Effects of prenatal stress on anxiety-like behavior and nociceptive response in rats.

We assess the anxiety-like behavior in the open field and elevated plus maze tests and measure the nociceptive response in the tail flick test following prenatal stress exposure in adult male and female Wistar rats. In both behavioral anxiety tests, prenatal stress increased the anxiety-like behavior in male PS rats, but not in females suggesting a strong sex-dependent anxiogenic effect. The tail flick results showed a hypersensitivity to pain in male and female PS rats with a subtle gender difference. These findings suggest that prenatal stress is an important risk factor for multiple mental disorders.

Prenatal stress alters sensitivity to benzodiazepines in adult rats.

In rats, prenatal stress (PS) induces persistent changes in the brain that eventually can be translated in altered behavior leading to a greater consumption of psychostimulants in the offspring during adulthood. Though many studies have been carried on the effects of PS on stimulant drug responsiveness, little is known about susceptibility to benzodiazepines dependence in this animal model. We hereby examined the long-lasting impact of PS exposure during the last 10 days of pregnancy on the vulnerability to benzodiazepine addiction in adult rats. In addition, we also investigated the link between PS and the sensitivity to anxiolytics. Our results reveal that PS offspring exhibited a significantly greater preference to the diazepam-paired side than control offspring in the conditioned place preference. Importantly, we found that PS enhanced the anxiolytic effects of diazepam in the elevated plus maze paradigm. This work demonstrates that PS increased the abuse potential of benzodiazepines and the sensitivity to anxiolytic drugs in offspring of stressed mothers. Thus, investigating the interactions among addiction and PS may contribute to a better understanding how early life events modify neural circuitry and thereby behavior.

Methylenehydrofolate reductase (C677T) polymorphism and large artery ischemic stroke subtypes.

BACKGROUND: The role for the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T gene variants in the risk of ischemic stroke is controversial. METHOD: This first case-control study including 91 cases affected by ischemic stroke and 182 controls matched for age, sex, and same area was conducted in Casablanca, Morocco. Allele and genotype frequency were characterized by using PCR followed by HinfI enzymatic digestion. RESULTS: We found no statistic association of T allele carriers genetic factors with stroke; odds ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.59-2.04, P = 0.303. The results shown significant association of T allele carriers genetic factors with atherothrombotic subtype stroke (n = 42); odds ratio, 2.1; 95% CI: 1.17-3.8; P = 0.012, and adjusted odds ratio of 6.5; 95% CI: 1.86-23.1, P = 0.003, for TT genotype variant compared with CC wild genotype. CONCLUSION: We suggested that MTHFR C677T variant may be a determinant of atherothrombotic event of ischemic stroke in Morocco.

[Frequency and risk factors for pathological gambling in a sample of gamblers in Casablanca, Morocco]. / Fréquence et facteurs de risque du jeu pathologique chez une population de joueurs à Casablanca.

INTRODUCTION: Pathological gambling is a major psychiatric disorder and a public health problem that has gained a lot of attention in the last few years. The problems caused by gambling are increasingly serious. The prevalence of pathological or compulsive gambling varies from 0.8 to 2% in Europe, Canada and the USA. AIM OF THE STUDY: A study has been conducted in different gambling spots in Casablanca to measure the frequency of pathological gambling in Morocco and to determine the risk factors and the socio-cultural factors associated with it. DESIGN OF THE STUDY: The collection of data was conducted in the most frequented gambling spots. The first part of the questionnaire permitted the gathering of the sociodemographic characteristics and drug addictions as well as the psychiatric and legal histories. The detection and diagnosis of pathological gambling was conducted using through the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOCS) questionnaire, which has been translated to Arabic to suit the needs of the study. PARTICIPANTS IN THE STUDY: Two hundred men were retained out of the 243 interviewed, which represent a participation rate of 82%. The frequency of pathological gambling among a population of gamblers is 53%. The mean age of the sample was 42.3 more or less 10.70 years. Thirty-six percent of those interviewed had a monthly income of less than 2000 dirhams (200 euros). Horse and greyhound racing were the most popular forms of gambling among those interviewed, with rates of 91 and 60% respectively. Individuals with an educational level of no more than primary school, a monthly income of less than 5000 dirhams (500 euros), a personal psychiatric history, and a drug addiction, are most risky to be pathological gamblers. CONCLUSION: The topic pathological gambling has been studied very little in Arab and Islamic countries, and it is necessary to conduct larger epidemiological studies on the general population to inquire about its prevalence, risk factors as well as its psychiatric characteristics.

