Frontal Theta Asymmetry as a Biomarker of Depression.

INTRODUCTION: Electroencephalography (EEG) has been used extensively to study affective disorders. Quantitative spectral analysis of an EEG scan has been used to assess the biological basis of emotional disorders such as depression as well as to investigate biomarkers of affective disorders. Inter-hemispheric asymmetries in both baseline and stimulus-evoked frequencies (alpha, beta, theta, and delta) are potential biomarkers of depression. The role of frontal alpha asymmetry has been established, but other spectral frequencies such as frontal theta remain elusive. We compared the hemispheric differences in frontal theta power in depressed patients and controls before and during listening to music to study the correlation of frontal theta asymmetry with depression. METHODS: To determine whether stimulus-evoked frontal theta asymmetry is a biomarker of depression, we compared 23 patients with mild depression (based on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) with 17 age- and sex-matched controls by conducting EEG at rest and after listening to Indian classical music. RESULTS: In controls without depression, the mean frontal theta power of the left hemisphere and frontal theta asymmetry increased significantly during music listening. In depressed patients, frontal theta asymmetry was reversed during music listening. CONCLUSION: Frontal theta asymmetry is a potential biomarker of depression.

Diagnostic and statistical manual-5: Position paper of the Indian Psychiatric Society.

The development of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (DSM-5) has been an exhaustive and elaborate exercise involving the review of DSM-IV categories, identifying new evidence and ideas, field testing, and revising issues in order that it is based on the best available evidence. This report of the Task Force of the Indian Psychiatric Society examines the current draft of the DSM-5 and discusses the implications from an Indian perspective. It highlights the issues related to the use of universal categories applied across diverse cultures. It reiterates the evidence for mental disorders commonly seen in India. It emphasizes the need for caution when clinical categories useful to specialists are employed in the contexts of primary care and in community settings. While the DSM-5 is essentially for the membership of the American Psychiatric Association, its impact will be felt far beyond the boundaries of psychiatry and that of the United States of America. However, its atheoretical approach, despite its pretensions, pushes a purely biomedical agenda to the exclusion of other approaches to mental health and illness. Nevertheless, the DSM-5 should serve a gate-keeping function, which intends to set minimum standards. It is work in progress and will continue to evolve with the generation of new evidence. For the DSM-5 to be relevant and useful across the cultures and countries, it needs to be broad-based and consider social and cultural contexts, issues, and phenomena. The convergence and compatibility with International Classification of Diseases-11 is a worthy goal. While the phenomenal effort of the DSM-5 revision is commendable, psychiatry should continue to strive for a more holistic understanding of mental health, illness, and disease.

Unusual case reports: Tardive oculogyric crisis (tardive syndromes).

We report, we believe for the first time in India, two cases of tardive oculogyric crisis in patients of schizophrenia, paranoid subtype (DSM IV code 295.30) during olanzapine therapy. Relevant data on this rare condition is discussed.

Neurocognitive deficits in HIV-positive patients-two case reports: Revising current AANTF guidelines in view of recent revelation of new neurocognitive symptoms.

Certain organic antecedents such as fever, weight loss, diarrhoea and systemic infections often present with neurocognitive deficits (NCDs). However, routine HIV screening is not done in such cases. HIV can present with psychiatric and neurocognitive symptoms as highlighted in the two cases given below.Case 1, a housewife, had been exhibiting altered behaviour following a low-grade fever over the past 3 weeks, associated with muttering to self, talking irrelevantly, would wander away from home, had decreased sleep, loss of appetite, and neglected self-care. She had displayed impulsivity by jumping into a well. On admission, the patient was mute, lethargic and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tested positive for cryptococcus. Her human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status was positive.Case 2, a housewife, presented with one-month history of muttering to self, increased irritability, aggressive on minimal provocation, decreased sleep, loss of appetite, and suspiciousness towards family members. On provisional diagnosis of schizophrenia, the patient was started on low-dose antipsychotic drugs, which showed minimal improvement. There was a distinct slowness in her movements and she progressively lost weight. Routine investigations were normal but her HIV status was positive.It has recently come to light that HIV infection also presents with subtle manifestations of the central nervous system (CNS), which are distinct from NCD and, if harnessed, could enhance diagnostic sensitivity and reduce the 'asymptomatic period'. Hence HIV testing is recommended in such cases.

Suicide and depression.

Suicide is considered to be a symptom or sequel of depression. Depressive patients (15-20%) die after committing suicide. Aetiology of suicide comprises social factors, psychological factors and biological factors. Suicide, ideational or operational must receive immediate therapeutic attention. Pharmacotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy constitute the management of suicide--Preventive strategies include primary, secondary or tertiary preventions.

Efficacy of meditation in generalized anxiety disorder.

A study was conducted to compare the efficacy of meditation with that of imipramine and chlordiazepoxide in the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. At the end of five weeks, meditation was found to be as effective as pharmacotherapy in controlling symptoms of anxiety. It was superior in altering trait anxiety (TMAS Scores). Meditation is an easy to learn and cost effective therapy. It has a distinct edge over pharmacotherapy in that it is does not have the associated problems of habit formation,-withdrawal effects, overdosage or other undesirable effects.

Effects of intravenous metoclopramide in 81 patients with tardive dyskinesia.

We compared acute effects of single intravenous administrations of metoclopramide (40 mg) and placebo in a double-blind crossover study involving 81 patients with tardive dyskinesia. Metoclopramide produced significantly greater reduction in mean total Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale score as well as in ratings for six of the seven body areas, when compared with placebo. On adjusting each patient's metoclopramide response for his or her placebo response, we found that 35 of the 81 patients had 50% or greater placebo-corrected improvement. There were no apparent clinical differences between metoclopramide responders and nonresponders. Administration of 60 mg of metoclopramide to 15 patients produced greater improvement in tardive dyskinesia as compared with 40 mg; the incidence of acute dystonia, however, jumped from 10% with 40 mg to 33% with 60 mg.

Tardive dyskinesia in India: a prevalence study.

We screened the entire inpatient population (N = 1963) of a state hospital near Bombay, India, for tardive dyskinesia (TD) using specific diagnostic criteria. Prevalence of TD was found to be 9.6%, which was much lower than that reported from the Western countries. Percent prevalence of TD was greatest in the age group 41 to 50, after which it seemed to decline. TD patients had received neuroleptic treatment for significantly longer periods and in significantly greater amounts than non-TD patients. The principal reason for the relatively low prevalence of TD in India is probably the practice of using neuroleptics in comparatively small doses (mean daily dose is about 200 mg of chlorpromazine equivalents). A possible contribution of racial-genetic factors cannot be excluded.