Elif Oral

Cognitive functions and serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with major depressive disorder.

OBJECTIVE We assessed major cognitive domains in major depressive disorder (MDD) compared to a healthy control group using neurocognitive tests. We hypothesized that lower serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels would be associated with poorer neurocognitive performance in patients with major depression and that these associations would be shown in healthy controls as well. METHOD Executive functions, sustaining and focusing of attention, memory functions, and verbal fluency were assessed in this study using the Trail-Making Test (TMT), Stroop Color Word Interference Test-TBAG Form (SCWT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA), Auditory Consonant Trigram test (ACTT), Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale (DST), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), and Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). RESULTS The MDD group showed significantly poorer performance than the control group in cognitive functions; they also had lower levels of BDNF than the control group. However, there was no correlation between cognitive performances and BDNF levels except in the TMT, Part B. CONCLUSIONS The current understanding of the importance of neurocognitive assessment and related biological markers in depression is improving. Further studies with larger sample sizes evaluating neurocognitive functions with molecular analyses of BDNF levels may reveal a novel marker for predicting and monitoring neurocognitive deficits in depression.

Handedness, eyedness, and hand–eye crossed dominance in patients with schizophrenia: Sex-related lateralisation abnormalities

Schizophrenia is referred to as cerebral lateralisation abnormality. In this study the possible relationships among handedness, eye dominance, and crossed and non-congruent hand–eye dominance in patients with schizophrenia are investigated. A total of 88 patients with schizophrenia and 118 controls were included in the study. The patient group included 60 men and 28 women who ranged in age from 17 to 63 years. Diagnoses were made on the basis of information provided from clinical interviews and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Handedness was ascertained by using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. Eye dominance was measured only by the near–far alignment test. Patients with schizophrenia had a significantly increased frequency of mixed-handedness and decreased frequency of both right- and left-handedness in comparison with controls. Also, the male patients with schizophrenia had significantly increased frequencies of left eye dominance, crossed hand–eye dominance, and non-congruent hand–eye dominance compared to controls, but not the female patients. Cerebral lateralisation abnormalities in schizophrenia may be associated with sex-related hormonal factors.

Mirtazapine protects against cisplatin-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage in the rat brain.

Cisplatin chemotherapy is associated with neurotoxicity, and oxidative stress might play an important role in the pathogenesis. Mirtazapine may be a preventative agent via its less‐known antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to examine the potential chemoprotective effects of mirtazapine against cisplatin‐induced oxidative stress and DNA damage.

Chronotype effects on general well-being and psychopathology levels in healthy young adults

Variations in diurnal preferences for activity and sleep have long been classified as morning and evening chronotypes. Although morning and evening-types do not differ in sleep architecture, earlier studies have revealed the association between eveningness and psychopathology. However, most of these works had been conducted only with patient samples. Additionally, previous research has also discovered that morning-types have a healthier lifestyle than evening-types. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the associations between chronotypes and general well-being and psychopathology levels in practically healthy young adults, whose physical and mental health were both examined precisely prior to the research, for the first time in the literature. We found that morning-type individuals have significantly better health conditions than evening-types. And, participants exhibiting a tendency to evening-type were more prone to develop psychological symptoms than subjects exhibiting morning-type chronobiological characteristics. Mental health professionals should be aware that eveningness may be a risk factor for mental and physical health even in currently well young adults.

A New Hypothesis about Neuronal Degeneration Appeared after a Rat Model of Menopause

Objective: Estrogen is suggested to be one of the most important regulators of neuronal function, including neuronal proliferation, survival and plasticity. There is a broad consensus that the loss of ovarian hormones is associated with neurodegeneration in the hippocampus that leads to cognitive impairment. Methods: A total of 8 female rats which were subjected to bilateral ovariectomy were included in this study. After ovariectomy, the rats were housed for 123 days in a standard laboratory. At the end of the 123 days, the rats were euthanized and the brain sections were investigated by conventional light microscopic and electron microscopic techniques. Results: The regular structure of almost all axon extensions was lost. The majority of these extensions had a sawtooth-like appearance in longitudinal section profiles. Especially in transfer section profiles of myelinated axons, some morphological changes were shown which may be matched up with light microscopic findings. Conclusions: Deficiency of estrogen will initially affect microtubule organization. When this organization breaks down, it will physically cause the distribution of the normal structure of axonal plasmalemma. This in turn will lead to the distribution of physical organizations of estrogen and other different types of receptors which are placed in both the membrane and microtubules in the axon.

Earthquake experience and preparedness in Turkey

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to measure and compare the level of earthquake preparedness of individuals living in Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey, evaluate whether prior earthquake experience has an impact on earthquake preparedness and discuss the cultural factors that may play a role in determining the level of preparedness. Design/methodology/approach – Three locations were identified for the study. Askale and Ercis district had experienced a major earthquake where Erzurum City Center had no major earthquake experience. A total of 174 participants were included in the study. Earthquake preparation was assessed using the Turkish version of the Wellington Earthquake Preparedness Scale by Spittal et al. (2006). Findings – The results showed a significant relationship between the place of living, earthquake experience and preparation. Those who had prior earthquake experience had higher preparation than those who had no prior earthquake experience. Home owners had taken more steps to prepare fo...

