Modification of cortical electrical activity in stroke survivors with abnormal subjective visual vertical: An eLORETA study.

Objectives: Balance impairment is among the main complications of stroke. The gravity-based subjective vertical (SV) is considered an important reference for upright posture and navigation affected by stroke. The correlation between injury location and pathological perception of verticality remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the cortico-cortical network of vertical perception among patients with the right hemisphere stroke and abnormal visual-vertical perception compared with healthy individuals. Materials and methods: This observational cross-sectional study included 40 patients with the right hemisphere stroke and 35 healthy participants. All patients had abnormal visual-vertical perception. The EEG connectivity analysis was conducted through the exact low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography analysis (eLORETA). Results: Stroke survivors manifested a power spectral density that reduced within the beta-2 frequency band in the left hemisphere and increased within the beta-3 frequency band in the right hemisphere compared with controls (p < 0.01). The lagged-phase synchronization was increased within alpha-1, beta-2, and beta-3 bands and decreased in stroke survivors compared with controls in the vestibular network involved in visual-vertical perception (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated variations in the function and functional connectivity of cortical areas involved in the visual-vertical perception that are mainly located in the vestibular cortex.

Psychometric properties of persian version of escapism scale among Iranian adolescents.

The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Escapism Scale among Iranian adolescents aged 14-18. Between January 2021 and August 2021, cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenience sampling method to select 566 participants (340 girls and 226 boys) to investigate the relationship between physical activity and mental health in adolescents. The participants completed several questionnaires, including the Escapism Scale, Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory (EPSI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Hope Scale (AHS), Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), and General Self-efficacy (GSE). Construct validity, reliability using Cronbach's alpha, and concurrent validity were used to evaluate the Escapism Scale's validity and reliability. Results of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicated that a two-factor model provided a good fit for the data: sbX2 = 179.99 (p < 0.01); SRMR = 0.07; RMR = 0.56, CFI = 0.91; NFI = 0.89; IFI = 0.91; NFI = 0.89; GFI = 0.93; AGFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.076). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for escapism was 0.73. The study found a significant positive relationship between escapism and smartphone addiction (r = 0.19). Additionally, a significant negative relationship was observed between escapism and hope (r=-0.31), satisfaction with life (r=-0.34), and general self-efficacy (r=-0.33). Furthermore, a significant relationship was found between escapism and gender. Lastly, the study found a significant relationship between escapism and identity confusion (r = 0.164, P < 0.01) and identity coherence (P < 0.01, r = 29). In conclusion, the Escapism Scale is a valid and reliable tool for assessing escapism and psychological evaluations in Iranian adolescents. These results may inform future research and suggest re-testing in clinical populations.

Evaluation of reliability and validity of the Persian version of Peters et al. delusions inventory (PDI-40) in iranian non-clinical and clinical samples.

BACKGROUND: Some individuals may manifest psychotic symptoms that do not fulfill the requisite clinical criteria for a formal diagnosis of psychosis. The assessment of susceptibility to delusions, encompassing both clinical and non-clinical cohorts, frequently makes use of the Peters et al. Delusions Inventory (PDI-40). This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Persian version of Peters et al. Delusions Inventory (PDI-40) in Iranian non-clinical and clinical samples. METHODS: The present study employed a cross-sectional, correlational design in 2020. A total of 1402 Iranian participants were recruited for the study, which consisted of three distinct stages. The first stage involved an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) conducted on a non-clinical sample of 512 participants. The second stage comprising different non-clinical sample 764 participants to perform a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). In the third stage, a clinical sample of 126 psychotic patients was compared to a non-clinical sample. All participants completed the PDI-40, the Community Assessment of Psychotic Experiences (CAPE-42), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). The internal structure of PDI-40 was examined through the analysis of its factor structure using LISREL 8.8. RESULTS: The EFA analysis unveiled nine components within Persian version of PDI-40. The CFA analysis demonstrated an excellent fit of the nine-factor structure of Persian PDI-40 to the data. The total score exhibited high internal reliability, as indicated by Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.92. Moreover, Persian PDI-40 exhibited satisfactory evidence of convergent validity, as significant correlations were observed between dimensions of PDI-40 and subscales of CAPE-42 and DASS-21. Lastly, findings indicated that psychotic participants scored higher than non-clinical participants in all components of the PDI-40(p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Persian version of the PDI-40 demonstrates strong reliability and validity for assessing delusion proneness in both non-clinical and clinical samples in Iran. The observed distinctions between psychotic and non-clinical participants underscore its potential as a valuable tool for discerning delusion proneness in diverse contexts.

