ROLE OF THE ALLELIC VARIATION IN THE 5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE RECEPTOR 1A (HTR1A) AND THE TRYPTOPHAN HYDROXYLASE 2 (TPH2) GENES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PTSD

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress related disorder which can occur in an individual after exposure to a traumatic event. It most commonly co-occurs with depression. The two disorders share not only overlapping symptoms, but also genetic diathesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the two serotonergic candidate genes 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1A (HTR1A) and tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) in the pathogenesis of PTSD and comorbid psychopathology. Subjects and methods: 719 (487 males, 232 females) participants who had experienced war-related trauma between 1991 and 1999 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Croatia were included in the study. The Sociodemographic questionnaire, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.), Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were used to collect clinical data. The SNPs rs6295 (HTR1A), rs11178997 and rs1386494 (TPH2) were investigated for their association with PTSD and comorbid psychopathology. Results: A nominal significant association was found between the BSI total score in Lifetime PTSD with the SNP rs6295 of the HTR1A gene. The best result was seen in the dominant model (P=0.018), with the minor allele (C) being the risk allele. Several BSI subscores were also associated with the minor (C) allele in Lifetime PTSD. No association was found for the TPH2 SNPs rs11178997 and rs1386494 in relation to PTSD or comorbid psychopathology. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that rs6295 in the HTR1A gene may contribute to the psychopathology of PTSD

Posterior circulation lesions are more frequently associated with early seizures after a stroke

Early seizures (ES) following stroke are prevalent among the elderly population, representing the most common type of acquired seizures. This study aimed to determine the incidence of ES and investigate potential associations with various clinical and radiological factors. 260 stroke patients (mean age 72±13.2, 48.5% females) were prospectively enrolled and followed. Baseline demographic data, clinical data, stroke subtype, ES occurrence, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, and Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECT) were collected and analyzed. ES was observed in 11.6% of patients with ischemic stroke compared to 7.1% among patients with hemorrhagic stroke. ES occurred more frequently in those with posterior circulation stroke (18.5% vs. 7.1%, P=0.008) and those with NIHSS >15 (19.4% vs. 8.4%, P=0.04). In a logistic regression analysis that adjusted for vascular risk factors and NIHSS, posterior circulation stroke remained significantly associated with ES, with an odds ratio of 3.14 (95% CI 1.20 to 7.73, P=0.012). This study revealed that ES following stroke is more common in patients with posterior circulation lesions. These findings emphasize the need for further investigation into additional factors that may influence ES occurrence and its impact on stroke management and patient outcomes

Epileptic Seizures in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Objective: The presence of epileptic seizures in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is a well-known phenomenon. The aims of our study, performed in our clinic are to point out the correlation of the mean age/gender and age of MS patients with the onset of seizures, to identify the types of epileptic seizures in MS patients by sex/age, to identify the correlation between relapses and seizures, and to identify the main electrophysiological / imaging changes. Material and Met-hod: The medical records of 300 MS patients observed between January 2000 and December 2009 in the Neurological Clinic of University Clinical Centre of Kosova were reviewed. All patients fulfilled the McDonald MS criteria Epilepsy diagnosis was based on the ILAE (International League against Epilepsy) (1983) criteria while epileptic seizures were classified based on the ILAE classification (1981). Results: Out of 300 MS patients enrolled in this study, 49 (16.33%) were identified with seizures or epilepsy. In 23 (47%) patients out of 49, seizures or epilepsy appeared after the MS diagnosis. In 6 patients (12.2%), epileptic attacks preceded the MS diagnosis, while in 20 patients (40.8%), epilepsy was diagnosed before multiple sclerosis. These patients were treated with antiepileptics. Out of 23 patients (47%) in whom the epileptic seizures appeared after the MS diagnosis, 17 (74%) had simple partial seizures, and 6 (26%) had complex partial seizures. Based to our study, the epileptic seizures in MS patients appeared about 2.2 years after the MS diagnosis. Discussion: Simple partial seizures were 2.8 times more frequent compared to complex partial seizures. In female patients the prevalence of complex partial seizures was higher than in male patients with multiple sclerosi

Serum S100B Levels Can Predict Computed Tomography Findings in Paediatric Patients with Mild Head Injury

Introduction. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are very common in paediatric populations, in which they are also a leading cause of death. Computed tomography (CT) overuse in these populations results in ionization radiation exposure, which can lead to lethal malignancies. The aims of this study were to investigate the accuracy of serum S100B levels with respect to the detection of cranial injury in children with mild TBI and to determine whether decisions regarding the performance of CT can be made based on biomarker levels alone. Materials and Methods. This was a single-center prospective cohort study that was carried out from December 2016 to December 2017. A total of 80 children with mild TBI who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The patients were between 2 and 16 years of age. We determined S100B protein levels and performed head CTs in all the patients. Results. Patients with cranial injury, as detected by CT, had higher S100B protein levels than those without cranial injury (p<0.0001). We found that patients with cranial injury (head CT+) had higher mean S100B protein levels (0.527 μg L−1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.447–0.607 μg L−1) than did patients without cranial injury (head CT−) (0.145 μg L−1, 95% CI 0.138–0.152 μg L−1). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis clearly showed that S100B protein levels differed between patients with and without cranial injury at 3 hours after TBI (AUC = 0.893, 95% CI 0.786–0.987, p=0.0001). Conclusion. Serum S100B levels cannot replace clinical examinations or CT as tools for identifying paediatric patients with mild head injury; however, serum S100B levels can be used to identify low-risk patients to prevent such patients from being exposed to radiation unnecessarily

A family-based mental health program of recovery from state terror in Kosova

Family processes of communication, mutual support, and sustenance of cultural values can play vital roles in recovery from psychological and material damage in societies afflicted by terror. This is particularly the case when a campaign of terror has specifically targeted family life and its traditions, when the culture is one whose identity has been centered in its families, and when public mental health resources have been scarce. At the end of the 1999 war in Kosova, the Kosovar Family Professional Educational Collaborative (KFPEC) was initiated to counter mental health sequelae of war in Kosova. This initiative focused upon the recovery and strengthening of Kosovar families, rather than the psychiatric treatment of individuals for post-traumatic symptoms. Findings and outcomes from this project may usefully inform the design of other international public mental health initiatives. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd