Sleep Profile in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] is a common neurological disorder affecting 5-8% of school- age children and symptoms continue to mature in about 60% of cases, about 4% of adults

Objectives: To identify sleep problems and thier diagnostic characteristics that may help to better understand ADHD and to assess the severity of symptoms and their relationship to ADHD

Methodology: A case- control study was carried out on 60 children divided into: 30 children with ADHD diagnosed according to the DSM of mental disorders [5th ed.], in addition, 30 normal children as controls. the study was conducted at te institute of postgraduate childhood studies and center of psychiatry at Ain shams University in the period from April 2016 to October 2017. Complete psychological history and examination were done for each child who met the inclusion criteria. physical, neurological and psychological examination were performed using: DSM 5, conner scale, child sleep habits questionnaire and sleep laboratory at the center for Psychiatry Ain shams University

Results: The findings revealed that 18 [60%] of cases suffered from insomnia: [27.7%], primary insomnia [22.2%], primary, intermediate and final insomnia [16.6%], primary and late insomnia[11.1%], moderate insomnia and hyper hypnosis [5.5%]. there is increased instability in sleep and latency in children with ADHD. there are statistically significant differences between cases and control groups as regards longer latency, lack of sleep, slightly lower phases 3 and 4duration, longer duration of dreaming sleep [ accompanied by eye movement] and longer respone time, increased vigilance, height of the periodic leg movement

Conclusion: there is a high co- occurrence of sleep problems among children with ADHD that minimally 65.62% of ADHD cases have at least one sleep disturbance type

Effect of auricular acupuncture on weight reduction in a sample of obese children

Introduction: Growing evidence that obese children are at greater risk for several metabolic disturbances, including glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, the metabolic syndrome, and diabetes mellitus, as well as for cardiovascular disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. There are numerous therapies for obesity, including pharmacotherapy, acupuncture therapy, dietary therapy, exercise therapy, and surgical therapy. The auricular acupuncture therapy is one of the regional acupuncture therapies which have treated various diseases through a needle insertion on the auricle. Its effects can be explained by a relationship between the original functions of nerves distributed on the auricle and internal organs. Recent studies have indicated that acupuncture can reduce body weight in patients with simple obesity, as well as lower their Body Mass Index [BMI] and waist-to-hip ratio

Objective: The objective of this study is to study the effect of auricular acupuncture on weight reduction, BMI, BMIP, lipid profile, fasting insulin and lepin levels, in a sample of obese children

Sample: The study was conducted on 34 obese children [6-12] years attending the outpatient-s clinics of the National Research Center, these subjects were divided randomly into 2 groups Group A, were subjected to auricular acupuncture, balanced low caloric diet. Group B, were subjected to sham auricular acupuncture, balanced low caloric diet. In both groups, acupuncture and sham acupuncture were given twice weekly over the course of 12 weeks

Results: There were significant reductions in weight, BMI, HC, WC, Cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and insulin resistance in group A after treatment and they were more than reduction in group B [p value < 0.001]. There were significant reduction in insulin and leptin in group A after treatment and they were more than reduction in group B [p value 0.005], [p value 0.09] respectively. So acupuncture therapy in combination with diet restriction was found to be effective for weight loss and also reduction of the obesity- associated risks factors, such as dyslipidemia

Sero-prevalence of anti-toxoplasma gondii antibodies among patients with neuropsychiatric disorders: epilepsy and depression

Toxoplasma gondii infection is concerned to have an association with epilepsy and depression either as a cause or a potential risk factor for their occurrence. Nevertheless, there has been long-standing interest in investigating this possible association, the evidence for such relationship is yet not conclusive. The current study correlated between T. gondii infection and Neuropsychiatric disorders: epilepsy and depression, through serological valuation of anti-Toxoplasma immunoglobulin [Ig] G antibodies. In the current study, 112 patients suffered from epilepsy [72 cryptogenic and 40 non-cryptogenic], 118 had depression and 60 healthy volunteers that had no history of any neuropsychiatric disorders in their first degree relatives were enrolled. Full history taking, complete physical examination, cranial magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], scalp electroencephalography [EEG], a structured questionnaire and T. gondii specific IgG antibody ELISA were performed to all groups. The results showed that the anti -Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were detected among cases with cryptogenic epilepsy 34.7% [25 out of 72 cases], non-cryptogenic epilepsy 2.5% [1 out of 40] and depression 20.3% [24 out of 118] groups compared to healthy control group [11.7%]. There were significant associations between T. gondii seropositivity of epilepsy and depression groups in age, residence, contact with pets and social class compared to control healthy group [p<0.05]. Youth and adults had the highest sero-T gondii infection especially male in rural areas with low social class