Neuroablative Intervention for Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Objective@#This review aims to investigate the progression of neuroablation, along with documented clinical efficacy and safety, in the management of treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). @*Methods@#We searched and compiled clinical research results of neuroablation therapy reported to date. We extracted outcomes related to clinical efficacy, side effects, and surgical complications. Additionally, we summarized key claims and findings. @*Results@#Neuroablative intervention is a potential treatment approach for refractory OCD. Recent advancements, such as real-time magnetic resonance monitoring and minimally invasive techniques employing ultrasound and laser, offer distinct advantages in terms of safety and comparative efficacy when compared to conventional methods. However, the absence of randomized controlled trials and long-term outcome data underscores the need for cautious consideration when selecting neuroablation. @*Conclusion@#Neuroablative intervention shows promise for refractory OCD, but vigilant consideration is essential in both patient selection and surgical method choices due to the potential for rare yet serious complications.

Social Stigma and Discrimination Toward People With Drug Addiction: A National Survey in Korea

Objective@#This study aims to understand the attitudes, stigma, and discrimination of the general adult population toward drug addiction. @*Methods@#We conducted a cross-sectional nationwide survey with 1,020 Korean adults using an Internet web-based panel. Self-reported data were collected on demographics, experience with substance abuse, perceptions of narcotic analgesic use, beliefs about the legalization of cannabis use, coping with substance abuse and addiction, and perceptions of drug risks. All statistical analysis in this study utilized the IBM SPSS Statistics 26 program. @*Results@#In this study, 1.6% of the participants reported abuse of opioid analgesics, 88.0% reported negative perceptions of drug addiction, and 76.9% reported agreeing to unfair treatment of drug addicts. Logistic regression analysis found that perceived stigma was more prevalent among women (odd ratio [OR]=2.087, p<0.01), old adults (OR=1.939, p<0.01), those with no personal experience of opioid misuse (OR=8.172, p<0.05), and those who were non-smoking (OR=2.011, p<0.01). In addition, the discriminatory attitude was more prevalent among participants with higher income (OR=1.989, p<0.001) and those who are non-smoking (OR=1.608, p<0.05). @*Conclusion@#This study provides information and guidelines for public intervention in drug addiction by identifying factors influencing social stigma and discriminatory behaviors toward drug addiction. The findings suggest that education on drug addiction prevention for the general adult population is necessary, and this education should include knowledge on coping with drug addiction and reducing stigma and discrimination toward drug addicts.

Examining the Psychometric Properties and Clinical Correlates of the Korean Version of the Family Accommodation Scale-Self-Rated Version for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Objective@#We aimed to develop a Korean version of the Family Accommodation Scale-Self-Rated (FAS-SR), to investigate its reliability and validity and to study the clinical correlates of family accommodation in families with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) patient. @*Methods@#The FAS-SR was translated into Korean under the original author’s supervision. Forty-two patients with OCD and their closest relatives participated. The internal consistency was estimated using Cronbach’s alpha and the split half method. Convergent and divergent validity were identified by measuring with other clinical variables. Test-retest reliability was also calculated. @*Results@#The reliability analyses showed that Korean version of the FAS-SR demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha=0.91) and test-retest reliability (Intraclass correlation coefficient=0.93). It showed good convergent validity when simultaneously assessed OCD symptom severity, global functioning and relative’s psychological distress. @*Conclusion@#The findings suggest that Korean version of the FAS-SR is a reliable and valid tool for assessing family accommodation in Korean patients with OCD in both research and clinical settings.

