[Clinical guidelines for the management of schizophrenia (ΙΙ): Community service-level interventions and the role of Primary Care].

Schizophrenia is one of the most disabling disorders globally, with a significant impact on the professional, social and personal functioning of those affected. Mortality rates are estimated to be 2-2.5 times greater than in the general population attributable to not only suicide but also physical illnesses, such as cardiovascular, metabolic and infectious diseases. Patients with schizophrenia have increased needs for health services which vary according to the stage of the illness and the way the disorder affects the patient. A significant part of the costs of treating patients with schizophrenia is attributed to the health service costs, both to address the disorder itself and its wider effects. In 2015 the National Clinical Guidelines for the management of schizophrenia were formulated by a Working Group that was set up by the Greek Ministry of Health. In this article, a summary of the recommendations (as included in the National Clinical Guidelines) is presented, describing the role of primary care and community mental health services in the management of schizophrenia. The NICE Guideline (National Institute of Clinical Excellence, 2010, 2014) for the management of Psychosis & Schizophrenia was utilized as the main guide to develop the Greek National Guidelines . In addition the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Schizophrenia (APA, 2004), the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of schizophrenia and related disorders (Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, 2005), as well as other relevant sources were also used. The Working Group also took into consideration the available Greek bibliography as well as the external evaluations of the Greek psychiatric reform programs. Special effort was made to adapt the international experience to the current Greek landscape with its constraints resulting from the uneven dispersion of mental health services, the lack of coordination between services, the incomplete sectorization of mental health services provided as part of the National Health System, the still underdeveloped Primary Care Health Service, and last but not least the difficult economic situation in Greece. The proposals aim to contribute to the efficient implementation of the provision of community mental health services for patients suffering from psychotic disorders, focusing in particular on: (a) the role of primary health care services and the role of family physician in the treatment of schizophrenia; (b) the cooperation and coordination between mental health services and primary care services in order to ensure continuity of care (c) designing services that deliver evidence-based interventions,thus ensuring that a larger proportion of the population receives interventions with documented effectiveness in the treatment of schizophrenia, in the least restrictive environment. A particular emphasis is placed on services that are expected to reduce the need for hospitalization, such as crisis intervention services, community interventions aimed at maintaining and continuing the treatment of difficult patients who tend to be lost to follow up from services and early intervention services in psychosis.

Delusional misidentifications in a procrustean bed.

