Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology最新文献

Background: This study aimed to determine the magnitude of perceived stress among cancer patients in the first year of diagnosis and to reveal the effects of stress levels and emotion regulation skills on attachment styles.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 200 patients enrolled in a medical oncology outpatient clinic in the first year of cancer diagnosis. Attachment styles were determined using the Adult Attachment Style Scale. Stress levels and emotion regulation skills were assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Emotion Regulation Skills Questionnaire (ERSQ). The participants were questioned about their cohabitant status and caregiver preferences.

Results: The analyses revealed that almost half of the participants (n = 99) had high stress levels (P = .001), and most (69%) had a secure attachment style. The results indicate that secure attachment styles had a weak negative correlation with PSS scores (r = -0.191; P = .007) and a weak positive, statistically significant correlation with ERSQ scores (r = 0.297; P < .001). The study found that perceived stress during the first year after diagnosis had a significant effect on the development of insecure attachment styles (Exp(B): 1.051; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.009-1.095; P < .05). Emotion regulation skills affect insecure attachment styles, as indicated by the statistical analysis (Exp(B): 0.982; 95% CI, 0.965-0.999; P < .05).

Conclusion: Our findings support the idea that stress levels and emotion regulation affect attachment styles. Awareness of attachment theory and the effects of different forms of insecure attachment on patients is essential to improving their ability to better understand and meet their support needs.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neuropsychiatric condition with a multifactorial etiology, involving both genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Valproic acid (VPA), a commonly used antiepileptic drug, has been shown to induce ASD-like behaviors in rodent models, making it a valuable tool for studying the pathophysiology of ASD. This study aims to explore the effects of VPA on behavior and the microbiota in a mouse model of ASD.

Methods: C57BL/6 mice were used in this study, with pregnant females receiving a single intraperitoneal injection of VPA (450 mg/kg) or a saline solution on gestational day E12.5. Behavioral assessments, including the Three-Chamber Social Test, Elevated Plus Maze, Marble Burying Test, Open Field Test, and Light-Dark Box Test, were conducted on 8-week-old mice. Oral and fecal samples were collected for microbiota analysis, and gene expression profiling was performed on brain samples.

Results: VPA-treated mice exhibited significant deficits in social interaction, anxiety-like behaviors, and repetitive actions. Microbiota analysis revealed significant shifts in the composition of both oral and fecal microbial communities in VPA-treated mice, with reductions in alpha diversity and changes in the relative abundance of specific taxa. Gene set variation analysis of mice harboring VPA-induced microbiota identified notable discrepancies in metabolic pathways, suggesting that the dysbiosis may modulate the expression of genes involved in critical metabolic processes.

Conclusion: The present study provides evidence that VPA exposure during early development can induce ASD-like behaviors in mice, along with significant changes in the composition of the microbiota. These findings underscore the complex interplay between environmental factors, such as VPA, and the microbiota in the pathophysiology of ASD. The study lays the groundwork for future research aimed at developing targeted interventions to mitigate the symptoms of ASD and other neuropsychiatric disorders, potentially through modulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the awareness and attitude toward hospice and palliative care among healthcare professionals in a tertiary hospital in China.

Methods: A convenience sampling method was utilized to collect data from healthcare professionals in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China. A self-designed questionnaire was employed with reference to existing tools. The survey collected participants' demographic information, previous training experience, as well as assessed their knowledge and attitudes toward hospice and palliative care.

Results: Two hundred ninteen participants were recruited. One hundred seventy-two individuals (78.5%) demonstrated awareness of hospice and palliative care. Compared to staff in other sections, healthcare professionals in the geriatrics department exhibited significantly higher levels of awareness (P = .011). Only 47 individuals (21.5%) reported having received prior training in hospice and palliative care. Two hundred nine participants (95.4%) expressed demands for further training in the related field. Further analysis revealed significant differences in the overall scores of hospice and palliative care attitudes among healthcare professionals with different educational backgrounds (P = .036). Professionals with master's and doctoral degrees scored significantly higher than those with bachelor's degrees. Healthcare professionals between the ages of 36 and 45 demonstrated higher scores than their younger counterparts, particularly in domains related to the perception and usage of hospice and palliative care (P = .020). Physicians in the geriatrics department exhibited significantly higher scores than nurses regarding attitudes toward illness and individuals with end-stage diseases.