Korean Medication Algorithm for Schizophrenia 2019, Second Revision: Treatment of Psychotic Symptoms

Objective@#In 2001, the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology and the Korean Society for Schizophrenia Research developed the Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Schizophrenia (KMAP-SPR 2001, revised 2006) through a consensus of expert opinion. The present study was carried out to support the second revision of the KMAP-SPR. @*Methods@#Based on clinical guidelines and studies on the treatment of psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia, the Executive committee completed a draft of KMAP-SPR 2019. To obtain an expert consensus, a Review committee of 100 Korean psychiatrists was formed and 69 responded to a 30-item questionnaire. Based on their responses, the KMAP-SPR 2019 was finalized. @*Results@#The revised schizophrenia algorithm now consists of 5 stages. At Stage 1, monotherapy with atypical antipsychotics was recommended by expert reviewers as the first-line strategy. At Stage 2, most reviewers recommended the use of typical or atypical antipsychotic drugs not used at Stage 1. At Stage 3, many reviewers agreed with the administration of clozapine. At Stage 4, a combination of clozapine and other agents such as antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, or electroconvulsive therapy was recommended. At Stage 5, most reviewers recommended combined treatment with an antipsychotic other than clozapine; and a mood stabilizer, antidepressant, or electroconvulsive therapy. At any stage, prescribing long-acting injectable antipsychotics at the discretion of the clinician was recommended. @*Conclusion@#Compared with previous versions, the KMAP-SPR 2019 now recommends using clozapine earlier in treatment-refractory schizophrenia. In addition, the use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics is now considered to be available at any stage.

Association between Therapeutic Alliance and Adherence in Outpatient Schizophrenia Patients

OBJECTIVE: Although various clinical factors that affect medication adherence in schizophrenia have been studied, the role of the therapeutic alliance has not been studied in detail. Accordingly, we investigated the association between medication adherence and therapeutic alliance in patients with schizophrenia treated in a community outpatient clinic in Korea. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 81 outpatients who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for schizophrenia were analyzed. Therapeutic alliance was measured via patient-self-report questionnaires consisting of 12 questions, which evaluate both “affective bond” and “collaborative bond” of alliance. We investigated the relationship between medication adherence and therapeutic alliance through correlation and regression analyses. RESULTS: Overall therapeutic alliance was weakly associated with medication adherence (r=0.268, p<0.05). Among two factors of therapeutic alliance, “affective bond” was associated with adherence (r=0.302, p<0.05), but collaborative was not. Regression analysis showed that therapeutic alliance significantly predicted medication adherence even after adjustment for duration of treatment, insight, and symptom severity. CONCLUSION: Maintaining a favorable therapeutic alliance is associated with medication adherence in schizophrenia. Further, treating patients in a frank and genuine manner might be important to improve adherence.

Korean Treatment Guideline on Pharmacotherapy of Co-existing Symptoms and Antipsychotics-related Side Effects in Patients with Schizophrenia / 대한정신분열병학회지

OBJECTIVES: The current study covers a secondary revision of the guidelines for the pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia issued by the Korean Medication Algorithm for Schizophrenia (KMAP-SCZ) 2001, specifically for co-existing symptoms and antipsychotics-related side-effects in schizophrenia patients. METHODS: An expert consensus regarding the strategies of pharmacotherapy for positive symptoms of schizophrenia, co-existing symptoms of schizophrenia, and side-effect of antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia was retrieved by responses obtained using a 30-item questionnaire. RESULTS: For the co-existing symptoms, agitation could be treated with oral or intramuscular injection of benzodiazepine or antipsychotics; depressive symptoms with atypical antipsychotics and adjunctive use of antidepressant; obsessive-compulsive symptoms with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and antipsychotics other than clozapine and olanzapine; negative symptoms with atypical antipsychotics or antidepressants; higher risk of suicide with clozapine; comorbid substance abuse with use of naltrexone or bupropion/ varenicline, respectively. For the antipsychotics-related side effects, anticholinergics (extrapyramidal symptom), propranolol and benzodiazepine (akathisia), topiramate or metformin (weight gain), change of antipsychotics to aripiprazole (hyperprolactinemia and prolonged QTc) or clozapine (tardive dyskinesia) could be used. CONCLUSION: Updated pharmacotherapy strategies for co-existing symptoms and antipsychotics-related side effects in schizophrenia patients as presented in KMAP-SCZ 2019 could help effective clinical decision making of psychiatrists as a preferable option.

