Psychosexual dysfunction in male patients with cannabis dependence and synthetic cannabinoid dependence.

OBJECTIVE: There are contradicting reports regarding the relationship between cannabis use and male sexual functions with almost no data about synthetic cannabinoids (SC) and its effect on male sexual functions. This study investigates psychological concerns related to male sexual functions among cannabis and SC users. The research aims to assess different sexual functions and aspects of sexual psychopathology in cannabis and SCs dependent men compared to controls. METHOD: Thirty male patients with cannabis dependence, thirty male patients with SCs dependence and thirty matched controls from the outpatient clinic of Kasr Al Ainy hospital, Egypt, were assessed using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV TR Axis I Disorders (SCID-I), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), and Sexuality scale. RESULTS: The means of IIEF questionnaire in the cannabis and SC group were significant lower than the means of the control group (P < .001) except the orgasmic function in cannabis group (P = .052). In the SCs group, sexual depression was higher and preoccupation lower than the cannabis (P < .020; P < .003, respectively) and control groups (P < .001; P < .001, respectively). The duration and dose of intake of cannabis and SCs correlated significant with sexual esteem, sexual preoccupation and all domains of IIEF. CONCLUSION: Cannabis and SC dependence were associated with lower erectile function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction and overall satisfaction, and lower orgasmic functions in the SC group than controls. Both groups showed higher sexual depression, lower sexual esteem and sexual preoccupation than controls. SC has a higher negative impact on male sexual functions and psychopathology than cannabis.

Psychoendocrinology: arginine vasopressin and resilience in patients with major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: There is a burgeoning body of evidence suggesting that arginine vasopressin (AVP) acts as a neuromodulator of the stress response. AVP stimulates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone, synergistic to corticotropin-releasing hormone, which might explain AVP's role in resilience. Personal hardiness is the bedrock of resilience. Numerous studies have demonstrated elevated plasma levels of AVP in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), suggesting an etiopathogenetic role as well as a novel therapeutic target. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between AVP and resilience in patients with MDD and to determine AVP levels in serum of patients with MDD. METHODS: Forty patients with MDD and 40 healthy control subjects were studied using the Dispositional Resilience (Hardiness) Scale by Barton, the Quality of Life Scale, the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Biochemical analysis of plasma levels of AVP, using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), was performed for all participants. RESULTS: Levels of AVP were statistically significantly elevated in patients with MDD compared with healthy controls. Psychological hardiness was decreased in patients with MDD compared with healthy controls, a finding also statistically significant. There was a negative correlation between plasma AVP level and psychological hardiness. CONCLUSION: AVP and psychological hardiness are negatively correlated, reflecting lower stress resilience. AVP levels are indeed higher in patients struggling with MDD.

Prevalence of Anti-nuclear and Anti-phospholipid Antibodies in an Egyptian Cohort with Schizophrenia: A Case-control Study.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, could herald other manifestation( s) of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) potentially hindering timely and optimal management. Moreover, schizophrenia is among the described 'extra-criteria' manifestations of anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS). Hence, screening schizophrenia patients for SLE and APS may pose diagnostic and therapeutic implications. OBJECTIVES: Examine schizophrenia patients with no overt connective tissue disease(s) manifestation( s) for clinical and/or serologic evidence of SLE and/or APS. METHODS: The study included 92 schizophrenia patients (61 (66.3%) males) and 100 age- and gender- matched healthy controls. Both groups were tested for anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs), antidouble stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (anti-dsDNA) antibodies, complement 3 (C3) and C4, and criteria anti-phospholipid antibodies (aPL) (anticardiolipin Immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM, antibeta- 2-glycoprotein I IgG and IgM, and lupus anticoagulant (LAC)). RESULTS: The patients' mean age and disease duration were 28.8 ± 8.1 and 5.7 ± 2.2 years, respectively. The prevalence of ANA positivity, height of titre, and pattern was comparable between patients and controls (p = 0.9, p = 0.8 and p = 0.1, respectively). Anti-dsDNA antibodies and hypocomplementemia were absent in both groups. A significantly higher frequency of positive LAC was observed among patients compared with controls (7.6% vs. 1%, p = 0.02), whereas other aPL were comparable between both groups. None of the patients or controls demonstrated clinically meaningful (medium or high) aPL titres. CONCLUSION: In our study, schizophrenia was solely associated with LAC. Thus, in the absence of findings suggestive of SLE or APS, routine screening for both diseases is questionable.

Stigma, Uncertainty, and Coping at the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic Amid Health Care Professionals: How Far Have We Gone?

ABSTRACT: Stigma and uncertainty are noticed in global pandemics. Their impacts on health care providers tend to persist notably during and after the outbreaks. Our objective was to assess stigma, uncertainty, and coping among health care providers through an online survey using the Discrimination and Stigma Scale Version 12 (DISC-12) modified version to assess stigma related to treating COVID-19, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, and the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS). Of the respondents (n = 65), 63.1% treated patients with COVID-19, and 21.5% worked in isolation hospitals. Physicians who treated patients with COVID-19 had significantly higher scores in all DISC subscales: unfair treatment (8.73 ± 6.39, p = 0.001), stopping self from doing things (2.05 ± 1.41, p = 0.019), overcoming stigma (1.17 ± 0.80, p = 0.035), and positive treatment (1.90 ± 1.65, p = 0.005). Unfair treatment was negatively correlated with BRCS (r = -0.279, p = 0.024). On the other hand, physicians who did not treat patients with COVID-19 had significantly higher BRCS scores. We concluded that frontline physicians experienced greater stigma associated with lower resilient coping strategies.