A Case of Self-Cannibalism: An Extremely Rare Type of Self-Mutilation With Multiple Risk Factors.

ABSTRACT: Self-mutilation is a behavior often associated with various psychiatric diseases, and it has various risk factors. Self-cannibalism, an extremely rare form of self-mutilation, can also be observed in the absence of psychosis and substance abuse. This study reports a case of self-cannibalism with multiple risk factors including history of substance use, previous self-mutilation actions, suicidal attempts, antisocial personality disorder, imprisonment, and active symptoms associated with untreated schizophrenia.

Modafinil Induced Spontaneous Ejaculation Without Orgasm: A Case Report.

ABSTRACT: Modafinil is used for the treatment of narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and as add-on therapy for psychiatric diseases such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, depression, cocaine addiction. The exact mechanism of action is unknown. Modafinil may be helpful for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. The addition of modafinil to antidepressant treatment may provide positive effects on sexual dysfunction. However, side effects such as hypersexuality and unwanted orgasm have been reported with modafinil treatment. In this article, a patient who had developed spontaneous ejaculations after the addition of modafinil for the treatment of depression with venlafaxine is discussed. Although venlafaxine treatment continued after the discontinuation of modafinil, spontaneous ejaculation did not continue. It should be kept in mind that agents with dopaminergic and noradrenergic effects, such as modafinil, can cause undesirable sexual side effects.

Psychopharmacological Signatures in the Retina in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder: An Optic Coherence Tomography Study.

BACKGROUND: Retina is considered as a window to the brain due to the similarities in terms of development and pathologies. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can perform quantitative examinations in the retina. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of drugs used in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (BD) on retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular thickness. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included schizophrenia (n=35) and euthymic BD (n=46) patients on various medications, and age, gender matched healthy control group (n=31). For retinal evaluation, measurements of RNFL and macula were performed with Optovue RTVue Premier OCT. RESULTS: In the schizophrenia group, chlorpromazine equivalent dose of antipsychotics was a statistically significant negative predictor of left RNFL nasal superior region thickness. In the BD group, serum valproate level was a significant positive predictor of thickness in the right macular inferior outer, left macular nasal outer region, right RNFL inferotemporal, left temporal and inferotemporal regions. CONCLUSION: Since the retina consists of neurons, morphological or functional examination of retina may be beneficial for the evaluation of the effects of psychopharmalogical treatments in schizophrenia and BD. The outcome of this study implies that valproate has neuroprotective effects on the optic nerve and macula, and this finding is consistent with the literature implying neurotrophic effects of valproate.

Maternal age and number of children are risk factors for depressive disorders in non-perinatal women of reproductive age.

OBJECTIVE: It remains unclear whether or not the vulnerability of depression in women of reproductive age is related with pregnancy or perinatal period. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of depressive disorders and related factors in a large sample of non-perinatal women of reproductive age. METHOD: This study involved 589 women of reproductive age. At baseline, sociodemographic data and premenstrual assessment forms were completed, and screening tests for the assessment of the severity of depressive symptoms were administered to all of the participants. Participants who had over scale scores of the cut-off point in the screening instruments were assessed with module A of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID-I) to determine DSM IV Axis I disorders. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive disorders was 32.8%. Depressive disorders had high rates in women who were married at younger ages and who had three or more children. Although the prevalence of depressive disorders was 32.8%, only 10.4% of the women had follow-up and treatment in a psychiatric outpatient clinic. CONCLUSION: Low education levels, early maternal age, and having more than three children and higher premenstrual symptom scores were risk factors for depressive disorders in non-perinatal reproductive age.