Panic disorder and subthreshold panic in the light of comorbidity: a follow-up study

Especially in the presence of agoraphobia and comorbid conditions, panic disorder causes significant impairment in life quality. Although there are several studies about epidemiology and clinical features, subthreshold symptoms and courses of comorbidity have not been studied sufficiently in panic disorder. The current study assessed the courses of panic disorder and subthreshold panic symptoms in consideration of the major and subthreshold comorbid conditions. Patients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition-diagnosed panic disorder were assessed using the panic disorder follow-up questionnaire, Panic and Agoraphobia Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders was used to determine comorbidity, and all participants were received to 1-year follow-up. Comorbidity assessment showed that the threshold comorbidity decreased, while the subthreshold comorbidity increased at 1-year follow-up. Panic disorder symptom severity was decreased, but subthreshold panic symptoms continued to be present within the course of the illness. Presence of agoraphobia and duration of disease were significantly related with higher Panic and Agoraphobia Scale scores in the second assessment, and these relationships were independent from the treatment process. Even if the comorbidity and the severity of panic decrease with treatment, subthreshold panic and comorbid symptoms may still resist in panic disorder.

Maternal age and number of children are risk factors for depressive disorders in non-perinatal women of reproductive age

Abstract Objective. It remains unclear whether or not the vulnerability of depression in women of reproductive age is related with pregnancy or perinatal period. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of depressive disorders and related factors in a large sample of non-perinatal women of reproductive age. Method. This study involved 589 women of reproductive age. At baseline, sociodemographic data and premenstrual assessment forms were completed, and screening tests for the assessment of the severity of depressive symptoms were administered to all of the participants. Participants who had over scale scores of the cut-off point in the screening instruments were assessed with module A of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID-I) to determine DSM IV Axis I disorders. Results. The prevalence of depressive disorders was 32.8%. Depressive disorders had high rates in women who were married at younger ages and who had three or more children. Although the prevalence of depressive disorders was 32.8%, only 10.4% of the women had follow-up and treatment in a psychiatric outpatient clinic. Conclusion. Low education levels, early maternal age, and having more than three children and higher premenstrual symptom scores were risk factors for depressive disorders in non-perinatal reproductive age.

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor differences between the luteal and follicular phases in premenstrual dysphoric disorder

OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that comparison of the serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels between women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and women without PMDD in the luteal and follicular phases of their menstrual cycles would reflect the altered neuromodulator responses that compensate the underlying pathogenesis in PMDD. METHOD Twenty-nine participants without PMDD and 20 with PMDD were enrolled in the study. The serum BDNF, estrogen and progesterone levels were assessed at the follicular and luteal phases in their two consecutive menstrual cycles. RESULTS Participants with PMDD had significantly higher luteal serum BDNF levels than the control subjects. The serum BDNF levels were significantly higher in the luteal phase than in the follicular phase in women with PMDD. The difference in the serum BDNF levels between the luteal and follicular phases were significantly higher in the PMDD patients than in the control. CONCLUSIONS The higher serum BDNF levels in the luteal phase in the PMDD patients may reflect compensatory process that results in subsequent improvement of the PMDD-associated depressive symptoms in the follicular phase. The higher difference in the serum BDNF levels between the phases in PMDD patients may reflect an altered neuromodulator response.

Biyolojik ritmi etkileyen psikotrop ilaçlar

Birçok canlı organizmada, omurgalı ve memeli canlıda olduğu gibi insanda da biyolojik işlevler çeşitli aralıklarla salınan ritimlerle yürür. Sirkadyen, ultradien ve infradian ya da daha uzun aralıklarla salınan iç ritimlerimiz kendi iç düzenlerini her şartta devam ettiren, bağımsız biyolojik organizasyonlardır. Biyolojik olarak kendiliğinden işleyen, istikrarlı bir yol varsa da, gerek psikiyatrik hastalıklar ve gerekse de psikotrop ilaçlar bu iç ritimleri değiştirebilir. Psikotrop ilaçlar, etki düzeneklerindeki nörotransmmitter ya da nöromediatörler vasıtasıyla doğrudan veya daha uzun vadede hormonal ya da genetik değişikliklere neden olarak da biyolojik ritimler üzerine etkili olabilir. Biyolojik ritim düzensizliklerinin duygudurum bozuklukları açısından hem neden hem de sonuç olarak önemine dikkat çeken birçok çalışma vardır. Duygudurum bozukluklarının takip ve tedavisinde psikofarmakolojik ajanların biyolojik ritimlere olan muhtemel etkisi de değerlendirilmesi önemlidir.