Investigating the effects of glucose and lipid metabolism on neuronal structure using optical coherence tomography in treatment-resistant schizophrenia

Objective:The effects of metabolic changes on neural structures in the later stages of schizophrenia remain unknown. Alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism could impact disease progression. This study aims to investigate the effects of glucose and lipid metabolism on neuronal structures in treatment-resistant schizophrenia using optical coherence tomography (OCT), glycogenic proteins, and cholesterol values.Method:The study included 39 schizophrenia patients with remission, 43 treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) patients, and 40 healthy controls (HC). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed on all participants. Serum samples were collected to determine fasting glucose, Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides, total cholesterol, fasting insulin, and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) levels. Results: IGF-1 levels in TRS patients were higher than those in the remission group. Additionally, the thickness of the inferior retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), superior RNFL, and global RNFL regions was significantly lower in the TRS group than in the HC group.Conclusion: While OCT measurements and elevated IGF-1 levels indicate neural thinning in treatment-resistant schizophrenia, there was no observed effect from lipid and glucose metabolism on this phenomenon

Two cases of priapism associated with Quetiapine

Priapism is a painful, prolonged erection that occurs without any sexual stimulation. It is an emergency that may lead impotence, urinary retention, and gangrene as long-term devastating consequences. Priapism is attributed to the blockage of alpha-1 adrenergic receptors in the corpus cavernosum and associated with the use of typical antipsychotics, notably, thioridazine. Atypical antipsychotics are increasingly being prescribed and not frequently considered to cause priapism. This side effect has been reported in patients taking ziprasidone, risperidone, clozapine, quetiapine, aripiprazole and olanzapine. The intensity of binding to alpha-1 adrenergic receptors varies among all antipsychotics; quetiapine has an intermediate affinity. Priapism may be an idiosyncratic reaction which is correlated neither with the dosage nor the duration of use of antipsychotic drug. Quetiapine has been implicated in causing priapism in a limited number of reports. A history of prolonged erections may be a possible predictor of priapism during the use of quetiapine. We report two cases of priapism associated with quetiapine and a brief review

Depression and cognitive distortions in hemodialysis patients with end stage renal disease: A case-control study

© 2021 Asociación Universitaria de Zaragoza para el Progreso de la Psiquiatría y la Salud MentalBackground and objectives: Identifying cognitive distortions is essential for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that plays a key role in the treatment of depression. Depression seen in patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) has not been sufficiently diagnosed and treated. This study aimed to examine the cognitive distortions and schemas of patients diagnosed with ESRD. Methods: Fifty-six patients undergoing hemodialysis and forty-seven controls were enrolled in the study. A sociodemographic and clinic data form, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS), Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ) were applied to all participants. Results: The prevalence of the psychiatric disorder in the case group was significantly higher than the prevalence of the psychiatric disorder in the control group. Compared with the control group, the HADS depression subscale was significantly high in the patient group. There was a positive correlation between the duration of hemodialysis and total scores of DAS as well as the “dependency attitudes” factor among the case group. The “helplessness” subscale scores of the ATQ were significantly higher in the case group compared to the control group. Conclusions: The duration of hemodialysis was related to dependency attitudes of cognitive distortions among patients with ESRD. Studies investigating cognitive modalities are needed to treat depression more successfully in this population. It will contribute to the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy of ESRD patients when these factors are taken into consideration