Abstract Cortical gray matter loss in schizophrenia remains a great therapeutic difficulty. Each psychotic episode causes irreversible cortical gray matter loss, that causes the patients to never ...regain their previous state of functioning. Microglial cells are part of the innate immune system and their functions, among others, include phagocytosis and release of neurotrophic factors. They have a key impact on developmental and plasticity-induced removal of neuronal precursors, live-but-stressed neurons and synapses, while also stimulating synaptic growth and development. We hypothesize that microglia are the culprit for the cortical gray matter loss in schizophrenia through abnormal synaptic pruning, phagocytosis of stressed neurons and lacking neurotrophic factor release. Furthermore, we propose a research that could validate the hypotheses using serum samples of first-episode early-onset patients. By measuring the serum levels of milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 (MFG-E8), subcomponent in the classical pathway of complement activation (C1q), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10), we could gain an insight into the state of microglial activation during various stages of the disease. If this hypothesis is valid, new targeted drugs could be developed in order to reduce the deterioration of cortical gray matter, thereby possibly improving negative symptoms and cognitive deficits.
Strah od odlaska stomatologu Surina, Kristina; Ruzdijic, Jasmina; Kuzinovska, Ana ...
Socijalna psihijatrija,
01/2022, Letnik:
49, Številka:
2
Journal Article, Paper
Odprti dostop
Strah od odlaska stomatologu može imati posljedice povezane s oralnim zdravljem, ali i sa zdravljem općenito.
Zbog tog straha može izostati odgovarajuća i redovita stomatološka skrb (barem jednom ...godišnje). Dentalna
anksioznost/fobija jedan je od vodećih čimbenika zbog kojeg pacijenti izbjegavaju odlazak stomatologu. Cilj ovog
rada bio je ispitati je li osobe koje imaju loše iskustvo povezano s odlaskom stomatologu u ranoj dobi, tj. tijekom
djetinjstva češće razviju dentalnu anksioznost/fobiju te je li je dentalna anksioznost/fobija povezana s povećanom
osjetljivosti za dentalnu bol. Također, cilj je ispitati postižu li osobe koje imaju dentalnu anksioznost/fobiju više
rezultate na ljestvici anksioznosti kao stanja (Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory STAI-X-1) u odnosu na one bez
dentalne anksioznosti/fobije. Rezultati ovog istraživanja potvrđuju hipotezu da osobe s lošim iskustvom povezanim
s odlaskom stomatologu tijekom djetinjstva imaju višu razinu dentalne anksioznosti, višu trenutnu anksioznost
odnosno anksioznost kao stanje na STAI-X-1 te veću dentalnu bol u odnosu na ispitanike koji svoje iskustvo povezano
s odlaskom stomatologu tijekom djetinjstva ne percipiraju kao loše. Također, ispitanici s dentalnom anksioznošću/
fobijom rjeđe posjećuju stomatologa.
It is well known that several psychiatric disorders may be related to childhood psychological trauma. Recent studies have associated childhood exposure to trauma to some skin diseases. Our study ...aimed at exploring whether psoriasis is related to the reported positive and negative traumatic life events in different age intervals beginning from early childhood to adulthood. Furthermore, we investigated differences between psoriatics with early and late onset according to traumatic experiences in different age intervals. Also, we investigated the possible correlation of traumatic experiences with the disease severity. One hundred patients with psoriasis and 101 controls (patients with skin conditions considered to be “non‐psychosomatic”) were enrolled in the study. All participants completed a specific questionnaire measuring traumatic life experiences (Traumatic Antecedents Questionnaire, TAQ). The TAQ assesses positive personal experiences (competence and safety) and negative personal experiences (neglect, separation, secrets, emotional, physical and sexual abuse, trauma witnessing, other traumas and exposure to alcohol/drugs) from early childhood to adulthood. The severity of psoriasis was estimated according to the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), a standardized measuring instrument. The amount of positive experiences did not differ significantly among groups, except for safety scores that were higher in controls compared with both psoriatic groups (early and late onset). On the other side, negative traumatic experiences appeared more frequently in patients with psoriasis during all developmental periods. We found no correlation between severity of psoriasis and traumatic experiences. The present study demonstrates an increased history of childhood and adulthood negative traumatic experiences in patients with psoriasis compared to the control group. Our findings suggest a relationship between retrospectively reported negative traumatic experiences and psoriasis.
Ovaj rad refleksija je na tekst pod naslovom „Psychosis Neurosis“. Ovaj tekst je svom terapeutu,
u vidu e-pošte napisao, za mene anoniman pacijent. Čitajući spomenuti tekst asocijacije su
me vodile u ...smjeru patologije selfa, odnosno zastoja u razvoju zbog nezadovoljenih self-objekt
potreba. Budući da, osim pacijentova teksta, nije bilo dostupnih drugih podataka o pacijentu, sa
sigurnošću se ne može tvrditi, već samo pretpostavljati o pacijentu, njegovoj dijagnozi, uzrocima
njegova stanja ili tijeka i ishoda terapije. Budući da me pacijentov tekst asocijativno vodio
u područje self-psihologije, u ovom radu posvetila sam se zrcaljenju, pitanju narcizma i narcističnih
poremećaja ličnosti, pitanju selfa, self-objekt potreba te terapijskim mogućnostima narcističnih
poremećaja s posebnim osvrtom na inačice transfera i važnost empatije. Spomenuti
su i psihijatrijski poremećaji koji često dolaze u komorbiditetu s narcističnim poremećajima.
