Changes in cerebral connectivity and brain tissue pulsations with the antidepressant response to an equimolar mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide: an MRI and ultrasound study.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) has recently emerged as a potential fast-acting antidepressant but the cerebral mechanisms involved in this effect remain speculative. We hypothesized that the antidepressant response to an Equimolar Mixture of Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide (EMONO) would be associated with changes in cerebral connectivity and brain tissue pulsations (BTP). Thirty participants (20 with a major depressive episode resistant to at least one antidepressant and 10 healthy controls-HC, aged 25-50, only females) were exposed to a 1-h single session of EMONO and followed for 1 week. We defined response as a reduction of at least 50% in the MADRS score 1 week after exposure. Cerebral connectivity of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC), using ROI-based resting state fMRI, and BTP, using ultrasound Tissue Pulsatility Imaging, were compared before and rapidly after exposure (as well as during exposure for BTP) among HC, non-responders and responders. We conducted analyses to compare group × time, group, and time effects. Nine (45%) depressed participants were considered responders and eleven (55%) non-responders. In responders, we observed a significant reduction in the connectivity of the subgenual ACC with the precuneus. Connectivity of the supracallosal ACC with the mid-cingulate also significantly decreased after exposure in HC and in non-responders. BTP significantly increased in the three groups between baseline and gas exposure, but the increase in BTP within the first 10 min was only significant in responders. We found that a single session of EMONO can rapidly modify the functional connectivity in the subgenual ACC-precuneus, nodes within the default mode network, in depressed participants responders to EMONO. In addition, larger increases in BTP, associated with a significant rise in cerebral blood flow, appear to promote the antidepressant response, possibly by facilitating optimal drug delivery to the brain. Our study identified potential cerebral mechanisms related to the antidepressant response of N2O, as well as potential markers for treatment response with this fast-acting antidepressant.

Group Dissociation-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (DF-CBT) in Patients Suffering from a Dissociative Subtype of PTSD: An Exploratory Study.

Dissociation is a widespread difficulty among patients suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, there is no gold standard treatment for dissociative symptoms. Recent studies propose a cognitive and behavioral conceptualization for dissociation. The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of a group program of Dissociation-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (DF-CBT) on dissociative symptoms. We recruited 27 patients suffering from a dissociative subtype of PTSD in a university hospital trauma center. Participants completed questionnaires evaluating dissociation, PTSD, mindfulness abilities, beliefs about emotions, beliefs about dissociation, emotion regulation difficulties, anxiety and depression. Following an initial evaluation, participants undertook 7 sessions of DF-CBT, and were reevaluated after the last session using the same questionnaires. We found a significant reduction of dissociative, PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms following DF-CBT. The effect size was noticeable for all variables (.61

The bifocal model: A two-level clinical model of psychiatric disorders integrating diagnostic and transdiagnostic approaches.

Nowadays, two distinct conceptualizations are available to classify, label and guide the treatment of psychiatric disorders: the diagnostic approach and the transdiagnostic approach. There are pros and cons to both approaches. We propose here to link these two conceptualizations by creating a two-level clinical model that takes advantages of both approaches, named the bifocal model (BFM). This two-tier clinical model consists of a double level of analysis: the first step is to identify transdiagnostic mechanisms involved in multiple disorders and then to recognize specific mechanisms identified in a given disorder or cluster of symptoms. Such a process would bring the diagnostic and transdiagnostic approaches together and offer a more flexible way to understand mental disorders and ultimately to improve medical outcomes.

Correlates of severity in a clinical staging model of schizophrenia: a cross-sectional study among 158 subjects.

