Minor physical anomalies may be related to treatment resistance in patients with schizophrenia.

This study investigates the relationship between minor physical anomalies (MPA) and treatment resistance in schizophrenia (TRS). We evaluated 137 patients and 100 healthy controls by using a modified Waldrup MPA scale. Thirteen MPA items were found more frequently in the schizophrenia group than in the controls. The total MPA score was higher in TRS, and MPAs in the eye and mouth regions were more frequent in TRS (n = 57) than in non-TRS. Total MPA score was correlated to Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-Expanded (BPRS-E) total and BPRS-positive scores in TRS. Our findings suggest that MPA might contribute to treatment resistance in schizophrenia.

Social Cognition and Functioning in Patients With Social Anxiety Disorder and/or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

ABSTRACT: In recent years, social cognition and one of its dimensions, the theory of mind, have been more commonly investigated in patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this study, SAD, ADHD, comorbid SAD-ADHD, and healthy control (HC) groups, each consisting of 30 participants, were included and compared in terms of social cognition and functionality. Mean global functioning assessment scores were found to be significantly higher in the HC group compared with the other three groups and in the ADHD group compared with the SAD and SAD-ADHD groups. Mean Dokuz Eylül Theory of Mind Index total scores were found to be significantly higher in the HC group compared with the other three groups and in the SAD and SAD-ADHD groups compared with the ADHD group. These findings suggest that SAD patients with or without ADHD show better social cognition but worse functioning compared with pure ADHD patients.

[Examination of Adult Separation Anxiety and Bonding Styles in Patients with Panic Disorder Who Applied to a Psychiatric Clinic]. / Psikiyatri Poliklinigine Basvuran Panik Bozuklugu Hastalarinda Eriskin Ayrilma Anksiyetesi ve Baglanma Biçimleri.

INTRODUCTION: The attachment processes give us a theoretical frame work to understand the psychopathological development. Unsafe attachment type is often associated with the emergence of psychopathology in the later periods of life. METHOD: This study includes 65 patients from psychiatry outpatient clinic with a diagnosis of panic disorder and 65 healthy volunteers as a control group. In order to determine clinical status and disease severity of patients with panic disorder according to SCID-I (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders-I) Panic-Agoraphobia Scale, Adults Separation Anxiety Scale, Relationship Scale Questionnaire were used. RESULTS: Separation anxiety levels showed statistically significant difference among panic disorder group and control group. According to means of attachment style solely obsessive sub-dimension showed statistical significance difference among the two groups. In panic disorder group separation anxiety showed significant difference according to gender and the presence of agoraphobia. When attachment styles of patients with an early parent loss or divorce of parents assessed anxious and obsessive sub-dimensions the difference were found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSION: High Comorbidity of panic disorder (dominantly coexisting with agoraphobia) and adult separation anxiety was observed. This comorbidity was even higher in females. In both groups obsessive attachment style was the highest among the attachment styles. In patients with panic disorder there was no significant correlation between adult separation anxiety and/or existence of agoraphobia and attachment styles. Coexistence of adult separation anxiety and panic disorder was found to result in higher depression comorbidity rates.

Death anxiety in patients with myocardial infarction or cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to find out the level of death anxiety among 3 groups: patients with acute myocardial infarction, patients with cancer and healthy individuals in two training and research hospitals; also to evaluate its relationship with several sociodemographic and clinical variables. MATERIALS AND METHOD: This study was conducted with one hundred and eighty persons (108 male, 72 female) who have been referred to cardiology or oncology departments and the healthy individuals. Participants completed sociodemographic and clinical data form, State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-I, STAI-II), Thorson Powell Death Anxiety Scale (TPDAS), Death Depression Scale (DDS). RESULTS: Participants included in the present study were 40% female with an average age of 53.48 for whole group. The mean TPDAS score for patients with AMI was 51.60 ±â€¯16.40, for patients with cancer 37.10 ±â€¯10.23 and for healthy individuals 43.40 ±â€¯13.35. In AMI group there were positive correlations between STAI-I and TPDAS, DDS scores and also between STAI-II and DDS. In cancer group positive correlations were between STAI-I, II and TPDAS, DDS. TPDAS and DDS were positively correlated in all three groups. Women and participants who were unemployed scored higher on DDS. CONCLUSION: In this study patients with AMI had higher death anxiety than patients with cancer or healthy individuals. Generally death anxiety was related with education, employment and socioeconomic status. Prospective studies carefully searching for different variables in different medical groups would reveal and help us to understand the importance of death anxiety and its impact on courses of physical and mental disorders.

History of childhood physical trauma is related to cognitive decline in individuals with ultra-high risk for psychosis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between childhood trauma (CT) and cognitive functioning in individuals with ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR). Fifty-three individuals at UHR for psychosis were administered a neurocognitive battery that assessed attention, processing speed, verbal learning, memory, working memory, interference inhibition, and sustained attention. The CT was assessed using the short-version Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). We dichotomized the sample by using cut-off scores for the presence of emotional, physical and sexual trauma, and physical and emotional neglect. Those with a history of physical trauma performed worse on the Digit Span Forward test, Trail making B (time), Stroop test (difference between color and word reading times), and completed categories of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Physical trauma scores were correlated with WCST-completed categories, Digit Span Forward and Stroop test scores. Physical neglect scores were negatively correlated with Digit Span Forward Test scores. Most of the significant dose­response relationships between cognitive impairment and different subtypes of CT were found only in men. There was no difference between those with and without other kinds of childhood abuse or neglect in terms of cognitive impairment. Our findings suggest that a history of physical trauma has a negative impact on cognitive function in individuals at UHR for psychosis.