Halit Yasar

Cross-culturally modified University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test for a Turkish population.

Background The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) is a well-developed and popular olfactory test, which has been validated in various populations. However, there was only one study in a Turkish population, and this study indicated that the North American version of the UPSIT was not enough to evaluate the olfactory functions of Turkish population. So, we developed a cross-cultural adaptation of the UPSIT, the UPSIT-Turkish (UPSIT-T). Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate the applicability of the UPSIT-T in healthy Turkish subjects. Material and Methods The study included 51 healthy individuals who reported having normal olfactory function. The participants were administered the North American version of the UPSIT firstly, and then, after a day UPSIT-T was applied to the participants. The results of two smell tests were compared, and the applicability of UPSIT-T was evaluated. Results The mean (standard deviation) value for correctly identified odors was 27.2 ± 5.7 (range, 14–38) with the UPSIT application, whereas the mean (standard deviation) value for correctly identified odors was 35.9 ± 3.1 for UPSIT-T. There was a statistically significant increase in the scores of the participants when UPSIT-T was performed (p < 0.001). The identification rates of 10 test odorants were <80% for our study group, and 2 of 10 were <70% for the UPSIT-T. Conclusion The UPSIT-T modification is an adequate olfactory test for clinical use in a Turkish population.

Migren hastalarında atak olmayan dönemde koku tanımlama testi ile koku fonksiyonunun değerlendirilmesi

Objective: Despite the fact that there are many studies about the osmo- phobia and migraine, we have very little knowledge about the olfactory abilities of migraineurs during the period between the attacks. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the olfactory function of migraineurs during the period without headaches with odor identification test. Methods: Two hundred and ninety healthy people aged 16 to 65 years (152 female, 138 male) and 84 migraine patients aged 18 to 55 years (47 female, 37 male) were studied. The participants with migraine were selected from the patients who applied to headache outpatient clinic for assessment. Participants, appropriate to the study, were physically and neurologically examined in detail and then they were taken to the test room in order to be screened with Short Smell Test Battery of GATA Haydarpafla (GULTEST). Results: The mean GULTEST score of the migraine group was less than the healthy group and the difference was significant. The effect of gender, cigarette smoking and disease status (migraine) on GULTEST scores was evaluated by linear regression model. It was found that females had higher odor identification scores than males in both migraineurs and controls. On the other hand, cigarette smoking had a significant negative effect on GULTEST scores. Furthermore, migraine had a significant negative effect on GULTEST scores. Conclusion: Our study showed that even during the headache-free peri- od, migraineurs might have reduced olfactory abilities.

Remission in visual hallucinatory experiences after citalopram treatment in a patient with dementia: Citalopram in hallucinations

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Is cognitive processing affected in adults with hypospadias?: P300 study

Abstract Background: Hypospadias is a common urogenital system disorder. The frenulum, which is the most sensitive area of the glans penis, is not present in patients with hypospadias. This may lead to a failure in sexual and ejaculatory function, and cause emotional problems affecting cognitive processes. Aim: We aimed to study auditory Event Related Potentials (ERP) in patients with hypospadias to understand the status of cognitive function. Materials and Methods: Seventeen patients with hypospadias who presented to the Urology Outpatient Clinic of Çanakkale Military Hospital, and 11 healthy individuals of similar age were chosen. The auditory oddball paradigm with ERP from the Cz and Fz head regions were studied. The latency and amplitude of the P300 wave were measured. Results: Both, the study and control groups consisted of young males. Although the study group had a longer P300 latency and lower P300 amplitude when compared to control group, the results were not statistically significant (p: 0.059 and 0.346 respectively). Conclusion: Although the results are not statistically significant, our findings indicate that there may be cognitive changes in patients with hypospadias. Further studies of larger sample size and older patient cohorts are needed.

Is Further Examination Necessary in Patients with Behçet's Disease Without Any Neurological Signs or Symptoms? -

Background and Purpose: A mean percentage of 5% was reported for neurological involvement in researches related to Behcets disease. The neurological involvement may be characterized by headache, neuropsychiatric symptoms, brain stem involvement, cerebral venous thrombosis or peripheral nervous system involvement. Sometimes neurological involvement may be seen without any neurological sign or symptom. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the cognitive, psychiatric and neurophysiological responses in Behcets disease without neurological sign and symptom. Methods: The study was performed on patients with Behcets disease without neurological signs and symptoms and healthy volunteers that would make the control group. The patients were assessed with Mini Mental State Examination, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, nerve conduction study and visually evoked potential. Results: A total of 27 male patients (age: 24.88±5.45 years) were enrolled in the study. Neurological examinations of all the patients were normal. Mean Mini Mental State Examination score of the patients was 29.62±0.79 (2 patients had loss of focus, 2 patients had disturbance in the copying function) and 2 patients had mild depression in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. In the nerve conduction study, 2 patients had right sensory-motor carpal tunnel syndrome, 1 patient had right sensory-motor carpal tunnel syndrome - bilateral ulnar nerve entrapment. In the visually evoked potential examination, 8 patients had prolonged P100 latency, decreased amplitude and disturbance of wave morphology. Conclusion: Visually evoked potential examination may be used as a conductive method to detect the subclinical neurological pathologies in Behcets disease. The possible silent neurological involvement should be evaluated with further neuro-screening methods.

HEMORRHAGIC BULLOUS LESION AFTER RIVASTIGMINE PATCH TREATMENT

randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multinational study targeted enrollment of 420 subjects with mild-to-moderate AD (MiniMental Status Examination [MMSE] score of 12-24, inclusive). Subjects receiving stable doses of donepezil or rivastigmine were randomized to ABT-126 (25mg or 75mg QD) or placebo for 24 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change from baseline to Week 24 in the 11-item Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog) total score. It was analyzed by mixed-effects model for repeated measures using factors of treatment, site, visit and treatment-by-visit interaction, with baseline score and baseline-by-visit interaction as covariates. All P values shown are one-sided. A prespecified subgroup analysis examined the effects of ABT-126 by baseline disease severity (MMSE 12-19 or 20-24). Adverse events (AEs) were monitored, and sparse pharmacokinetic samples were collected.Results: The study randomized 434 patients with mean (SD) age of 75.1 (7.7) years and mean (SD) baseline MMSE of 18.9 (4.4) (no significant difference across treatment groups). Fifty-seven (13.1%) subjects prematurely discontinued (comparable across treatment groups). Neither dose of ABT-126 separated significantly from placebo on the 11-item ADAS-Cog (LS mean [SE] difference from placebo: 25 mg: -0.80 [0.59], P 1⁄40.087; 75 mg: -0.13 [0.59], P 1⁄40.416). In subjects with mild AD (MMSE 20-24), the treatment difference between 25 mg ABT-126 and placebo on the ADASCog was more pronounced (1.44 point improvement over placebo at Week 24, P 1⁄40.022). ABT-126 plasma levels were consistent with predictions. Among treatment groups, AE and serious AE rates (SAE) were comparable (placebo, 25 mg, and 75 mg): AE (68%, 64%, 70%), SAE (8.9%, 6.3%, 6.9%). Common AEs are shown in Table 1. Conclusions: ABT-126 did not improve performance on the AD AS-Cog in subjects with mild-to-moderate AD, but in subjects with mild AD the 25 mg dose showed a small, statistically significant improvement versus placebo. ABT-126 had an adequate safety profile in these mild-to-moderate AD patients.