Prevalence of postpartum depression in a Moroccan sample.

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with post-partum depression among Moroccan mothers. The authors interviewed 144 mothers at 2 and 6 weeks, and at 6 and 9 months after delivery. They used the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) and the Arabic version of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Using the M.I.N.I., 18.7% met DSM-IV criteria for depressive disorder in the second week after childbirth. Using a cut-off score of 12, the EPDS indicated a sensitivity and specificity of 92% and 96% respectively. Depressive disorder was significantly associated with pregnancy complications, stressful life events during pregnancy, baby's health problems, and poor marital relationship. The subsequent point prevalences were 6.9%, 11.8% and 5.6% respectively at 6 weeks, 6 and 9 months. Postnatal visits were effective in the identification of Moroccan depressed mothers.

[Two years follow-up of patients with acute psychotic access: evolutionary modes and prognosis]. / Etude de suivi sur deux ans de patients présentant un accès psychotique aigu: modalités évolutives et pronostic.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this work is to study the evolutionary modes of the acute psychotic access and predictor factors of evolution toward schizophrenia. METHOD: It is a prospective survey done at the University Psychiatric Center Ibn Rushd with 2 years of follow-up. The diagnosis was made according to DSM IV criteria by a trained psychiatrist using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV (SCID). All patients answered a pre-established questionnaire inquiring about socio-demographic data and personal and familial antecedent and data about illness. The Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess the intensity of symptoms. The social functioning has been evaluated by the Global Assessment of Functioning scale (GAF). Was included every patient with the first episode of acute psychotic access, age between 15 and 50 years old and without psychiatric history. Sixty-five patients were included in this study. Data were missing on 18 subjects, who were not considered further, leaving a sample of 47 patients (29 men, 18 women). The analysis of results was made on the Epi-info software 6.04 (French version). RESULTS: The mean age of the sample was 23.1 + 7.2 years. A low socio-economic level was found in 91.5% (<200 r). After 2 years of follow-up, a recovery has been recorded in 21.3% of patients and 31.9% developed schizophrenia. A bipolar disorder has been diagnosed in 38.3%. In short, 4 patients (8.5%) relapsed during the first 2 years, presenting another acute psychotic episode. The statistical analysis showed that the evolution toward schizophrenia was bound meaningfully to the male gender, to the young age and to the negative symptom intensity.

[Prevalence of bulimia among secondary school students in Casablanca]. / Prévalence de la boulimie dans une population de lycéens à Casablanca.