BACKGROUND: Clinical staging has been widely used to predict and optimize the treatment of medical disorders. Different models have been proposed to map the development, progression, and extension of psychiatric disorders over time, mainly for schizophrenia. The primary objective of this study was to classify patients with psychosis according to the McGorry staging model and compare factors between the different stages. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study, collecting data from 158 patients hospitalized for schizophrenia/psychosis. The survey included the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Yong Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, and the McGorry staging model. RESULTS: Patients have been classified into three clinical stages: relapse of psychotic disorder (43%), multiple relapses (47.5%), and persistent and severe illness (9.5%). A higher mean duration of hospitalization, psychotic symptoms (PANSS total scale and subscales), chlorpromazine equivalent dose, and number of antipsychotic treatments were found among participants in Stage 4 as compared to the other groups. However, a significantly higher mean GAF scale was found among participants in stage 3b as compared to the other groups. CONCLUSION: Each stage in the McGorry staging model of schizophrenia is associated with well-defined clinical presentations, which help decide the appropriate treatment. Using such models in psychiatry can improve the diagnostic process and potential therapeutic interventions for patients suffering from mental disorders.

Bullying and self-harming behavior in universities - A cross-sectional study of a sample of 327 university students.

INTRODUCTION: Bullying is a widespread public health issue, found in different contexts (e.g. schools, universities, workplaces, families), and it has negative consequences on both the perpetrator and the victim. There is a lack of studies addressing bullying among university students in Arab countries and more specifically in Lebanon. The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of bullying among a sample of university students in Lebanon, its forms, and associated factors. METHODS: The study consists of a cross-sectional online survey addressed to university students in Lebanon that evaluates sociodemographic data, presence and type of bullying, history of bullying during childhood, adverse childhood experiences, daily life functioning, and mental health status (reported psychiatric disorders, substance use, self-harming behaviors, and suicidal attempts). Chi-Square and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare the results between victims of bullying and the rest of the sample. RESULTS: Three hundred and twenty-seven university students participated in this study. The prevalence of bullying was 14.1%. The main forms of reported bullying were verbal (58.7%) and social bullying (65.2%). The main associated factors were being a witness of bullying at university (84.8% vs. 56.2% - P<.001) and history of cyberbullying (13% vs. 4.6% - P=.024). Among students who reported current bullying, 28.3% had a psychiatric diagnosis, 19.6% reported substance use, 15.2% had self-harming behaviors, and 8.7% had suicide attempts. Victims of bullying in the university reported a significant negative impact on their daily lives (lack of interest in daily activities, academic decline) (83.7%) and mental health concerns (psychiatric disorders, substance use, suicide attempts) (88.4%). CONCLUSION: Even though bullying is an event less experienced in university than in school, it is nevertheless still present with potential negative impact on the victims. Bullying in a university setting is a public health issue that could benefit from more studies as well as prevention and intervention programs.

Rapid tranquillisation in a psychiatric emergency hospital in Lebanon: TREC-Lebanon - a pragmatic randomised controlled trial of intramuscular haloperidol and promethazine v. intramuscular haloperidol, promethazine and chlorpromazine.

BACKGROUND: Agitated patients constitute 10% of all emergency psychiatric treatment. Management guidelines, the preferred treatment of clinicians differ in opinion and practice. In Lebanon, the use of the triple therapy haloperidol plus promethazine plus chlorpromazine (HPC) is frequently used but no studies involving this combination exists. METHOD: A pragmatic randomised open trial (September 2018-July 2019) in the Lebanese Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross in Beirut Lebanon involving 100 people requiring urgent intramuscular sedation due to aggressive behaviour were given intramuscular chlorpromazine 100 mg plus haloperidol 5 mg plus promethazine 25 mg (HPC) or intramuscular haloperidol 5 mg plus promethazine 25 mg. RESULTS: Primary outcome data were available for 94 (94%) people. People allocated to the haloperidol plus promethazine (HP) group showed no clear difference at 20 min compared with patients allocated to the HPC group [relative risk (RR) 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47-1.50]. CONCLUSIONS: Neither intervention consistently impacted the outcome of 'calm', or 'asleep' and had no discernible effect on the use of restraints, use of additional drugs or recurrence. If clinicians are faced with uncertainty on which of the two intervention combinations to use, the simpler HP is much more widely tested and the addition of chlorpromazine adds no clear benefit with a risk of additional adverse effects.