The Delusional Misidentification Syndromes (DMSs) are characterized by defective integration of the normally The Delusional Misidentification Syndromes (DMSs) are characterized by defective integration of the normally fused functions of perception and recognition. The classical sub-types are: the syndromes of Capgras, Fregoli,Intermetamorphosis (mentioned in 3) and Subjective doubles. These syndromes occur in a clear sensorium and shouldbe differentiated from the banal transient misidentifications occurring in confusional states and in mania and from thenon-delusional misidentifications (e.g. prosopagnosia). Joseph Capgras, who described the best-known sub-type, was indecisive on its pathogenesis. In his original report he defined the syndrome as "agnosia of identification" produced by a conflict between affective accompaniments ofsensory and mnemonic images. In his subsequent two publications, he considered the syndrome as a restitution delusionand as a psychopathological mechanism to hide incestuous desires. For more details see the chapter by J.P. Luaute in avolume on DMS. Psychodynamic approaches are, essentially, variants of the formulation that DMSs result from ambivalent feelings resolvedby directing hate feelings onto an imagined double in order to retain the original intact (and thus avoid guilt).These views have been voiced by David Enoch [relevant chapter in (3)] and with variations by many other investigatorsreviewed by Oyebode. Regression to archaic modes of thought (like thinking in terms of doubles and dualisms) due to personality disintegrationproduced by psychotic illness is a fascinating hypothesis by John Todd [mentioned in (1)]. However, if this was thecase, DMS should be much more frequent. Mayer-Gross and Ackner (mentioned in 9) had observed that when there is a delusional development, depersonalization-derealization experiences tend to be included within the delusional system. Such experiences usually precede orcoincide with the onset of DMS. In view of this, Christodoulou suggested that DMSs may represent delusional evolutions of depersonalization-derealization experiences. Similar mechanisms were proposed for false memories of familiarity,reduplicative paramnesia and autoscopy. Cerebral "dysrhythmia" has also been noted in patients with DMS. In view of clinical and prognostic similarities of DMSpatients with patients suffering from psychotic states occurring in an epileptic setting, many of these patients have beenconsidered as suffering from broadly speaking "epileptic" psychoses. Joseph [mentioned in (6)] suggested that organiccauses produce disconnection between right and left cortical areas that decode afferent sensory information. This resultsin the creation of a separate image in each hemisphere leading to an awareness of two, physically identical images. Ellis and Young [mentioned in (1) and (6)] have maintained that DMS may result from defects at different stages of aninformation processing chain. More specifically, the Capgras Syndrome appears when the route for unconscious recognitionis damaged. Similar mechanisms have been proposed for the rest of the subtypes. Margariti and Kontaxakis8 have considered that in DMS there is disruption of the ability to recognize identities ratherthan superficial appearance. Others have maintained that DMSs are multimodal neuropathologies and cannot be linkedto a single cognitive defect. Lastly, in view of the marked organic abnormalities detected in all DMS subtypes, DMSs have been linked with a greatnumber of organic conditions [reviewed in detail by Oyebode (5)]. According to Greek mythology, Procrustes was a bandit who stretched or amputated the limbs of his guests to fit hisiron bed. The DMSs do not deserve such treatment. Submitting them to the procrustean bed of uniformity should be avoided. People develop DMS for a variety of reasons. Most subjects have right hemisphere dysfunction but not exclusively.Their condition is associated not with one but with diverse phenomena (depersonalization - derealization, prosopagnosia,false memories of familiarity, autoscopy, reduplicative paramnesia etc.) similarities with psychotic phenomena associatedwith epilepsy have been suggested but this refers to some patients only. Additionally, the charged emotionalrelationship of the patient with the misidentified person(s) is neither necessary nor sufficient. Diagnostically speaking, many roads lead to DMS, ranging from the monosymptomatic and monothematic one (consideredas par excellence DMS) to that associated with disorders mainly of the schizophrenic or organic spectrum. DMScan also be reached by a more "superficial" road, the one of depression, in which the delusion is secondary and often dependenton the self-depreciation ideation. Speculating on these syndromes is a fascinating journey in psychopathologybut, although in most cases an organic contributor is present, yet the great diversity of conditions in the setting of whichDMSs occur renders the possibility of a unifying hypothesis unlikely.

[Clinical guidelines for the management of schizophrenia: Pharmacological and psychological interventions (III)].

In 2014 a Working Group was set up by the Greek Ministry of Health, with the objective of formulating Clinical Guidelines for the management of schizophrenia which include recommendations for the pharmacological and the psychosocial treatment of schizophrenia. This Working Group utilized the NICE Guideline (National Institute of Clinical Excellence 2014) for the management of Psychosis & Schizophrenia as the main guide in the development of the Greek guidelines, and in addition the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Schizophrenia (APA, 2004), the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of schizophrenia and related disorders (Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2005), as well as other relevant sources. Furthermore, the Hellenic Psychiatric Association (HPA) established an Expert Committee that contributed with its observations to this exercise. With regard to the pharmacological management of schizophrenia, recommendations for initiating and monitoring drug therapy, treating the first psychotic episode as well as treating the acute as well as the maintenance phase of the illness are included. Also included is the management of treatment resistance as well the management of dual diagnosis patients and rapid tranquilization. The guidelines for the psychological treatment of schizophrenia include general recommendations covering all different types of interventions but also specific suggestions for the psychological interventions that should be utilized in the treatment of schizophrenia. In this article the summary recommendations (incorporating the Hellenic Psychiatric Association comments) regarding the pharmacological, psychological and psychosocial interventions in the treatment of schizophrenia are presented.

Dysfunctional internet behaviour symptoms in association with personality traits.

