The relationship between peripheral immune cell markers and cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between peripheral immune cell markers and cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. METHODS: Thirty-five patients diagnosed with schizophrenia with a stable course and a control group of 35 individuals matched in terms of sex, education, and age were included in this cross-sectional study. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), and the Stroop Test were used for neuropsychological evaluation. Blood neutrophil and lymphocyte percentages, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) values were calculated. RESULTS: The female patients exhibited significantly higher NLR and neutrophil percentages than the female controls and higher NLR, neutrophil percentage, and SII than the male patients. The increased neutrophil percentages and NLR and decreased lymphocyte percentages in the female patients were significantly correlated with worsening Stroop interference and RAVLT 1 scores. Additionally, a longer duration of illness was significantly correlated with elevated NLR, SII, and neutrophil percentage and a decreased lymphocyte percentage. A higher number of previous hospitalizations was correlated with elevated SII and decreased lymphocyte percentages. Regression analysis showed a significant association between neutrophil percentages and Stroop interference scores used to evaluate attentional functions in patients with schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: These study results suggest that gender and the course of the illness may affect NLR and SII values. An elevated neutrophil percentage may be one of the factors affecting attentional dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia. Prospective studies are now needed to verify these findings.

Sexual Dysfunction and Childhood Trauma In Female Patients With Fibromyalgia.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a rheumatological diseases characterized by diffuse pain and stiffness accompanied with fatigue, insomnia and headache. Physical and psychological factors were implicated in sexuality of patients with FM. There are few studies investigating the effect of childhood trauma on sexuality of patients with FM. The aim of this study is to investigate effect of childhood trauma on sexuality of FM. METHODS: Thirty-six patients with FM and 29 healthy females were included in this study. The patients with FM and healthy controls were assesed in terms of sociodemographic and clinical variables, sexual function and childhood traumas. RESULTS: The healthy controls had significantly longer duration of marriage with higher rate of marriage by arrangement. Communication subscale score was significantly higher in patients with FM. General and emotional trauma scores were significantly higher in patients with FM. There was no correlation between the scores of GRSSS, CTQ and FIQ. CONCLUSION: The type of marriage and duration of marriage were important sociodemographic variables concerning sexuality in FM. This study indicated that childhood trauma was not a related factor in sexuality of FM.

The Relationship of Insight with Psychopathology and Neuropsychological Functioning in Patients with Schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of the different dimensions of insight with clinical variables, symptom severity, and cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia. METHOD: In this cross-sectional descriptive study,  66  out  patients that applied to the Karadeniz Technical University, Psychiatry Clinic and were diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV were evaluated. The patients were evaluated with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID-I), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), and the Schedule for Assessing the Three Components of Insight (SAI). Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Trail Making Test A and B and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test were applied to assess the cognitive function of each patient. RESULTS: The insight levels of the patients that were evaluated with SAI were found to be correlated with PANSS positive, negative, and general psychopathology symptom severity as well as Verbal Fluency Test and Trail Making Test A and B scores. In the multiple linear regression analysis, PANSS positive, Verbal Fluency Test and Trail Making Test A scores were determined the contributors of SAI total score. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between insight and clinical symptoms may change depending on the course of the disease and severity of symptoms. These findings emphasize the importance of frontal executive function in the relationship between insight and cognitive functions.