The Potential Usefulness of Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultrasound for Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a debilitating condition characterized by recurrent obsessive thoughts and compulsive reactions. A great portion of the obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) patients are managed successfully with psychiatric treatment such as selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor and cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, but more than 10% of patients are remained as non-responder who needs neurosurgical treatments. These patients are potential candidates for the neurosurgical management. There had been various kind of operation, lesioning such as leucotomy or cingulotomy or capsulotomy or limbic leucotomy, and with advent of stereotaxic approach and technical advances, deep brain stimulation was more chosen by neurosurgeon due to its characteristic of reversibility and adjustability. Gamma knife radiosurgery are also applied to make lesion targeting based on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, but the complication of adverse radiation effect is not predictable. In the neurosurgical field, MR guided focused ultrasound has advantage of less invasiveness, real-time monitored procedure which is now growing to attempt to apply for various brain disorder. In this review, the neurosurgical treatment modalities for the treatment of OCD will be briefly reviewed and the current state of MR guided focused ultrasound for OCD will be suggested.

The Potential Usefulness of Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultrasound for Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a debilitating condition characterized by recurrent obsessive thoughts and compulsive reactions. A great portion of the obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) patients are managed successfully with psychiatric treatment such as selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor and cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, but more than 10% of patients are remained as non-responder who needs neurosurgical treatments. These patients are potential candidates for the neurosurgical management. There had been various kind of operation, lesioning such as leucotomy or cingulotomy or capsulotomy or limbic leucotomy, and with advent of stereotaxic approach and technical advances, deep brain stimulation was more chosen by neurosurgeon due to its characteristic of reversibility and adjustability. Gamma knife radiosurgery are also applied to make lesion targeting based on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, but the complication of adverse radiation effect is not predictable. In the neurosurgical field, MR guided focused ultrasound has advantage of less invasiveness, real-time monitored procedure which is now growing to attempt to apply for various brain disorder. In this review, the neurosurgical treatment modalities for the treatment of OCD will be briefly reviewed and the current state of MR guided focused ultrasound for OCD will be suggested.

Correlation between Luteal Eating Behavior Symptom and Trait Anxiety in Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder : A Preliminary Study / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between anxiety and premenstrual eating symptoms in premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). METHODS: A total of 49 women in the late luteal phase participated in this study. The psychiatric symptoms were assessed by Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Menstrual Distress Questionnaire. Eating symptoms were assessed using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire and cocoa intake experiment. Estradiol, progesterone, and leptin were collected through venous blood. RESULTS: Participants with PMDD (n=25) showed a higher level of depression (p<0.001), trait anxiety (p=0.012), restrained eating symptoms (p=0.039), and leptin (p=0.015). Among PMDD patients in the luteal phase, trait anxiety showed correlation with emotional eating (p=0.023), alcohol (p=0.022), and unrestricted intake of cocoa (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that PMDD subjects showed higher trait anxiety, depression, and difficulty in eating behavior control. Trait anxiety plays an important role in increased and uncontrolled eating symptoms during the premenstrual period and chronic course of PMDD.

Myometrial relaxation of mice via expression of two pore domain acid sensitive K⁺ (TASK-2) channels

Myometrial relaxation of mouse via expression of two-pore domain acid sensitive (TASK) channels was studied. In our previous report, we suggested that two-pore domain acid-sensing K⁺ channels (TASK-2) might be one of the candidates for the regulation of uterine circular smooth muscles in mice. In this study, we tried to show the mechanisms of relaxation via TASK-2 channels in marine myometrium. Isometric contraction measurements and patch clamp technique were used to verify TASK conductance in murine myometrium. Western blot and immunehistochemical study under confocal microscopy were used to investigate molecular identity of TASK channel. In this study, we showed that TEA and 4-AP insensitive non-inactivating outward K⁺ current (NIOK) may be responsible for the quiescence of murine pregnant longitudinal myometrium. The characteristics of NIOK coincided with two-pore domain acid-sensing K⁺ channels (TASK-2). NIOK in the presence of K⁺ channel blockers was inhibited further by TASK inhibitors such as quinidine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, and extracellular acidosis. Furthermore, oxytocin and estrogen inhibited NIOK in pregnant myometrium. When compared to non-pregnant myometrium, pregnant myometrium showed stronger inhibition of NIOK by quinidine and increased immunohistochemical expression of TASK-2. Finally, TASK-2 inhibitors induced strong myometrial contraction even in the presence of L-methionine, a known inhibitor of stretch-activated channels in the longitudinal myometrium of mouse. Activation of TASK-2 channels seems to play an essential role for relaxing uterus during pregnancy and it might be one of the alternatives for preventing preterm delivery.