Internet addiction is a matter of great interest for researchers, taking into consideration Internet's rapid spread and its ever growing use in children, adolescents and adults. It has been associated with multiple psychological symptoms and social difficulties, therefore raising even greater concerns for its adverse consequences. The present study that consists part of a broader research, aims to investigate the association between excessive Internet use and personality traits in an adult population. Specifically, the research examined the relation between dysfunctional internet behaviour and personality traits as neuroticism and extraversion, the two personality dimensions that have arisen as the most important ones in all relevant research. Our main hypotheses are that dysfunctional internet behaviour would be positively associated with neuroticism but negatively linked to extraversion. The 1211 participants aged over 18 years, completed the IAT (Internet Addiction Test) by Kimberly Young and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and some other questionnaires detecting psychopathology. Additionally, part of the administered questionnaires concerned socio-demographic characteristics of the participant subjects: specifically sex, age, marital status, education (educational years), place of residence -urban, semi-urban and rural-, whether they suffer from somatic or mental health disorder and if they take medication for any of the above categories. All the questionnaires have been electronically completed by each participant. Results showed that 7.7% showed dysfunctional internet behaviour that concerns both medium and severe degree of dependence by the use of Internet, as measured by the use of IAT. The univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the individuals exhibiting symptoms of dysfunctional internet behaviour were more likely to suffer from a chronic mental health disorder, to use psychotropic medication and to score higher on neuroticism. In contrast, they were less likely to have children and be extraverted. Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed that neuroticism and extraversion were independently associated with dysfunctional internet behaviour. Individuals with high scores on neuroticism were more likely to meet the criteria for dysfunctional internet behaviour, while high scores on extraversion were associated with a lower probability of dysfunctional internet behaviour. Identification of personality traits that could be connected to some sort of "addictive personality" -particularly neuroticism and Introversion- might help researchers to identify and prevent internet addiction on the early stages and possibly could have a positive contribution to the therapeutic treatment of this addiction disorder.

[Psychiatric specialty training in Greece: Comparative analysis of educational programs (2000 vs 2014)].

Modern educational programs for specialization in psychiatry should follow the developments in psychiatric science, both in the part of acquired knowledge about mental disorders and their treatment, as well as in the part of clinical practice in the diverse spectrum of modern psychiatric services. In Greece, the institutional framework for psychiatric training during specialization has yet to modernize and conform to European standards. For the moment, it is covered by a 1994 Presidential Decree, which briefly describes the time of specialization in psychiatry and the duration of clinical practice in the relevant educational subjects. This study presents a comparative analysis of training in the specialty of Psychiatry in two distinct periods (2000 vs 2014). Already by the year 2000, psychiatric training showed many structural weaknesses. The areas of clinical experience, theoretical and psychotherapeutic training have shown wide divergences among training centers, and limited potential for convergence with European standards under the existing framework. Important exceptions were certain university clinics, with the bulk of future psychiatrists in the country falling short of educational benefits. Fifteen years later and under the burden of the consequences of the economic crisis, the institutional framework has not yet changed, and the overall situation seems to have deteriorated dramatically. The number of training centers offering full specialization and the number of psychiatrists who receive training increased in reverse proportion to the number of specialized psychiatrists employed in hospitals, which has been drastically reduced due to restrictive measures on staff recruitment. Almost all training indicators show deterioration, but mainly the area of theoretical training shows the most dramatic degradation. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that nowadays several psychiatric clinics endeavor to develop training programs in conjunction with psychiatric services not under their own administration, a practice not provided for in the current legislative framework. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of training centers that adopt some statutory procedures to monitor and evaluate trainees during the training process. The long-term restrictions recorded however, reveal the difficulty hospitals and psychiatric clinics have in developing training programs responding to the full range of modern clinical and theoretical training in psychiatry independently and autonomously. The recent economic crisis in the country and the attempts for much needed administrational reforms, create now more than ever the appropriate conditions for a reform of the educational framework for specialization in psychiatry, taking into account national resources and future expectations for the mental health system of our country.

Psychiatric specialty training in Greece.