The comparison of neurocognitive functions between internet-addicted, methamphetamine users, and healthy participants.

Internet use has grown substantially over the past decade. As a result, individuals are more at risk of developing internet addiction. Studies have shown that internet addiction results in neurocognitive dysfunctions. The current study aimed to compare the cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory performance of internet-addicted, at-risk internet-addicted individuals and methamphetamine users to healthy participants using the Wisconsin card sorting task, n-back, and Stroop color and word test. The results showed no significant differences between at-risk internet-addicted and internet-addicted with the healthy group in the Wisconsin card sorting task and in the Stroop test. Surprisingly, the mean n-back accuracy was not significantly different between methamphetamine users and the internet-addicted group. The mean n-back accuracy in the internet-addicted group was significantly lower than that of healthy and at-risk internet addicts. In conclusion, working memory can be impaired under the influence of internet addiction. The results can lead to develop possible intervention programs aimed at prevention of internet addiction by helping individuals identify and modify their problematic use habits, reducing internet addiction and improving cognitive functioning.

Disrupted resting-state functional connectivity of frontal network in opium use disorder.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) as a chronic relapsing disorder is initially driven by dysfunction of brain reward networks and associated with several psychiatric disorders. Resting-state EEG was recorded in 24 healthy participants as well as 31 patients with OUD. Healthy participants do not meet OUD criteria. After pre-processing of the raw EEG, functional connectivity in the frontal network using eLORETA and all networks using graph analysis method were calculated. Patients with OUD had higher electrical neuronal activity compared to healthy participants in higher frequency bands. The statistical analysis revealed that patients with OUD had significantly decreased phase synchronization in ß1 and ß2 frequency bands compared with the healthy group in the frontal network. Regarding global network topology, we found a significant decrease in the characteristic path length and an increase in global efficiency, clustering coefficient, and transitivity in patients compared with the healthy group. These changes indicated that local specialization and global integration of the brain were disrupted in OUD and it suggests a tendency toward random network configuration of functional brain networks in patients with OUD. Disturbances in EEG-based brain network indices might reflect an altered cortical functional network in OUD. These findings might provide useful biomarkers to understand cortical brain pathology in opium use disorder.

Psychometric assessment of Persian translation of Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) in Iranian college students.

BACKGROUND: Food addiction at the individual level causes physical and mental health problems, impairs individuals' social functioning, and causes dysfunction in the family system. Therefore, a tool to identify this behavioral disorder is one of the health requirements of communities. This research aimed to investigate the psychometric assessment of the Persian translation of Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) in Iranian college students. METHOD: This research was cross-sectional descriptive, and 451 students were selected by convenience sampling method. Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 (YFAS 2.0), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait, reduced (FCQ-T-r) were used to collect data. RESULTS: The confirmatory factor analysis indicated that single-factor model provides a good fit to data (SRMR = 0.078; CFI = 0.94; NFI = 0.92; IFI = 0.94; RFI = 0.91; GFI = 0.90; RMSEA = 0.078). The YFAS's 2.0 positive correlations with three DASS-21 subscales ranged from 0.30 to 0.39, and Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait, reduced (FCQ-T-r) ranged from 0.58 to 0.72. All correlations were statistically significant, indicating acceptable convergent validity (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The validity of the Persian questionnaire translation has been confirmed. Researchers and specialists can use this scale to diagnose food addiction for research or diagnostic purposes in Iranian society.

The term "food addiction" refers to the behavior of consuming highly palatable foods (such as salty, fatty, and sweet foods) in quantities beyond what is necessary to maintain a healthy diet. Some individuals may become addicted to food by consuming palatable and highly processed foods (e.g., fast food). There is growing scientific interest in food addiction. This study aims to examine the psychometric assessment of Persian translation of Yale Food Addiction Scale Version 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) In Iranian college students. Participants in the study included 451 Iranian college students who completed both questionnaires online. The results showed that the YFAS's 2.0, DASS-21, and FCQ-T-r had positive correlations indicating acceptable convergent validity. So the Persian translation YFAS 2.0 is suitable for measuring food addiction among Iranian college students, and it could be used in clinical and research settings.