During the two last decades, several epidemiological studies have been conducted on bulimia nervosa. According to recent studies, prevalence rates were estimated to be 1%. There are a very few studies on eating behaviour conducted in Arab countries. The aims of the current study were to assess prospectively the prevalence of Bulimia Nervosa and its characteristics in a Moroccan context in a randomly selected and representative sample of students attending six secondary schools in Casablanca. A second group composed of the students of the French secondary school of Casablanca was included in the survey in order to verify the influence of socio-cultural factors. Subjects completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Bulimic Investigatory Test of Edinburgh (BITE), a 33-item self-report measure of both the symptoms and severity of bulimia nervosa. A score of 25 or higher suggests a bulimic syndrome; 2,044 subjects returned their questionnaires (participation rate = 75.8%). The group of Moroccan school included 1,887 subjects and the French school 157 subjects. Females were preponderant (59%). The mean age was 18.3 +/- 1.2 years (15-22 years). For the first group, at least one substance was taken by 290 (15.3%) students: 12.7% were addicted to tobacco and 5.7% consumed occasionally alcohol. 16.3% reported a familial history of disturbed eating behaviour. According to the BITE, the overall prevalence of bulimia was 0.8% (1.2% in female and 0.1 in male subjects). The mean age of bulimic subjects was 18.6 +/- 1.7 years (16-24 years). The only male case in our sample was aged 24 years, without personal nor familial psychiatric history, consumed regularly tobacco and alcohol. His BITE symptoms score was 20 and severity score was 17, the highest score in our sample. Analyses of correlates of bulimia nervosa in the Moroccan sample showed that the group of bulimic subjects did not differ from the non bulimic with regard to any sociodemographic characteristics except sex: the female sex was predominant (p < 0.005) with 14 cases, the prevalence of bulimic syndrome was 1.2% among girls. This prevalence was 0.1% among boys. The bulimic subjects have regularly used different compensatory behaviours to control their weight: 6 (33.3%) used appetite suppressants, 3 (16.6%) used diuretics and 4 (22.2%) were engaged in self-induced vomiting. In the group of the french school, the prevalence of bulimia was 1.9% in the whole sample (3.4% among girls and no case among boys). These results are comparable to those reported recently in occidental countries and in an Egyptian study. However, the prevalence of bulimic syndrome in our sample was lower to those reported in countries with similar culture. The elevated prevalence of 10% reported in a tunisian study could be explained by the composition of the sample (medical students, aged 22-28 years) and the cut-off point for the BITE was determined to be 20 without taking into account severity criteria. A South African survey, conducted on 1,435 college students representing South Africa's ethnically and culturally diverse population comparable to our sample regarding the age (17-25 years), found a prevalence of 5% with a cut-off of 25 in the BITE. The majority of epidemiological community-based studies estimated the prevalence of bulimia nervosa to be 1 to 3% according to the diagnostic instruments used (self-report questionnaires versus clinical interviews) and the diagnostic criterias operationalized (DSM III, III-R or IV). The rate of occurrence of this disorder in males usually one-tenth of that in females was more decreased among our sample. However, the prevalence among males was comparable to the data of literature. Except the sex, we did not find other risk factors identified in the previous papers. Although in the bulimic group, we noted a higher rate of substance abuse (26.6% versus 15.2%, p > 0.5), familial histories of disturbed eating behaviour (26.6% versus 16.2%, p > 0.3) and less regular practice of sportive activity (72.2% versus 92.3%, p > 0.1), these differences are not statistically significant. The review of the literature identified at least 5 domains associated to bulimic disorder: parental problems (lower parental contact or separation, disruptive events), vulnerability to obesity, parental psychiatric disorder (alcoholism, depression), sexual or physical abuse and a premorbid psychiatric disorder. With the enormous media coverage and the globalisation of the media, cultural differences are disappearing. In order to estimate the prevalence of bulimia nervosa in the Moroccan population and to identify the risk factors, further epidemiological community-based studies using structured psychiatric interviews are required.

[The Sidi Frej maristan at Fez]. / Le Maristane Sidi-Frej à Fès.

Sidi Frej's maristane or Fez maristane is Marocco's main and famous maristane. It is Mérinide dynasty's maristane; its rising, apogee and worse growing are close to the extent and further ruin of this dynasty. This maristane was built by Sultan Abou Youssouf Yacoub, about 1286, imitating a merinide's architectural design in shape of Spanish architecture. In another way, Sidi Frej's maristane was a pattern for many other maristanes in Marocco or in Spain. Since the XVe century, the Merinide Sultan Abou Said Othman II must sell every maristane's properties in order to fit out his troops. Then, the maristane became a mad-house. In 1943, maristane's building burnt. A Kissaria was built at the same place and patients were removed to another maristane named Sidi Frej's new maristane at Bab Khoukha.