The reform and development of psychiatric services require, in addition to financial resources, reserves in specialized human resources. The role of psychiatrists in this process, and at reducing the consequences of mental morbidity is evident. Psychiatrists are required to play a multifaceted role as clinicians, as experts in multidisciplinary team environments and as advisors in the recognition of public needs in mental health issues, as teachers and mentors for students and other health professionals, as researchers in order to enrich our knowledge in the scientific field of psychiatry, and as public health specialists in the development of the mental health services system. This multifaceted role requires the continuous education of modern psychiatrists, but above all a broad, substantial and comprehensive training regime in the initial stage of their professional career, that is to say during specialization. Training in Psychiatry, as indeed has happened in all other medical specialties, has evolved considerably in recent decades, both in the content of education due to scientific advances in the fields of neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience, genetics, psychopharmacology, epidemiology and psychiatric nosology, and also because of advances in the educational process itself. Simple apprenticeship next to an experienced clinician, despite its importance in the clinical training of young psychiatrists, is no longer sufficient to meet the increased demands of the modern role of psychiatrists, resulting in the creation of educational programs defined by setting and pursuing minimum, though comprehensive educational objectives. This development has created the global need to develop organizations intended to supervise training programs. These organizations have various forms worldwide. In the European Union, the competent supervising body for medical specialties is the UEMS (European Union of Medical Specialities) and particularly in the case of the psychiatric specialty, the European Board of Psychiatry. In the US, the supervising bodies are the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, in the United Kingdom the Royal College of Psychiatrists, in Canada the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, etc. In our country, the debate on the need to reform the institutional framework for Psychiatric training has been underway since the mid-90s, with initiatives especially by the Hellenic Psychiatric Association, aiming to raise awareness and concern among psychiatrists while responding to requests from competent central bodies of the state, as well as establishing Panhellenic training programs for psychiatric trainees and continuing education programs. But what is the situation of the educational map in the country today, what would be the objectives, and how might we proceed? These questions we will try to answer in an effort initiated by Hellenic Psychiatric Association (HPA) and the journal "Psychiatriki" with the publication of thematic articles starting by presenting in the next issue of "Psychiatriki"a comparative study of the training in the specialty of psychiatry at two distinct periods of time (2000 and 2014). These time-frames are of great importance, since the first is a period that in retrospect can be considered as wealthier yet missing robust priorities, while the second, at the peak of the economic crisis, constitutes a difficult environment with limited resources. Already in the year 2000, psychiatric residency training in our country had major difficulties due to its outdated framework and its fragmentation. All areas in which training is assessed (clinical experience, theoretical training and training in psychotherapy exhibited inadequacies and limited convergence with European golden standards, in the absence of a plan and the implementation of a national education curriculum. Certain university clinics constituted an important exception, though the bulk of the country's future psychiatrists were lagging behind in educational opportunities. Fifteen years later and under the weight of the consequences of the financial crisis, the institutional framework has not yet changed, and the overall situation seems to have worsened dramatically. Nevertheless, there are positive aspects to be evaluated, reinforced, and utilized in order to minimize the adverse effects of the economic crisis and lay sound foundations for the future. Preparations of a national framework is imperative today more than ever and initiatives to amend the legislation on medical specialties as far as it concerns the field of Psychiatry, could benefit from the evidence, from the willingness of the trainers and trainees concerned, as well as from the elaborated proposals of the Hellenic Psychiatric Association (HPA).

[Clinical guidelines for the management of schizophrenia:Aims and limitations (Ι)].

The initiative for the development of national treatment guidelines, dates back to the '90s. In Greece, however, National Clinical Guidelines for the management of schizophrenia were first formulated in 2014 when a Working Group was set up for this purpose by the Greek Ministry of Health. The objective of this Working Group was to provide evidence-based recommendations covering the pharmacological and psychosocial treatment of schizophrenia as well as the development of appropriate treatment services. The Working Group utilized the NICE Guideline (National Institute of Clinical Excellence, 2010, 2014) for the management of Psychosis & Schizophrenia as the main guide to develop the Greek National Guidelines , and in addition the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Schizophrenia (APA 2004), the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of schizophrenia and related disorders (Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2005) , as well as other relevant sources. The Working Group also took into consideration the available Greek bibliography as well as the external evaluations of the Greek psychiatric reform programs. A special effort was made to adapt the international experience to the current Greek landscape with the constraints resulting from the uneven dispersion of mental health services, the lack of coordination between services, the incomplete sectorization of mental health services provided as part of the National Health System, the still underdeveloped Primary Care Health Service, and last but not least the difficult economic situation in Greece. After the preparation of the draft guidelines, a thorough consultation followed with the relevant stakeholders, including mental health professionals, user associations and representatives of the Greek Ombudsman. Additionally, the Hellenic Psychiatric Association established an Expert Committee in Spring 2016, that contributed with its observations to the final exercise. This article will be followed by two further publications (incorporating the Hellenic Psychiatric Association comments) which include: (1) the summary recommendations regarding the pharmacological, psychological and psychosocial interventions in the treatment of schizophrenia, and (2) the summary recommendations regarding: (a) the role of primary health care service and the role of the family physician in the treatment of schizophrenia (b) the summary recommendations regarding continuity of care and c) the summary recommendations regarding community interventions with documented effectiveness in the treatment of schizophrenia.

[Use of informatics technology in psychiatry].

