The story of memory and executive functions in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a case-control study

Abstract Objective Neuropsychological findings in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are mainly clustered around the role of memory and executive functions. However, outcomes vary across different OCD populations. In addition, the extent to which each of these factors can distinguish patients with OCD (PwOCD) from healthy individuals remains uncertain and attracts great attention. The present study aims to investigate the above issues. Method This was a cross-sectional study of 182 individuals (90 PwOCD and 92 matched healthy controls). After screening for inclusion and exclusion criteria, the participants were administered neuropsychological tests including, the Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT). Data were analyzed to test the study hypotheses using comparison of means and regression analysis methods. Results The results showed that PwOCD had poorer performance than the control group in Immediate Memory, General Memory, and Working Memory and also according to response inhibition indexes. The results also showed that General Memory and Reaction Time2 from the SCWT index could be predictive variables for discriminating between PwOCD and controls. Conclusion The findings of this study support the prior assumptions that PwOCD would have impaired memory dimensions and response inhibition, but did not support worse set-shifting performance. We also present an initial model for the predictive role of these neuropsychological variables in discriminating OCD from healthy individuals and increasing diagnostic accuracy.

Association between ABCB1-T1236C polymorphism and drug-resistant epilepsy in Iranian female patients

One third of epileptic patients are resistant to several anti-epileptic drugs [AED]. P-glycoprotein [P-gp] is an efflux transporter encoded by ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 1 [ABCB1] gene that excludes drugs from the cells and plays a significant role in AEDs resistance. Over-expression of P-gp could be a result of polymorphisms in ABCB1 gene. We studied the association of T129C and T1236C single-nucleotide polymorphisms [SNP] of ABCB1 gene with drug-resistant epilepsy in Iranian epileptics. DNA samples were obtained from 200 healthy controls and 332 epileptic patients, of whom 200 were drug responsive and 132 drug resistant. The frequencies of the genotypes of the two SNP were determined by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. No significant association was found between T129C and T1236C genotypes and drug-resistant epilepsy neither in adults nor in children. However, the risk of drug resistance was higher in female patients with 1236CC [P = 0.02] or CT [P = 0.008] genotype than in those with TT genotype. The risk of drug resistance was also higher in patients with symptomatic epilepsies with 1236CC [P = 0.02] or CT [P = 0.004] genotype than in those with TT genotype. The risk of drug resistance was lower in patients with idiopathic epilepsies with 129TT genotype [P = 0.001] than in those with CT genotype. Our results indicate that T1236C polymorphism is associated with drug resistance in Iranian female epileptic patients. Replication studies with large sample sizes are needed to confirm our results

[Comparing the effects of 8- week treatment with fluoxetin and imipramine on fasting blood glucose in patients with major depression disorder]

Background: this study was designed to compare the effects of fluoxetine and imipramine on fasting blood glucose [FBG] in patients with major depressive disorder

Methods: non-diabetic patients, with major depressive disorder [based on DSM-IV criteria] entered this randomized, double - blind study. Patients did not receive any medication affecting serum FBG levels at least for 2 weeks prior to the initiation of the study. Patients were assigned to receive 20 to 40 mg/day of fluoxetine or 75 to 200 mglday of imipramine for 8 weeks. Benzodiazepines were allowed when needed for anxiety, agitation or sleep. Pregnant women and patients with diabetes mellitus, and history of major heart diseases were excluded from this study. Additionally, none of the patients should have received electroconvulsive therapy [ECT] within 6 months prior to initiation of the antidepressants. FBG levels were measured at the initiation of study as well as 4 and 8 weeks after starting antidepressants

Results: nineteen patients in the fluoxetine and 24 patients in the imipramine groups completed the study. In the fluoxetine group, FBG level was decreased from 88.5 mg/dL [baseline] to 85.0 mg/dL at week 4 [P=0.73], and to 79.8mg/dL at week 8 [P<0.001]. On the other hand, in the imipramine group, FBG level was increased from 86.96 mg/dL [baseline] to 89.71 mg/dL at week 4 [P=0.079], and to 96.90 mg/dL at week 8 [P<0.001]

Conclusion: this 8-weeks study showed that FBG levels may decrease in depressive patients receiving fluoxetine and may increase in those patients treated with imipramine. Therefore, it is suggested to measure and monitor FBG before initiation and during treatment with fluoxetine and imipramine