Conclusion: Healthcare professionals in tertiary hospitals possess a certain level of awareness and recognition of hospice and palliative care. This will provide an important basis for the promotion of hospice and palliative care in tertiary hospitals. Tertiary hospitals should establish hospice and palliative training centers, organize multidisciplinary cooperation teams, and carry out life and death education starting with healthcare professionals.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests in early childhood and often affects children's daily life and academic performance, impairing their psychological development and potentially influencing their personality. The concurrent yearly increase in the incidence of allergic diseases and ADHD among children has prompted researchers to explore the association between these 2 health issues. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common allergic diseases and is characterized by chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa. The prevalence of AR increases from infancy through adolescence and then decreases with further aging. The relationship between ADHD and AR has garnered significant attention from researchers recently, although it remains a topic of debate. Numerous studies have suggested a correlation, while some have reported conflicting results. Furthermore, the precise mechanisms underlying their coexistence have not been fully elucidated. This review summarizes the literature on ADHD and AR both domestically and internationally. It highlights their interrelationship and potential comorbid mechanisms, thereby providing new perspectives on the pathogenesis of ADHD and informing long-term treatment and management strategies.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the nursing effect of individualized health education combined with cognitive training on clopidogrel treatment in elderly stroke patients.

Methods: One hundred and twelve elderly stroke patients treated in our neurology department from January to June 2019 were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The control group received clopidogrel therapy, conventional nursing, rehabilitation exercises, and conventional health education. The experimental group received the same treatment plus individualized health education and cognitive training. The intervention effect was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), the Health Education Questionnaire, the activity of daily living scale (ADL), and the Nurse Job Satisfaction Questionnaire before intervention, at 4 weeks and at 12 weeks.

Results: After 4 and 12 weeks of intervention, patients in both groups showed improvements in MoCA scores, health education awareness rate, ADL scores, and nurses' job satisfaction compared to baseline. Moreover, the experimental group exhibited higher scores than the control group (P < .05), with statistically significant differences (P < .05).

Conclusion: Individualized health education combined with cognitive training effectively enhances cognitive function, stroke awareness, health education adherence, and self-care ability in elderly stroke patients receiving clopidogrel treatment, thereby improving their overall quality of life.

Chronic somatic symptoms are hallmarks of somatic symptom disorder (SSD), characterized by notable disruptions in the day to day lives of affected patients. Risperidone is an effective augmenting agent for treatment-resistant major depressive and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Although various antidepressants have been used for the pharmacotherapy of SSDs, no guidelines have been formulated for treatment-resistant or severe SSDs. To date, the efficacy of risperidone augmentation for the treatment of antidepressant-resistant SSD has not been reported. Here, we report the case of a 68-year-old female patient with SSD and comorbid persistent depressive disorder. Upon admission, laboratory tests revealed no abnormalities except for a high triglyceride level. Psychosocial functioning and depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Global Assessment of Functioning and Beck Depression Inventory II. The severe and persistent symptoms of the patient were remarkably alleviated following low-dose risperidone augmentation with mirtazapine combined with desvenlafaxine. Furthermore, notable therapeutic effect of risperidone augmentation was observed following a significant reduction in the subjective distress of the patient and functional recovery within a short period. Our report suggests that early augmentation with risperidone facilitates the analgesic effect of serotonergic/noradrenergic antidepressants and contributes significantly to the rapid amelioration of SSD severity.

Background: This study investigates the clinical efficacy of a combined treatment approach involving sleep induction intervention and lorazepam in managing insomnia disorder.

Methods: This study enrolled a sample of 150 individuals diagnosed with insomnia disorder, consecutively admitted to our clinic from June 2021 to June 2023. Following randomization, the participants were divided into 2 groups: observation and control groups. Both groups were administered lorazepam treatment, with the observation group receiving sleep induction intervention and the control group receiving routine nursing. After the 4-week treatment period, relevant observation indicators were assessed to evaluate the efficacy of sleep improvement in both patient intervention groups.