Can We Predict Dissociative Experiences Based on Inner Speech in Nonclinical Population by Mediating Role of Sleep Disturbance?

ABSTRACT: Dissociative experiences include various experiences and behaviors that can cause people to feel disturbed and disconnected from reality. Individuals with dissociative experiences may exhibit various symptoms, particularly in their inner speech. The present study examined how we can predict dissociative experiences based on inner speech in nonclinical populations by mediating the role of sleep disturbance. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from university students aged 18 to 40 years ( N = 400). They were asked to complete online self-report questionnaires: Varieties of the Inner Speech Questionnaire, Dissociative Experiences Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results showed that there was a relationship between dissociative experiences and sleep disturbance ( r = 0.29, p < 0.001), dialogic inner speech ( r = 0.39, p < 0.001), condensed inner speech ( r = 0.31, p < 0.001), other people's inner speech ( r = 0.46, p < 0.001), evaluative/motivational inner speech ( r = 0.28, p < 0.001), and total inner speech score ( r = 0.48, p < 0.001). Thus, the current study showed a significant relationship among inner speech, dissociative experiences, and sleep disturbances. Inner speech was found to predict dissociative experiences by mediating sleep disturbances in the nonclinical population. Individuals with strong dissociative experiences had high scores for inner speech and sleep disturbance. The present study highlights a new area of research and its relationship to inner speech and dissociation. Future studies could further explore this new area to validate the findings reported here and support the authors' theoretical interpretation.

Predicting hallucination proneness based on mindfulness in university students: the mediating role of mental distress.

As a risk factor of hallucination proneness, the level of mindfulness has not yet been investigated in non-clinical participants. Other potential mediators, such as mental distress (depression, anxiety, and stress) which contribute to hallucination proneness also need to be assessed. This study investigated the mediating effect of mental distress in predicting hallucination proneness based on mindfulness. A number of 168 Iranian university students completed three questionnaires: (1) the five-facet mindfulness questionnaire, (2) the depression, anxiety and stress scale; and (3) the revised hallucination scale. The results showed that there was a significant association between levels of mindfulness and hallucination proneness. Mental distress has a significant effect on four facets of mindfulness questionnaire and an insignificant effect on one facet (awareness) in predicting hallucination. These effects were both direct and indirect. The indirect effect was developed by the mediating role of mental distress.

Risk and protective factors for substance use among Iranian university students: a national study.

BACKGROUND: Substance use is a major mental health concern among university students. It may result in behavioral and academic problems, psychiatric disorders, and infectious diseases. Thus, this study investigated the risk and protective factors of substance use among Iranian university students. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. A number of 7330 students were selected from 30 universities in Iran. The participants completed a researcher-designed questionnaire. It measured life time, previous year and previous month's substance use, demographic characteristics, and a body of risk and protective factors including, religious beliefs, self-esteem, stress and psychological pressure, sensation seeking, attention seeking, anger and aggression, depression and anxiety, parents' positive attitude towards substance use, lack of intimacy between family members, plus substance use, smoking cigarettes or hookah, alcohol consumption, and prescribed medications use by their family members, easy access to illegal drugs, peers' positive attitude towards substance use, peers' drug use, perceived prevalence of substance use among students, and negative attitude toward university. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Participants' anger and aggression, depression and anxiety, participants' positive attitude towards substances, low level of religious beliefs, peers and family member's substance use, and parent's positive attitude towards substance significantly and strongly predicted using cigarette/hookah, alcohol, hard drugs, and prescribed medications. Having a negative attitude toward university significantly predicted using all types of substance (except for prescribed medications). Low self-esteem predicted using cigarette/hookah, and alcohol use. Perceived availability of illegal drugs predicted hard drugs and prescribed medications' consumption. Finally, peers' positive attitude toward drugs anticipated cigarette/hookah use. CONCLUSION: Prevention programs are most needed among Iranian students. They should be comprehensive in nature and focus on students' psychoeducation about substances and their related negative consequences, plus promotion of students' life skills, and integrate family- and peer-based preventive interventions.