Antipsychotic Prescribing Patterns in First-episode Schizophrenia: A Five-year Comparison

OBJECTIVE: Early treatment choice is critical in first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. The purpose of this study was to describe prescribing trends of antipsychotics use in patients with first-episode schizophrenia in 2005 and 2010, respectively. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of newly treated patients with schizophrenia from a university psychiatric hospital in 2005 (n=47) and 2010 (n=52). We defined patients as receiving a high antipsychotic dose if their ratio of prescribed daily dose (PDD) to defined daily dose (DDD) was greater than 1.5. RESULTS: The rates of high-dose antipsychotic prescription were 61.7% and 53.8% in 2005 and 2010, respectively. The rates of antipsychotic polypharmacy were 34.6% in 2005 and 34.0% in 2010. The most common first-prescribed antipsychotics were (in descending order of prescription frequency) olanzapine, risperidone, aripiprazole, and haloperidol in 2005 and risperidone, quetiapine, paliperidone, and olanzapine in 2010. High-dose antipsychotics were significantly associated with antipsychotic poly-pharmacy (odds ratio=23.97; p<0.01). More individuals were treated with mood stabilizers in 2010 than in 2005 (p=0.003). CONCLUSION: The practice of prescribing high-dose antipsychotics and associated antipsychotic polypharmacy were common even for initial treatment of first-episode schizophrenia in 2005 and 2010. In 2010, the list of the most common first-prescribed antipsychotics changed, and the use of mood stabilizers increased in non-affective schizophrenia.

The Reliability and Validity of the Korean Version of Medication Adherence Rating Scale / 대한정신약물학회지

OBJECTIVE: Finding out patient's non-adherence to medication is an important work for treating schizophrenia. The Medication Adherence Rating Scale is a self-report form, which can simply measure medication adherence in psychosis. We evaluated the reliability and validity of the Korean version of Medication Adherence Rating Scale (KMARS). METHODS: Eighty-one individuals with schizophrenia completed the self-administered questionnaires including KMARS, Brief Adherence Rating Scale (BARS), Korean version of Drug Attitude Inventory-10 (KDAI-10) and Korean version of Medication Adherence Questionnaire (KMAQ). Psychometric properties of the KMARS were analyzed. RESULTS: The KMARS has an acceptable internal consistency (alpha=0.71). The KMARS total scores are moderately correlated with BARS (r=0.44, p<0.01), KDAI-10 (r=0.55, p<0.01) and KMAQ (r=0.62, p<0.01). As the result of factor analysis, the structure of the KMARS is different from original scale, but the KMARS can assess not only adherence behavior but also subjective response to medication. Among the questions item 5, "I take my medication only when I am sick", should be used carefully, because it has ambiguous meaning in Korean. CONCLUSION: KMARS is a simple and reliable tool for measuring medication adherence in psychosis.

H2 Receptor-Mediated Relaxation of Circular Smooth Muscle in Human Gastric Corpus: the Role of Nitric Oxide (NO)

This study was designed to examine the effects of histamine on gastric motility and its specific receptor in the circular smooth muscle of the human gastric corpus. Histamine mainly produced tonic relaxation in a concentration-dependent and reversible manner, although histamine enhanced contractility in a minor portion of tissues tested. Histamine-induced tonic relaxation was nerve-insensitive because pretreatment with nerve blockers cocktail (NBC) did not inhibit relaxation. Additionally, K+ channel blockers, such as tetraethylammonium (TEA), apamin (APA), and glibenclamide (Glib), had no effect. However, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and 1H-(1,2,4)oxadiazolo (4,3-A) quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), did inhibit histamine-induced tonic relaxation. In particular, histamine-induced tonic relaxation was converted to tonic contraction by pretreatment with L-NAME. Ranitidine, the H2 receptor blocker, inhibited histamine-induced tonic relaxation. These findings suggest that histamine produced relaxation in circular smooth muscle of human gastric smooth muscle through H2 receptor and NO/sGC pathways.