Results: Compared to the control group that received only lorazepam treatment, the observation group, who underwent sleep induction intervention, showed a better treatment effectiveness rate, sleep quality, and psychological state regarding the treatment of sleep disorders (P < .05).

Conclusion: Sleep induction intervention can improve the overall treatment effectiveness rate of sleep disorders, enhance sleep quality, and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Background: Core beliefs are cognitive structures that shape one's fundamental assumptions about the self, the external environment, and the future. They play a pivotal role in the development of numerous mental pathologies. The Core Beliefs Questionnaire (CBQ) is one of the inventories developed to evaluate core beliefs. It is comprised of 3 versions: "Trait (CBQT)," "Contingent (CBQC)," and "Others (CBQO)." This study aims to examine the validity and reliability of the CBQ in a Turkish sample.

Methods: The study included 2 groups: a group of individuals diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (n = 150) and a group of healthy individuals (n = 150). A "Socio-demographic Data Form," the "CBQ," the "Social Comparison Scale (SCS)," the "State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)," the "Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)," and the "Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)" were administered to the participants.

Results: : Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the construct validity of all 3 versions of the CBQ. Furthermore, Cronbach's α analyses showed that all three versions were highly reliable (GAD group: CBQTα = 0.93, CBQCα = 0.96, and CBQOα = 0.96, control group: CBQTα = 0.95, CBQCα = 0.98, and CBQOα = 0.94). The GAD group had significantly higher negative core beliefs compared to the healthy control group.

Conclusion our research findings indicate that the cbq is a valid and reliable measure for assessing core beliefs in: clinical and non-clinical samples. While the majority of research on GAD has concentrated on particular cognitive processes, such as worry and uncertainty, this study demonstrated that individuals with GAD may have a multitude of negative core beliefs.

Bipolar disorder is a complex mental disorder that often requires long-term medication management. Lithium carbonate is widely used to prevent and treat the recurrence of bipolar disorder. However, even with normal serum lithium levels, some rare but serious side effects may occur. This case report describes a 42-year-old female patient with bipolar disorder who experienced "electrical shock-like" convulsions after taking lithium carbonate sustained-release tablets, despite having normal serum lithium concentrations. The patient had a history of emotional instability for 27 years, and no obvious psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions were found upon psychiatric examination at admission. On the 33rd day of medication, the patient began to experience frequent rapid convulsions in the head, neck, and upper body. Considering the possibility of drug side effects, lithium carbonate was discontinued, and the convulsions subsequently subsided. Electroencephalogram (EEG) examination showed no abnormalities. After 10 days of treatment, the convulsions had essentially disappeared. This case reminds clinicians that even with normal serum lithium levels, toxic symptoms may occur, and close monitoring of the patient's clinical manifestations and serum lithium levels is essential. Additionally, poor diet and reduced sodium intake may increase the risk of lithium toxicity, so these factors should also be taken into consideration.

Background: During the Coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, various scales were developed to assess mental health issues linked to the virus. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish adaptation of the Fear of Illness and Virus Evaluation (FIVE)-Adult Report Form (ARF).

Methods: Individuals aged 18 and above who consented to participate were given access to the questionnaire after being informed about the study's objectives. Authorization for the translation was obtained from the original form's creator.

Results: A total of 466 participants took part in the study. The explanatory factor analysis revealed that items 1-9 assessed fears related to contamination and illness, items 10-19 focused on fears concerning social distancing, and items 20-33 addressed behaviors associated with fears of disease and viruses. Items 34 and 35, which measured the impact of illness and virus fears, were found to load onto the factor related to fears of contamination and illness. The scale explained 44.5% of the total variance. The internal consistency reliability coefficients were 0.902 for the contamination and illness fears subscale, 0.905 for the social distancing fears subscale, 0.777 for behaviors related to illness and virus fears, and 0.916 for the scale.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that the Turkish adaptation of the FIVE-ARF has a 3-factor structure and demonstrates strong validity and reliability for use within the Turkish population.