were enrolled. The incidence rate of internet addiction was 22.8%. Dependent users spent a mean of 14.4 hours per week [SD=13.7] compared to non-dependent users who spent a mean of 9.0 hours per week [SD=10.4]. The dependent users were 256 males and 165 females. Dependent users predominantly used the two-way communication functions available on the internet like chat rooms. The present study suggests that internet addiction is common among northern Iranian internet users. In addition, chat rooms are most addictive web environment among this population

Spinal muscular atrophy from northern Iran: a clinical and genetic spectrum of ten patients

Autosomal recessive spinal muscular atrophy [SMA] is, after cystic fibrosis, the second most common fatal monogenic disorder and the second most common hereditary neuromuscular disease after duchenne dystrophy. The disease is characterized by degeneration of anterior horn cells leading to progressive paralysis with muscular atrophy. Depending on the clinical type [Werdnig-Hoffmann = type I, intermediate form = type II, Kugelberg-Welander = type III], some workers also have delineated an adult form of SMA [SMA type 4]. SMA causes early death or increasing disability in childhood. The aim of this investigation was to describe the clinical findings of patients with spinal muscular atrophy [SMA] with survival motor neuron [SMN] gene deletion. This is a descriptive study conducted on 10 patients of SMA, confirmed by deletion of the SMN gene. All 10 patients had symmetrical muscle weakness, which was diffuse in those with onset of symptoms up to 1 months of age, and either proximal or predominant in lower limbs. Frequency determination of positive clinical and laboratory data was done according to revised diagnostic criteria. It was found that all patients with SMA had homozygous deletions of exons 7 and 8 of the survival motor neuron 1 [SMNl] gene, which is one of the candidate genes identified within 5q13. Fasciculations, atrophy and decreased DTR were frequent findings. Laboratory metabolic tests and all brain CT scans were normal. EMC and NCV findings, all showed normal motor and Sensory NCV and denervation of muscles of upper and lower extremities were compatible with a diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy. Our results confirm that SMN1 copy number analysis is an important parameter for identification of couples at risk of having a child affected with SMA and reduces unwarranted prenatal diagnosis for SMA