Recent Trends of Antipsychotics Polypharmacy in Schizophrenia / 대한정신약물학회지

Antipsychotics polypharmacy is a common practice in clinical settings despite the opposition of most guidelines for treatment of schizophrenia. This article reviews the evidence of antipsychotics polypharmacy and summarizes advantages and disadvantages shown in clinical trials. Clinicians choose antipsychotics polypharmacy to control the positive and negative symptoms more effectively especially in treatment resistant patients or to reduce adverse effects. There are some theoretical possibilities that antipsychotics polypharmacy affects a broader range of receptors, enhances D2-receptor blockade and optimizes pharmacokinetic effects. Clinical evidence suggests that clozapine co-administered with risperidone, sulpiride, or amisulpride reduces psychotic symptoms in treatment-resistant patients and that aripiprazole with other antipsychotics reduces metabolic side effects. On the other hand, antipsychotics polypharmacy is associated with problems such as dose-dependent side effects, metabolic problems, increased mortality and treatment cost. Considering pros and cons, antipsychotics polypharmacy must be started after close scrutiny of the patient's medication history not just by clinical judgment. Also, changing the regimen from polypharmacy to monotherapy should be considered as a reasonable option to schizophrenic patients in stationary status.

Antipsychotic Polypharmacy in the Treatment of Patients with Related Psychoses at a University Hospital / 대한정신약물학회지

OBJECTIVE: The practice of antipsychotic polypharmacy is common, despite lack of supporting evidence. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of antipsychotic polypharmacy in a psychiatric university hospital in Korea and find out the clinical factors associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy. METHODS: We reviewed medical records of the patients discharged from Severance Mental Health Hospital (SMH) for the period of 1, January to 31, December 2010. Patients should be diagnosed as having schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder or psychotic disorder not otherwise specified. RESULTS: In 2010, 260 patients in SMH were prescribed with antipsychotics and 47.3% (n=123) of them were discharged under antipsychotic polypharmacy treatment. The most commonly prescribed antipsychotics for combination therapy was quetiapine (n=64). The most prevalent combination of drugs was risperidone plus quetiapine (n=20). Logistic regression analysis showed that the use of high-dose antipsychotics, first-generation antipsychotics, and long hospital duration were significantly associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy. CONCLUSION: Although the controlled evidence for efficacy and safety as a strategy remains inconclusive, antipsychotic polypharmacy is a common pharmacological strategy as it is illustrated in our study. Considering high antipsychotic doses related with antipsychotic polypharmacy, careful monitoring of side effect and efficacy is needed.

Mechanism of Relaxation Via TASK-2 Channels in Uterine Circular Muscle of Mouse

Plasma pH can be altered during pregnancy and at labor. Membrane excitability of smooth muscle including uterine muscle is suppressed by the activation of K+ channels. Because contractility of uterine muscle is regulated by extracellular pH and humoral factors, K+ conductance could be connected to factors regulating uterine contractility during pregnancy. Here, we showed that TASK-2 inhibitors such as quinidine, lidocaine, and extracellular acidosis produced contraction in uterine circular muscle of mouse. Furthermore, contractility was significantly increased in pregnant uterine circular muscle than that of non-pregnant muscle. These patterns were not changed even in the presence of tetraetylammonium (TEA) and 4-aminopyridine (4-AP). Finally, TASK-2 inhibitors induced strong myometrial contraction even in the presence of L-methionine, a known inhibitor of stretchactivated channels in myometrium. When compared to non-pregnant myometrium, pregnant myometrium showed increased immunohistochemical expression of TASK-2. Therefore, TASK-2, seems to play a key role during regulation of myometrial contractility in the pregnancy and provides new insight into preventing preterm delivery.

