Armağan Özdemir

Relationship between orthorexia and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients with generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder -

Orthorexia nervosa (ON) refers to an intense desire to consume healthy or biologically pure food that is free of artificial products. ON is not regarded as a separate eating disorder, but its clinical presentation shares common features with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders. The current study examined 136 patients who were diagnosed with OCD (n = 49), panic disorder (n = 44), and generalized anxiety disorder (n = 37). Padua Inventory Washington State University Revision (PI-WSUR), The Eating Attitudes Test-40 (EAT-40), and the ORTO-11 test were given to the participants. There were no significant differences between patient groups in the mean scores of eating attitudes and orthorexia symptom severity. No significant association between ORTO-11 scores and body mass index was noted. Moderate correlations (r > 0.30) were obtained between orthorexia symptom severity and obsessive-compulsive symptom severity, EAT-40 total score, and checking and dressing/grooming compulsions. These findings suggest that ON, a pathological inclination towards an obsession with healthy eating, is not specifically associated with any of the investigated illness groups. However, it has moderate correlations with the ritualistic signs of OCD. Underlying worry may predispose people to develop a compulsion to create the pure diet.

The relationship of Chlamydophila pneumoniae with schizophrenia: The role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in this relationship

Several pathogens have been suspected of playing a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Chronic inflammation has been proposed to occur as a result of persistent infection caused by Chlamydophila pneumoniae cells that reside in brain endothelial cells for many years. It was recently hypothesized that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) may play prominent roles in the development of schizophrenia. NT-3 and BDNF levels have been suggested to change in response to various manifestations of infection. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the roles of BDNF and NT3 in the schizophrenia-C. pneumoniae infection relationship. RT-PCR, immunofluorescence and ELISA methods were used. Fifty patients suffering from schizophrenia and 35 healthy individuals were included as the patient group (PG) and the healthy control group (HCG), respectively. We detected persistent infection in 14 of the 50 individuals in the PG and in 1 of the 35 individuals in the HCG. A significant difference was found between the two groups (p<0.05). Twenty-two individuals in the PG and 13 in the HCG showed seropositivity for past C. pneumoniae infection, and no difference was observed between the groups (p>0.05). C. pneumoniae DNA was not detected in any group. A significant difference in NT-3 levels was observed between the groups, with very low levels in the PG (p<0.001). A significant difference in BDNF levels was also found, with lower levels in the PG (p<0.05). The mean serum NT-3 level was higher in the PG cases with C. pneumoniae seropositivity than in seronegative cases; however, this difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). In conclusion, we suggest that NT-3 levels during persistent C. pneumoniae infection may play a role in this relationship.

Binge Eating Disorder

Tikinircasina Yeme Bozuklugu, yeme davranisi uzerine kontrol kaybinin hissedildigi, tekrarlayan asiri yeme donemleriyle kendini gosteren ve kisinin tikinircasina yeme nobetlerinin yol acabilecegi etkileri giderebilmek icin bir takim yontemlere basvurmadigi bir yeme bozuklugudur ve Mental Bozukluklarin Tani ve Istatistiginin Elkitabi’nda yeni bir yeme bozuklugu olarak siniflandirilmistir. Tikinircasina Yeme Bozuklugu’nun, eriskinlerde gorulen en yaygin yeme bozuklugu oldugu ifade edilmektedir. Tikinircasina Yeme Bozuklugu’nda obeziteyle iliskili tibbi komplikasyonlar, yeme bozukluguna bagli psikopatolojiler ve baska ruhsal bozukluklar da gorulebilmektedir; ve butun bunlar kiside onemli rahatsizliklara yol acmakta, bireyin yasam kalitesinin dusmesine ve sosyal iliskilerinin bozulmasina neden olmaktadir. Tikinircasina Yeme Bozuklugu’nun tedavisi ilac tedavileri, psikoterapi ve bariatrik cerrahiden olusmaktadir. Bu derlemede, Tikinircasina Yeme Bozuklugu’nun tanimi, epidemiyolojisi, etiyolojisi, klinik ozellikleri ve agirlikli olarak tedavisi tartisilmistir.