Impact of spirituality and religiosity on suicidal risk among a sample of lebanese psychiatric in-patients.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of suicidality among the psychiatric inpatients community in Lebanon, and to elucidate the effect of religiosity and spirituality on suicidal thoughts or behaviours. METHODS: A total sample of 159 patient consecutively admitted to a psychiatric hospital was interviewed. The Ask Suicide-screening Questionnaire (ASQ) was used to assess suicidal risk; the Mature Religiosity Scale (MRS) and the Spirituality Index for Well Being (SIWB) scales were used to assess religiosity and spirituality. RESULTS: We found that 45.6% of the participants screened positively on the ASQ, including 37.5% with acute suicidal ideation. A backward logistic regression, taking the negative/positive screening ASQ as the dependent variable, showed that a positive family history of suicide and depression were significantly associated with higher positive suicidal screening, whereas higher spirituality was significantly associated with lower positive suicidal screening. When forcing the mature religiosity scale as an independent variable, the results remained the same. CONCLUSION: Spiritual well-being might be considered an important factor to explore among psychiatric patients. Psychiatric inpatients have a high risk for suicide; the challenge remains for clinicians to identify upon admission patients that are most likely to die from suicide.Key pointsA positive family history of suicide and depression was significantly associated with higher suicidality.Higher spirituality, but not religiosity, was significantly associated with lower suicidality.Spiritual well-being might be considered an important factor to explore among psychiatric patients.The challenge remains for clinicians to identify patients that are most likely to die from suicide upon admission.

Nutritional Status of Lebanese Hospitalized Patients With Chronic Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: In a hospitalized setting, malnutrition is known to increase patient's mortality and lower the quality of life; therefore, it is essential to detect such cases and intervene at the earliest possible. The goal of this study is to estimate the rate of malnutrition in hospitalized Lebanese patients, explore its association with different factors, and create a simple tool to detect patients at high risk of malnutrition. Methods: One hundred and fifty Lebanese hospitalized patients, suffering at least from one chronic disease, were randomly chosen from Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Notre Dame de Secours (CHU-NDS) hospital. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score was used to assess nutritional status. Results: A total of 34.7% of patients in our sample were at risk of malnutrition and 9.3% were malnourished. A higher risk of malnutrition was found in patients with a low body mass index, who were physically inactive or admitted to the hospital more than once in the past 6 months. The nutritional status was not associated with certain chronic diseases more than others. We designed a simple decision tree model based only on 3 questions to detect patients at high risk of malnutrition/malnourished. This tool has a sensitivity of 62% and a specificity of 77%. Conclusion: The prevalence found in our study was comparable with previous data. However, factors associated with poor nutritional status were somewhat different. Further studies are needed to validate our screening tool and to examine the effect of specific diseases on malnutrition on a larger scale.

Sexual dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder and its association with adherence to antipsychotic medication.

Background: Antipsychotic-induced sexual dysfunction is a common complaint among patients with psychotic disorders. However, few papers have discussed its impact on treatment adherence.Aims: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of antipsychotic induced sexual dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder and assess its impact on treatment adherence.Methods: Nighty-five outpatients treated with antipsychotics for at least four weeks were recruited. Sexual dysfunction was assessed using a questionnaire inspired from the Udvalg for Kliniske Undersøgelser (UKU) Side Effect Rating Scale and the Psychotropic-Related Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire (PRSexDQ). An Arabic version of the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) was used to assess treatment adherence.Results: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 57.9%, of which 65.5% attributed it to treatment. Reduced desire was the mostly reported sexual dysfunction in males and females. Number, dose and duration of antipsychotics were not associated with sexual dysfunction. MARS score was associated with the presence of sexual dysfunction (p = 0.0001) and its attribution to antipsychotic medication (p = 0.0003), the latter being an independent associated variable (p = 0.001).Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction is prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder treated with antipsychotic drugs. Clinicians should ask about sexual dysfunction and discuss its different causes with patients in order to improve adherence.