Ginsenoside Rg2 Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Adhesion Molecule Expression in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell

Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), P- and E-selectin play a pivotal role for initiation of atherosclerosis. Ginsenoside, a class of steroid glycosides, is abundant in Panax ginseng root, which has been used for prevention of illness in Korea. In this study, we investigated the mechanism(s) by which ginsenoside Rg2 may inhibit VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expressions stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC). LPS increased VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression. Ginsenoside Rg2 prevented LPS-mediated increase of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression. On the other hand, JSH, a nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) inhibitor, reduced both VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression stimulated with LPS. SB202190, inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), and wortmannin, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) inhibitor, reduced LPS-mediated VCAM-1 but not ICAM-1 expression. PD98059, inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK/ERK) did not affect VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression stimulated with LPS. SP600125, inhibitor of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), reduced LPS-mediated ICAM-1 but not VCAM-1 expression. LPS reduced IkappaBalpha (IkappaBalpha) expression, in a time-dependent manner within 1 hr. Ginsenoside Rg2 prevented the decrease of IkappaBalpha expression stimulated with LPS. Moreover, ginsenoside Rg2 reduced LPS-mediated THP-1 monocyte adhesion to HUVEC, in a concentration-dependent manner. These data provide a novel mechanism where the ginsenoside Rg2 may provide direct vascular benefits with inhibition of leukocyte adhesion into vascular wall thereby providing protection against vascular inflammatory disease.

Activation of Akt/protein kinase B mediates the protective effects of mechanical stretching against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Akt/protein kinase B is a well-known cell survival factor and activated by many stimuli including mechanical stretching. Therefore, we evaluated the cardioprotective effect of a brief mechanical stretching of rat hearts and determined whether activation of Akt through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) is involved in stretch-induced cardioprotection (SIC). Stretch preconditioning reduced infarct size and improved post-ischemic cardiac function compared to the control group. Phosphorylation of Akt and its downstream substrate, GSK-3beta, was increased by mechanical stretching and completely blocked by wortmannin, a PI3K inhibitor. Treatment with lithium or SB216763 (GSK-3beta inhibitors) before ischemia induction mimicked the protective effects of SIC on rat heart. Gadolinium (Gd3+), a blocker of stretch-activated ion channels (SACs), inhibited the stretch-induced phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3beta. Furthermore, SIC was abrogated by wortmannin and Gd3+. In vivo stretching induced by an aorto-caval shunt increased Akt phosphorylation and reduced myocardial infarction; these effects were diminished by wortmannin and Gd3+ pretreatment. Our results showed that mechanical stretching can provide cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Additionally, the activation of Akt, which might be regulated by SACs and the PI3K pathway, plays an important role in SIC.

Improving Medication Adherence in Patients with Severe Mental Illness / 대한정신약물학회지

Adherence to treatment in mental health is generally regarded as central for optimizing recovery. However, poor adherence of patients with psychiatric disorders can have devastating consequences such as relapse, rehospitalization and poor quality of life. Adherence problems are likely to be multi-determined and related to different factors in different individuals. Combining subjective and objective quantitative assessment with a more qualitative interview might help assess adherence better in patients with mental illness to determine the presence of adherence problems and investigate their cause. The therapeutic relationship between patient and clinician has been found to be important for treatment adherence. Adherence problems should be regarded not as the result but as the process of the treatments to facilitate the therapeutic alliance. Clinicians and patients need to cooperate with each other in a model of shared decision-making to choose the best treatment option for the specific individual. Psychoeducation might provide information about the risk and benefit of the medication to patients and their family. The collaborative approach is helpful for the clinicians to have an open dialogue about what patients think and perceive about the treatment.

Clinical Predictors of Drug Response in Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate which clinical variables might influence the antiobsessional responses to proserotonergic drugs in a sample of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). METHODS: Two hundred forty-nine patients with DSM-IV OCD under-gone mean 13-month treatments with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. According to the treatment response, defined as a reductions of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) total score > or =35%, patients were divided into two groups. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen patients responded to the treatment and the other one hundred thirty five patients did not. Responders had a significant long duration of medication in YUMC OCD clinic, short total duration of past treatment in other institutes, and higher frequency of drug naive cases and lower baseline Y-BOCS scores. CONCLUSION: The pre-treatment factors including total duration of past treatment, drug naive or not, baseline OCD symptoms and the factor of duration of the treatment may influence drug treatment response in OCD patients.