Lexical access in Persian normal speakers: picture naming, verbal fluency and spontaneous speech

Lexical access is the process by which the basic conceptual, syntactical and morpho-phonological information of words are activated. Most studies of lexical access have focused on picture naming. There is hardly any previous research on other parameters of lexical access such as verbal fluency and analysis of connected speech in Persian normal participants. This study investigates the lexical access performance in normal speakers in different issues such as age, sex and education. The performance of 120 adult Persian speakers in three tasks including picture naming, verbal fluency and connected speech, was examined using "Persian Lexical Access Assessment Package". The performance of participants between two gender groups [male / female], three education groups [below 5 years / above 12 years / between 5 and 12 years] and three age groups [18 - 35 years / 36 - 55 years / 56 - 75 years] were compared. According to findings, picture naming increased with increasing education and decreased with increasing age. The performance of participants in phonological and semantic verbal fluency showed improvement with age and education. No significant difference was seen between males and females in verbal fluency task. In the analysis of connected speech there were no significant differences between different age and education groups and just mean length of utterance in males was significantly higher than females. The findings could be a primitive scale for comparison between normal subjects and patients in lexical access tasks, furthermore it could be a horizon for planning of treatment goals in patients with word finding problem according to age, gender and education

[ efficacy of an integrated treatment in comparison with treatment as usual in a group of children and adolescents with first-episode psychosis during a two -year follow-up]

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of an integrated treatment [IT] versus treatment as usual [TAU] in a group of inpatient children and adolescents with first episode psychosis [FEP] during a two year follow up. In a randomized controlled trial, 40 children and adolescents with FEP based on DSM-IV criteria were recruited from referrals to Robe Hospital [Tehran, Iran]. They were divided into a TAU group [N=20], and an IT group [N=20] who received a low dose of atypical antipsychotic medications and family psycho-education program, and were followed up by telephone contacts. All participants were evaluated at admission and discharge as well as in 6, 12, 18 and 24 month intervals using the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version-Persian Version [K-SADS-PLPV], Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale [PANSS], Young Mania Rating Scale [YMRS], Children's Depression Inventory [CDI], Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HAM-D], Global Assessment of Functioning Scale [GAF], and Children Global Assessment Scale [CGAS]. Statistical methods consisted of analysis of independent t and x[2] for qualitative variables, and random effect regression model for quantitative variables. The two groups showed significant improvement in all outcome measures at different time-points. The rate and duration of recurrences were lower in the IT group compared to the TAU group. All of the other outcome measures were comparable in the two groups and there was no difference between them in different follow-up periods. Integrated treatment may decrease the rate and duration of recurrences in children and adolescents with FEP

[Compare the efficacy of lithium carbonate and sodium valproate in treatment of bipolar children and adolescents in acute phase [mixed and mania] treatment at Roozbeh hospital]

To compar the efficacy of lithium carbonate and sodium valproate in treatment of bipolar children and adolescents in acute phase [mixed and mania] in 6 week treatment at Roozbeh hospital. A double-blind and randomized controlled clinical trial in 30 patient [8-18 years] for a 6 week trial patients were diagnosed based on DSM-IV criteria through clinical interview and K-SADS. MRS and CGAS were used to measure the severity of symptoms and the level of functional impairment patients categorized into 2 groups randomly. In both groups means of MRS decreased [at the end of 3[rd] and 6[th] weeks] and there was no significant difference between two groups. Means of CGAS had significant difference between two groups at 3[rd] week [p<0.05]. patient who received sodium valproate had more improvement in function, but it was not at end of 6[th] week. The study demonstrated the same amount of decrease in sign and severity of symptoms and the same improvement in global functioning in tow groups. It seems that the efficacy of lithium carbonate and sodium valproate in acute phase of bipolar disorder is the same greater improvement of functioning at the end of the 3[rd] week in valproate group comparing to the lithium group suggests that sodium valproate may act faster than lithium carbonate. This replicate in future research

[Reliability of the Persian translation of the composite international diagnostic interview [CIDI] for diagnosing schizophrenia and bipolar disorder]

This study aimed to assess the reliability of the Persian version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview [CIDI] for a lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder according to DSM-IV and lCD-10. This project was conducted at three stages of translation of the instrument, reliability assessment and validation, and feasibility and diagnostic reliability assessments for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia using a test-retest methodology. Trained interviewers administered the instrument twice [at 3-7 days' interval] to 100 clients at four university centers [complete CIDI on 65 persons and psychosis/mania module on 35 persons]. Test-retest reliability of CIDI for bipolar disorder was moderate in DSM-IV diagnostic system and poor in ICD-10. Test-retest reliability of CIDI for schizophrenia was poor in both diagnostic systems. The results showed that the diagnostic reliability was good only for bipolar disorder in DSM-IV, otherwise it was not acceptable. However, since the samples were selected from the clinical population, the results cannot be generalized to the normal population. According to the results, adaptation of the key questions to the Persian culture must be considered

[Effects of two types of computer assisted intervention on spelling scores of primary school children with attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder]

This study assessed the effects of computer games and computer assisted typing instructions on spelling scores of primary school children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]. In this single blind clinical trial, 37 primary school children with ADHD were assigned to group 1 [n=17] and group 2 [n=20]. The children in group 1 played computer games in 8 one-hour sessions [three times a week], while the children in group 2 received 8 one-hour sessions of typing instructions [three times a week]. Twelve school's spelling scores were obtained; pre-, intra-, and post-intervention each four scores. Eight session's spelling scores were also recorded. The two groups were matched for age, school grade, gender, IQ, medications, parents' and teachers' Conner's score, having a personal computer at home, experience of working with the computer, and average spelling scores. After taking sessions of computer games, intra-intervention school's spelling scores [17.93 +/- 0.03] showed a significant borderline increase in comparison to the pre-intervention scores [17.25 +/- 3.26]. The typing instructions sessions made no difference. Improvement in the mean spelling scores of the primary school students with ADHD during sessions of computer games can be due to improvement of their attention. The interesting format of these games, fast feedback, absence of negative feedback, and their supporting the decision making in children can also explain this finding