Relationship Between Impulsivity and Clinical and Sociodemographic Variables Among Lebanese Patients With Bipolar Disorder: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study.

Impulsivity is a psychiatric symptom that seems to be more prevalent in some mental disorders such as bipolar disorders (BDs). It is a trait that seems to be influenced by many clinical and sociodemographic variables across BD. To examine the relationship between impulsivity and these variables, we performed a cross-sectional study on 50 patients diagnosed with BD and 50 healthy subjects. Both groups were administered the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale; the Structural Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, for borderline personality disorder; the Beirut District Scale; and the Athens Insomnia Scale to assess impulsivity, borderline personality disorder, psychological distress, and sleep disturbances, respectively. A significantly higher nonplanning impulsivity (p = 0.001), motor impulsivity (p < 0.0001), total impulsivity (p < 0.0001), body mass index (p < 0.0001), and insomnia (p = 0.002) were found in subjects with BDs compared with healthy ones. Exposure to violence (odds ratio [OR] = 7.63), the loss of a parent (OR = 3.83), being a current smoker (OR = 14.56), and a higher motor impulsivity score (OR = 1.27) were all significantly associated with the presence of BD. Impulsivity was shown to be strongly associated with the presence of a diagnosis of BD, and further studies are warranted to fully characterize it through the course of the illness.

Identification of Factors Affecting the Quality of Life Among Patients With Addiction in Lebanon.

Our objective was to assess factors associated with the physical (Short-Form 12-physical component summary [SF-12-PCS]) and mental (Short-Form 12-mental component summary [SF-12-MCS]) quality of life (QOL) in the Lebanese population. A cross-sectional study, conducted between July and September 2017, enrolled 57 patients with substance use disorder from the Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross. The SF-12 scale was used to assess the QOL among participants. A first stepwise linear regression, using the SF-12-PCS score as the dependent variable, showed that females compared with males (ß = -4.86) and having a family history of substance use disorder (ß = -4.70) were associated with lower physical QOL (lower SF-12-PCS scores). A second stepwise linear regression, using the SF-12-MCS score as the dependent variable, showed that having a generalized anxiety disorder (ß = -10.52) and having suicidal ideation (ß = -8.05) were associated with lower mental QOL (lower SF-12-MCS scores). Strategic interventions are needed to manage the health-related QOL in those with substance abuse.

Abuse and Effects of Salvia divinorum in a Sample of Patients Hospitalized for Substance Dependence.

The study goal is to document the prevalence of salvia use among patients admitted for detoxification of other illicit drug use and to determine its effect. This cross-sectional study included 47 heavy drug users who were admitted for detoxification of other illicit drug abuse at a psychiatric hospital in Lebanon. The prevalence of salvia use was 66%. The salvia effect started and dissipated rapidly (15 min). No significant difference was found between salvia and non-salvia users in terms of affect, cognition and somaesthesia subscales of the Hallucinogen Rating Scale. Ratings of intensity and volition subscales were higher in non-salvia users than salvia users, while perception score was higher in users. Salvia use was correlated with perceptual alteration and hallucinogenic effects.

Managing acutely aggressive or agitated people in a psychiatric setting: a survey in Lebanon.

