ABSTRACT
The core symptoms of autism are abnormalities in social interaction, communication, and behavior. The involvement of 5-HT has been suggested in neuropsychiatric disorders and particularly in autistic disorder. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of cyproheptadine, a 5-HT2 antagonist, in the treatment of autistic disorder. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we assessed the effects of cyproheptadine plus risperidone in the treatment of autistic disorder.: Thirty children between the ages of 3 and 11 years [inclusive] with a DSM-IV-TR clinical diagnosis of autism referred to the child psychiatry clinics at Sheikh and Ebn-e Sina hospitals, Mashhad, were recruited. The children presented with severely disruptive symptoms related to autistic disorder. Patients were randomly allocated to cyproheptadine + risperidone [Group A; 15 patients] and risperidone + placebo [Group B; 15 patients] for an 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The doses of risperidone and cyproheptadine were titrated up to 2 mg/day and 0.2 mg/kg/day, respectively. Patients were assessed at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks of starting medications. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale scores after 4 and 8 weeks were 40.26 +/- 2.9 and 38.56 +/- 2.38 in group A and 40.2 +/- 3.31 and 37.73 +/- 2.59 in group B, respectively. The scores improved in both groups, but the difference between them was not significant [F=0.029, d.f= 1, p=0.867]. The results suggest that the combination of cyproheptadine with risperidone is not more effective than risperidone alone. However, the results need confirmation by a larger randomized controlled trial
ABSTRACT
Infertility is a common problem which about 15-20% of couples in their fertility life suffer form it. Though the role of psychological problems as etiologic factors for infertility is in doubt but psychogenic variables and life-style absolutely play important role in infertility, on the other hand infertility itself can cause different psychological reactions like depression in individual. Therefore researchers decided to evaluate the prevalence of psychosexual disorders and the rate of depression in fertile couples and determine its correlation with infertility. Research was across sectional study and was done during one month. 30 infertile women were selected randomized among infertile couples who were admitted in Mashhad Infertility Treatment Center [Montaserieh Hospital]. These persons filled Global Sexual Functioning scale [GSF] and Hamiltion's rating scale for depression and answered a questionnaire which included information such as: age, education, job, duration of marriage and infertility treatment. According to Hamilton scale, 7 persons [%23/3] had mild depression, 16 persons [%53/3] had moderate depression, 6 persons [%20] were deeply depressed and only one person had normal mood. On the other hand sexual dysfunction were more common in couples with higher age difference. There was no correlation between age mean difference of the couples and sever and moderat depression [t=1.7, r=-0.306], but it was correlated with duration of infertility treatment [t=-2.59, r=-0.44, P<0.05], this shows the importance of more psychological attention at early stages of infertility diagnosis. There is no correlation between depression and sexual dysfunction [r=0.028] which shows sexual dysfunction in infertile couples are independent from depression