Computer technology dominates our daily lives and has become an integral professional tool in medical practice and by extension, in psychiatry as well. The widespread use of internet technology has taken place with unprecedented speed in the history of human civilization, spreading in a few decades to all countries of the world, offering novel possibilities for transmitting information, and leading to the globalization of knowledge. However, the speed with which computer technology is becoming a part of our lives is accompanied by difficulties in integration. The continued evolution of applications often leads to the impression that to be modern and efficient we have to run continuously after developments, dedicating time and effort that we cannot often afford. At the same time, its widespread use alters the needs of our patients, and our efficiency is constantly judged in a globalized environment which, while offering new possibilities, also has new demands. The initial impression that computer technology is simply a tool that can facilitate the work of those who are willing and able to use it has been replaced by the perception that the practice of medicine, in both clinical and academic level, requires sufficient knowledge of modern technology and the development of relevant skills for ongoing training and following innovative applications. The result of this assumption is the introduction of technology courses in the curricula of medical schools in the country. This article offers a brief description of the uses of information technology in psychiatry. In particular, e-mail is one of the most popular Internet services and there is internationally an increasing pressure from the public to be able to contact their doctor by e-mail. Furthermore, almost all psychiatric journals now have a digital electronic edition, thus increasing the volume of articles published, the ease of accessing the required information, and ultimately the reduction of the time it takes a psychiatrist to come to possess a specialized field of knowledge. The Internet also enables psychiatrists, while being at their residence and from their offices and homes in remote areas of a country, or from developing countries to be able to take part relatively easily in continuing medical education programs that are under development in advanced educational centers, eliminating in this way the barrier of distance. Furthermore, telemedicine allows access in health-care to people living in geographically isolated areas with poor medical facilities. The electronic filing systems on the other hand, are also expected in the near future to provide the essential foundation of sharing and managing information material in health care. Apart from the uses of technology in the practice of psychiatry, technology has many uses in Psychiatric Education, providing valuable assistance to both trainees and trainers. Today the educational community has at its disposal a range of devices, operating systems, and web applications useful in medical education. For example, we can mention the existence of technological tools for educational administration and management, evaluation of educational work, tools for creating educational content, and learning outside the confines of the classroom. Developments arising from the use of technology are rapid, and its use brings new applications that have the potential to alter the framework of practicing medicine. However, in many cases, these applications do not go along with the guidelines and principles available to doctors in order to practice their profession in a manner not inconsistent with moral imperatives. The challenge of this new environment is to establish guidelines consistent with the principles of medical ethics.

Comparison of four scales measuring depression in schizophrenic inpatients.

Several scales have been used to diagnose and evaluate depression in schizophrenia. However, the association between different depression scales and between depression scales and negative symptoms has not been studied adequately. Sixty-four consecutively admitted schizophrenic patients to Eginition Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Athens, were assessed on the following scales: the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the Expanded Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-Depression subscale (EBPRS-D), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-Depression subscale (PANSS-D) and the Negative Symptoms subscale (PANSS-N). The depression scales were found to be highly intercorrelated with the exception of the comparison between the EBPRS-D and the PANSS-D. Out of the four depression scales studied, only CDSS and EBPRS-D can discriminate between depression and a PANSS-Negative Symptoms subscale score or negative item scores.

The Greek version of the calgary depression scale for schizophrenia.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity, as well as the specificity, of the Greek version of the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS). Schizophrenic inpatients consecutively admitted at the Eginition Hospital, University of Athens, were included in the study. Patients were assessed on admission using the CDSS, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side Effects (RSESE), the Rating Scale for Drug-Induced Akathisia (RSDIA) and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). The CDSS was found to have a high inter-rater reliability, as well as test-retest reliability or split-half reliability. The internal consistency of the CDSS was good (a=0.87). There were positive correlations between the CDSS and the HDRS, or the depression cluster of the PANSS. The mean score on the CDSS showed no significant correlations with that of the PANSS negative subscale (r=0.123); a negative but not significant correlation with that of the PANSS positive subscale (r=-0.036); a weak correlation with that of the PANSS general psychopathology subscale (r=0.218); and no significant correlations with that of the RSESE (r=0.197), the RSDIA (r=0.160) or the AIMS (r=0.031). Our results give further support to the reliability, the validity, and the specificity of the CDSS.

Shared delusions of doubles.

This is the first report of two partners in a folie à deux situation manifesting identical Capgras delusions. It is postulated that the Capgras syndrome developed as a result of interaction between a dominant patient with primarily paranoid psychopathology and a submissive one with primarily organic dysfunction. The submissive "neuro-organic" partner experienced a non-delusional misidentification that acquired a delusional component and developed into the Capgras syndrome as a result of elaboration by the dominant paranoid partner, who subsequently "imposed" the Capgras delusion on the submissive partner. The submissive patient, and, to a lesser extent the dominant patient, had evidence of organic cerebral dysfunction.