Background: Violent patients constitute 10% of all psychiatric admissions. Treatment options and clinical practice interventions vary across the globe and no survey of practice in a Middle Eastern setting exists. Surveying treatments in Lebanon will show treatment interventions used in this part of the world and, most importantly, provide the treatment options that could potentially be used for clinical trials pertaining to emergency psychiatry. Methods: A survey of clinicians' opinions and practice was conducted between July and August 2017 at the largest psychiatric hospital in Lebanon. Results: Five of seven experienced psychiatrists provided opinions when interviewed of their preferred intervention when dealing with an emergency psychiatric episode. Whilst this varied in detail, there was a consistent view that there should first be verbal control, then use of medications, and finally physical restrain of the patient. A total of 39 emergency episodes (28 people) occurred in the one month (64% men in their 30s). Bipolar disorder was the most frequent single diagnosis behind the aggression (n=16, 41%; 12 people 43%) but the combined schizophrenia-like illnesses underlay 18 of the 39 episodes (46%; 13/28 people 46%). In clinical life, we found evidence of high family involvement, but little attempts made at initial verbal control in the hospital. All 39 episodes involved administration of pharmacological interventions. Medications were used in 29 of cases (74%) and non-medication interventions used in the remaining 10/39 (26%). Conclusion: This survey provides some evidence that clinicians' preferences may not fully reflect clinical practice but also that experienced clinicians are using several clearly effective techniques to manage these very difficult situations. However, as for other parts of the world, treatment in Lebanon has limited or no underpinning by evidence from well-designed, conducted and reported evaluative studies.

What are Probable Olfactory Markers of Alcohol Dependence?

As the olfactory system is closely connected with the brain areas responsible for the most crucial alterations in psychiatric populations, especially cognitive and emotional impairments, the study of olfactory processing may be a relevant approach to identify specific markers of alcohol dependence. The aim of this study was to propose the probable olfactory markers for alcohol dependence through a study of the olfactory parameters that involve the central olfactory pathway. We recruited the same 41 alcohol-dependent patients in an early (day 8) and late (day 67) stage of abstinence and 41 controls matched for gender, age, and smoking status. The participants underwent clinical assessments and several olfactory evaluations. The results revealed on one hand, the persistence of decreased intensity of positive emotion (happy), increased intensity of negative emotion (sad), and increased citation of surprise in patients, suggesting the presence of probable trait markers of alcohol dependence. On the other hand, we found decreased hedonic score for pleasant and neutral odorants, and decreased odor familiarity judgment only in the early stage of evaluation as probable state markers for alcohol dependence. These results may be underpinned by several neuropsychological alterations specific to this disease and their evolution after weaning. Further studies are needed to replicate these findings and to confirm the specificity and sensitivity of the olfactory tests in a larger sample of patients. The olfactory perception of all controls must be also retested in order to determine the specific state and/or trait markers of alcohol dependence.

Post-traumatic stress disorder in a sample of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

INTRODUCTION: Lebanon is the main hosting country for the Syrian crisis, with more than one million Syrian refugees. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and identify its possible predictors, in a sample of Syrian refugees living in camps in Lebanon. METHOD: We conducted a household survey on Syrian refugees between 18 and 65years old in 6 camps of the Central Bekaa region, using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) as a diagnostic tool. RESULTS: Among the 452 respondents, we found a lifetime prevalence of PTSD of 35.4%, and a point prevalence of 27.2%. The lifetime prevalence of SUD was 1.99% and the point prevalence 0.66%. Multivariate logistic regression could not identify any predictor of current PTSD among a list of demographic variables, but identified the Syrian hometown as a significant predictor of lifetime PTSD (p=.013), with refugees from Aleppo having significantly more PTSD than those coming from Homs (adjusted OR 2.14, 95% CI [1.28, 3.56], p=.004). DISCUSSION: PTSD was a real mental health issue in our sample of adult Syrian refugees in Central Bekaa camps, unlike SUD.

Using the Script Concordance Test to Evaluate Clinical Reasoning Skills in Psychiatry.

