Urinary neopterine levels in patients with major depressive disorder: alterations after treatment with paroxetine and comparison with healthy controls

Background: A close relationship has been shown between mood disorders and pteridine levels. The aim of this study was to examine alterations in the urine neopterine levels of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who responded to paroxetine during the initial treatment and to compare their levels to those of healthy controls. Subjects and methods: Sixteen patients with major depression and 19 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. In order to assess depression severity levels, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were administered. Urinary neopterine values that were measured using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) were compared using non-parametric tests for the MDD patients before and after treatment. Urine neopterine levels in MDD patients before and after treatment were compared to those of the healthy control group. Results: Urinary neopterine levels were recorded as follows: For the MDD group before treatment the mean level was 187.92 +/- 54.79 mu mol/creatinine. The same group under treatment at 4 to 8 weeks was at 188.53 +/- 4962 mu mol/creatinine, and the healthy control group showed 150.57 +/- 152.98 mu mol/creatinine levels. There was no statistically significant difference in the urinary neopterine levels among the MDD patients before and after treatment (p=0.938). When urine neopterine levels in MDD patients before and after treatment were compared to those of the healthy control group, levels in the MDD group were found to be significantly higher (p=0.004 and p=0.005, respectively). Conclusions: Findings from the current study suggest that despite treatment response, depression is related to higher levels of urine neopterine. Paroxetine treatment has no significant effect on urine levels of neopterine in MDD patients

EVALUATION OF EATING ATTITUDES, ANGER AND IMPULSIVITY IN ATYPICAL AND NON-ATYPICAL DEPRESSION AND ASSESSMENT OF COMORBIDITY OF BINGE EATING

Background: Although there have been studies investigating emotional eating, impulsivity and anger, the relationship between differentiated eating attitudes, impulsivity and anger in atypical depression has not yet been studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate eating attitudes, impulsivity and anger in participants with atypical and non-atypical depression and to compare their behaviours with those of the control group. Binge eating comorbidity was also investigated. The relationship between eating attitudes, impulsivity and anger was explored and the factors contributing to disordered eating attitudes were analysed. Subjects and methods: The participants were divided into three groups; 56 with atypical depression, 36 with non-atypical depression and 32 healthy controls for comparison. Clinical assessment was carried out using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Multidimensional Anger Scale, Eating Attitude Test, and Hamilton Depression Scale. Results: Deteriorated eating attitudes, increased anger symptoms and motor impulsivity were observed more in participants with atypical depression compared with participants with non-atypical depression. The frequency of binge eating was statistically significantly higher in participants with atypical depression (50%) than in participants with non-atypical depression (8%). A positive relationship was identified between deteriorated eating attitude, anger, and impulsivity. Behaving anxiously as a reaction to anger was found to be the significant predictor of disordered eating attitudes in participants with depression. The percentage of the variance explained by anxious behavior in disordered eating attitudes was 7%. Conclusion: Participants in the atypical and non-atypical depression groups can be differentiated from each other based on their eating attitudes, anger symptoms, motor impulsivity and binge eating frequency

Development of Psychosis in Two Cases with Epilepsy Diagnosis: Clinical Findings, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features, and Neuropsychological Assessment

Epilepsy-related psychosis is generally separated into 3 subgroups: postictal, interictal, and bimodal psychosis. However, if the psychosis continues for 1 month or longer, it is defined as chronic schizophrenia-like psychosis. It tends to occur 10 to 15 years after the onset of epilepsy, and cannot easily be distinguished from schizophrenia. In controlled trials, the risk of developing a psychotic disorder was 10-times higher in epileptic patients than in patients with other neurological disorders. In this presentation, 2 patients with epilepsy and chronic schizophrenia-like psychosis were diagnosed according to clinical and radiological findings. In both cases, psychotic symptoms appeared after the onset of epileptic seizures. Delusions and hallucinations were present as positive symptomatology. The intensity and severity of epileptic seizures decreased after the onset of psychotic symptoms in both cases. Forced normalization is an important concept for continued discussion