Hatice Turan

Evaluation of the effect of schizotypy on cannabis use predictors

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES: In this study, it was aimed to compare male persons with cannabis abuse in terms of schizotypal features with a control group paired in age, sex, and education level, and to find a subgroup in the group of cannabis use whose schizotypal points are higher than those having personality disorder as an another factor increasing the tendency of cannabis use. METHODS: A total of 251 consequent male patients aged between 18 and 65 years with cannabis use disorder were admitted to the outpatient clinics of Freedom under supervision of AMATEM of Ankara Numune Hospital for Education and Investigation. Individuals who had an education duration of at least 5 years were included in this study, as self-applied scales are used. The control group consisted of 120 healthy male volunteers matched for age, gender, and education level among physicians and other healthcare professionals from Ankara Numune Hospital and their relatives. The patients and controls were informed about this study, and their written informed consent was obtained, after which their demographic characteristics were recorded. Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR for Axis I disorders (SCID-I) and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Axis II disorders (SCID-II) were applied, and appropriate candidates were asked to complete the Schizotypal Personality Scale. Substance use was determined by routine urine tests done by the AMATEM laboratory. RESULTS: The study sample of 371 individuals consisted of 251 patients and 120 controls. The median value of schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) total score was 21 in the cannabis group. The ratio of patients with >21 points was significantly higher after participants with SPD were included in the group without personality disorder (PD) (p < .001). Also, the ratio of individuals who had first used cannabis <18 years in the group with PD (after SPD was excluded) was 44.1%, while it was 24.5% in the group without PD (p = .004). Especially, the use of cannabis, the level of education and income (p < .001), the decrease of the age of starting to use cannabis (p < .002), the existence of chronic mental illness in the family (p = .009), the increase of frequency of substance use (p < .001), and smoking and cannabis in the family (p < .001) are seen as important risk factors to predict the schizotypality. CONCLUSIONS: Although there are many studies confirming the relation between cannabis use and schizotypality, it is certain that we need to have more large-scale and longitudinal follow-up studies to help us find the direction of this relation. Knowing the direction of this relation will also help us understand the relation between cannabis use and psychosis.

Low dose olanzapine induced torticollis and treatment: A case report -

Olanzapine is a second generation antipsychotic agent that is used for the treatment of the psychotic disorders and mood disorders. Olanzapine is also known to have greater affinity for mezolimbic dopaminergic pathway than for nigrostriyatal dopamine pathway. As a result olanzapine is associated with significantly fewer extrapyramidal symptoms. Tardive dystonia is a rare side effect of antipsychotic treatment frequently causing twisting painful muscle contractions. Effective treatment choice for tardive dystonia is limited. The clinicians must consider acute dystonia neurological disorders and family history for differential diagnosis. Here we present a rare case of torticollis after 5 mg/day olanzapine treatment in a young female patient with psychotic disorder.

Cognitive schemas of women those have major depressive disorder comorbid with sexual trauma related posttraumatic stress disorder

Objective: In this study, it has been aimed to evaluate the cognitive schemas of women those have major depressive disorder (MDD) comorbid sexual trauma related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and then to compare schemas of women those have MDD comorbid PTSD with schemas of women those have MDD without comorbid PTSD. Methods: Thirty-two women those met DSM IV-TR criteria for MDD comorbid with PTSD, and 30 women have MDD without comorbid PTSD participated the study. ATQ (Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire), DAS (Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale) and YSQ-90 (Young Schema Questionnaire) were used to assessment of the beliefs, attitudes and schemas of two groups. Results: Women those have MDD comorbid with PTSD had the significantly higher scores of automatic thoughts and three early maladaptive schemas (EMS) which were failure, vulnerability and subjugation as compared with women those have no PTSD comorbidity. Women with PTSD comorbidity have also higher rates of suicidal and self-harm behaviors. Conclusion: Women those have MDD comorbid with sexual violence related PTSD had more negative beliefs, schemas and higher risk of suicidal and self-harm behaviors in comparison with women those have MDD without PTSD. Clinicians should consider these results while they establish their treatment plans and case formulations.