OBJECTIVES: Although clinical reasoning is a major component of psychiatric training, most evaluating tools do not assess this skill properly. Clinicians mobilize networks of organized knowledge (scripts) to assess ambiguous or uncertain situations. The Script Concordance Test (SCT) was developed to assess clinical reasoning in an uncertainty context. The objective of this study was to test the usefulness of the SCT to assess the reasoning capacities of interns (7th year medical students) during the psychiatry training. METHODS: The authors designed a SCT for psychiatry teaching, adapted to interns. The test contained 20 vignettes of five questions each. A reference panel of senior psychiatrists underwent the test, and we used their scoring as a reference for the student group. The SCT assessed the competence of students at the beginning and the end of their training in psychiatry. RESULTS: A panel of 10 psychiatrists and 47 interns participated to this study. As expected, the reference panel performed significantly (p<0.001) better (79.4±5.1) than the students on the SCT. Interns improved significantly (p<0.001) their scores between the beginning (58.5±6.2) and the end (65.0±5.3) of their psychiatry rotation. The students improved significantly (p<0.001) their scores between the beginning and the end of the training (6.4±4.8). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study using the SCT in psychiatry. This study shows the feasibility of this procedure and its utility in the field of psychiatry for evaluating medical students in their clinical reasoning competence. It can provide a valid alternative to classical evaluation methods.

Suicide Risk of Heroin Dependent Subjects in Lebanon.

The aim is to determine the frequency of suicidal behavior and associated factors among heroin dependent inpatients. 61 heroin dependent inpatients (vs. 61 controls) were assessed on their pattern of substance use, impulsivity, depression and suicidal behavior. 37.7 % of patients had a personal history of suicidal attempt (SA), 14.8 % had current suicidal ideation. SA was associated to younger age at first substance use and to higher rates of depression and impulsivity. IV heroin overdose was the most frequent mode of SA (47.8 %). Long duration, multiple drug use, and family history of suicide were associated with higher risk of suicide among lebanese patients.

Psychiatric morbidity, phenomenology and management in hospitalized female foreign domestic workers in Lebanon.

40 million female domestic workers worldwide experience the inhumane conditions associated with this unregulated occupation, a situation that induces psychiatric morbidities in many. The case in Lebanon is not any better where it is estimated that one foreign domestic worker (FDW) commits suicide weekly. 33 female FDW and 14 female Lebanese (control group, CG) were enrolled. Brief Psychotic Rating Scale (BPRS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scales were administered on admission and discharge and socio-demographic, living conditions, mental health care data and phenomenological observations were collected. Sexual, physical, and verbal abuses were detected in FDW (12.5, 37.5, and 50.0 %. respectively). 66.7 % of them were diagnosed with brief psychotic episode. The mean duration of hospital stay (13.1 days) was significantly lower in the FDW group. The mean cumulative antipsychotic dose of the FDW was 337.1 mg of chlorpromazine equivalent and the mean BPRS total pre-score of FDW was 66.4 with a much improved state on the CGI global improvement scale, all of which were nonsignificantly different from the CG. Striking phenomenological findings among FDW were acute anorexia (39.4 %), nudity (30.3 %), catatonic features (21.2 %), and delusion of pregnancy (12.1 %). Inpatient FDW are more diagnosed with psychotic than affective disorders and receive approximately similar treatment as controls in spite of the trend to rapidly discharge and deport the worker to limit the costs. Both groups presented with similar severity, although the FDW had peculiar phenomenological observations.

Anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation in Lebanese patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts are highly prevalent comorbidities of end-stage-renal-disease (ESRD). There are no studies in Lebanon on the prevalence of these symptoms in Lebanese end-stage-renal-disease patients. Moreover, the association between ESRD on one hand, and anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation on the other has never been established in Lebanon. Groups of patients at a high-risk of development of these symptoms are not determined. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score and M.I.N.I (module C) were used to measure the prevalence of anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation in 51 patients from the dialysis center of Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital in Lebanon. In our sample, 45% of included patients suffered from symptoms of anxiety and 50% presented symptoms of depression.The prevalence of suicidal ideation as detected by the M.I.N.I. is at 37%. No patients presented with a high risk of suicide. There was a statistically significant correlation between the existence of organic comorbidities and the presence of symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. As for anxiety, the association was marginally significant. The results obtained by our study are consistent with those found in studies performed in other societies. The profile of depression- and suicidal ideation-prone patients has been determined. It consists of patients with at least one medical comorbidity to the ESRD. This, in turn, should lead to increased awareness and better treatment of these psychiatric ailments, considering their impact on morbidity and mortality in ESRD.