Pod željom se podrazumijeva subjektivni aspekt i motivacijska snaga koja, osim seksualnog,
prožima sve sfere ljudskog života. Kada je u pitanju izražavanje želje u grupi, ne misli se
isključivo na ...seksualnu želju. Seksualni odnosno rodni identitet u grupi, a osobito kad su u
pitanju seksualne različitosti, utjecat će na način izražavanja želje u grupi. U kojoj će mjeri
članovi grupe biti u stanju izraziti želje u grupi ovisi o više čimbenika povezanih s članovima
grupe ili voditeljem kao i sa samom grupom. O sličnim čimbenicima ovisi i tko će biti objekt
želje: drugi član u grupi, voditelj ili grupa kao cjelina.
Teme koje se odnose na seksualnost, osobito seksualne različitosti, teško su dostupne u
grupnom procesu, budući da se seksualnost drži osobnom temom, često uz prateći osjećaj
krivnje i srama. Valjana rasprava na temu seksualnosti često izostaje, osobito kad je u pitanju
seksualna različitost. Na taj način otvara se prostor predrasudama, a vrlo često i nepotrebnoj
stigmi ili pak patologizaciji određenih seksualnih obilježja koja su često samo različitosti
nekog od seksualnih odnosno rodnih identiteta.
U posljednje vrijeme dolazi do znatnog napretka u prihvaćanju seksualnih različitosti i na
društvenom planu i na planu grupne terapije. Bez obzira na koji način se pristupa pitanjima
seksualnih različitosti u terapijskoj grupi, seksualne različitosti prisutne su i utječu na većinu
aspekata grupnog procesa.
Zadaća grupnih terapeuta jest suočiti se s promjenama na planu seksualnih različitosti i
prilagoditi vlastita moralna načela kako bi grupa postigla koheziju i kako bi svaki član grupe
bio u prilici izraziti želje „ovdje i sada“, uključujući i one seksualne prirode, bez obzira na
seksualne različitosti.
Psychological and psychosocial interventions proved to be effective in treatment of depression. The main objective of this study is to examine the effects of psychosocial day care program on the ...quality of life and clinical symptoms of persons with depression.
In a controlled trial, 114 participants aged 20 or older with ICD-10 major depression were recruited after they being discharged from in-patient treatment. The intervention group (n=59) received a 4-month group psychosocial program consisting of psychoeducation, social skills training and therapeutic community, and the control group (n=55) received the usual care. Participants were assessed three times: at baseline, at the end-of-treatment and at 6-months follow-up. The outcome measures were the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale and Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life.
The intervention group had significantly larger symptom reduction compared to control group (F (1,98)=15.11, p<0.01), at both second assessment (−8.31±0.78, p<0.01) and third assessment (−10.7±0.69, p<0.01). Both groups showed significant reduction in depressive symptoms over study time (F (1.53, 150.28)=228.01, p<0.01). The psychosocial intervention program had no statistically significant effect on subjective quality of life.
The psychosocial intervention program led to significant reduction of depressive symptoms but had no effect on patients’ subjective quality of life.
Recent data suggest that childhood and adulthood stressors may play a significant role in the development of an autoimmune disease. The present study explores the relationship between psoriatic ...arthritis (PsA) and positive and negative life events during childhood and adulthood in psoriatic patients. Forty-five patients with psoriatic arthritis and 101 controls (patients with skin conditions considered to be “non-psychosomatic”) were enrolled in the study. All participants completed a specific questionnaire measuring traumatic life experiences Traumatic Antecedents Questionnaire (TAQ). The TAQ assesses positive personal experiences (competence and safety) and negative personal experiences (neglect, separation, secrets, emotional, physical and sexual abuse, trauma witnessing, other traumas and exposure to alcohol/drugs) from early childhood to adulthood. The patients with psoriatic arthritis exhibited lower mean scores of total positive experiences during late childhood (latency) as compared to the control group. Negative experiences during four developmental periods appeared more frequently in patients with psoriatic arthritis than in the controls. The most frequently reported negative experiences were neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, alcohol/drug abuse and other traumas. The present findings add evidence to the relationship between retrospectively reported childhood experiences and psoriatic arthritis. Furthermore, a high amount of reported emotional and physical abuse occurs in patients with psoriatic arthritis during latency and adolescence.
To compare the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and of particular PTSD clusters among help-seeking veterans before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. The second aim was to ...identify the main coping strategies used.
Male war veterans (N=176) receiving outpatient treatment at the Referral Center for PTSD were assessed at baseline (12-18 months before the pandemic declaration in March 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown (March-June 2020). The Life Events Checklist for DSM-5, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and The Brief COPE were used.
Direct exposure to the virus in our sample was low, and the majority of participants followed the preventive measures. The severity of the overall PTSD symptoms and of clusters of symptoms significantly decreased compared with the first assessment. At the second assessment, all participants still fulfilled the PTSD diagnosis criteria. During the lockdown, the participants used emotion-focused and problem-focused coping rather than dysfunctional coping.
The severity of PTSD symptoms decreased during the lockdown. Further research is needed to study the trajectories of long-term psychopathology.
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