Coadministration of Dexamethasone and Melissa officinalis Has Neuroprotective Effects in Rat Animal Model with Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes inflammation, deformity and cell loss. It has been shown that Melissa officinalis (MO), as herbal medicine, and dexamethasone (DEX) are useful in the prevention of various neurological diseases. The present study evaluated combinational effects of DEX and MO on spinal cord injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty six adult male Wistar rats were used in this experimental study. The weight-drop contusion method was employed to induce spinal cord injury in rats. DEX and MO were administrated alone and together in different treatment groups. Intra-muscular injection of DEX (1 mg/kg) was started three hours after injury and continued once a day for seven days after injury. Intra-peritoneal (I.P) injection of MO (150 mg/ kg) was started one day after injury and continued once a day for 14 days. RESULTS: Our results showed motor and sensory functions were improved significantly in the group received a combination of DEX and MO, compared to spinal cord injury group. Mean cavity area was decreased and loss of lower motor neurons and astrogliosis in the ventral horn of spinal cord was significantly prevented in the group received combination of DEX and Melissa officinalis, compared to spinal cord injury group. Furthermore, the findings showed a significant augmentation of electromyography (EMG) recruitment index, increase of myelin diameter, and up-regulation of myelin basic protein in the treated group with combination of DEX and MO. CONCLUSION: Results showed that combination of DEX and MO could be considered as a neuroprotective agent in spinal cord injury.

Assessment of Neuroprotective Properties of Melissa officinalis in Combination With Human Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells After Spinal Cord Injury.

INTRODUCTION: The pathophysiology of spinal cord injury (SCI) has a classically bad prognosis. It has been demonstrated that human umbilical cord blood stem cells (hUCBSCs) and Melissa officinalis (MO) are useful for the prevention of neurological disease. METHODS: Thirty-six adult male rats were randomly divided into intact, sham, control (SCI), MO, hUCBSC, and MO-hUCBSC groups. Intraperitoneal injection of MO (150 mg/kg) was commenced 24 hr post-SCI and continued once a day for 14 days. Intraspinal grafting of hUCBSCs was commenced immediately in the next day. The motor and sensory functions of all animals were evaluated once a week after the commencement of SCI. Electromyography (EMG) was performed in the last day in order to measure the recruitment index. Immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and transmission electron microscopy evaluations were performed to determine the level of astrogliosis and myelination. RESULTS: The results revealed that motor function (MO-hUCBSC: 15 ± 0.3, SCI: 8.2 ± 0.37, p < .001), sensory function (MO-hUCBSC: 3.57 ± 0.19, SCI: 6.38 ± 0.23, p < .001), and EMG recruitment index (MO-hUCBSC: 3.71 ± 0.18, SCI: 1.6 ± 0.1, p < .001) were significantly improved in the MO-hUCBSC group compared with SCI group. Mean cavity area (MO-hUCBSC: 0.03 ± 0.03, SCI: 0.07 ± 0.004, p < .001) was reduced and loss of lower motor neurons (MO-hUCBSC: 7.6 ± 0.43, SCI: 3 ± 0.12, p < .001) and astrogliosis density (MO-hUCBSC: 3.1 ± 0.15, SCI: 6.25 ± 1.42, p < 0.001) in the ventral horn of spinal cord were prevented in MO-hUCBSC group compared with SCI group. CONCLUSION: The results revealed that the combination of MO and hUCBSCs in comparison with the control group has neuroprotective effects in SCI.

Lavandula angustifolia Extract Improves the Result of Human Umbilical Mesenchymal Wharton's Jelly Stem Cell Transplantation after Contusive Spinal Cord Injury in Wistar Rats.

Introduction. The primary trauma of spinal cord injury (SCI) results in severe damage to nervous functions. At the cellular level, SCI causes astrogliosis. Human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs), isolated from Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord, can be easily obtained. Previously, we showed that the neuroprotective effects of Lavandula angustifolia can lead to improvement in a contusive SCI model in rats. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of L. angustifolia (Lav) on HUMSC transplantation after acute SCI. Materials and Methods. Sixty adult female rats were randomly divided into eight groups. Every week after SCI onset, all animals were evaluated for behavior outcomes. H&E staining was performed to examine the lesions after injury. GFAP expression was assessed for astrogliosis. Somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) testing was performed to detect the recovery of neural conduction. Results. Behavioral tests showed that the HUMSC group improved in comparison with the SCI group, but HUMSC + Lav 400 was very effective, resulting in a significant increase in locomotion activity. Sensory tests and histomorphological and immunohistochemistry analyses verified the potentiation effects of Lav extract on HUMSC treatment. Conclusion. Transplantation of HUMSCs is beneficial for SCI in rats, and Lav extract can potentiate the functional and cellular recovery with HUMSC treatment in rats after SCI.