MITOCHONDRIAL DNA COPY NUMBER IS ASSOCIATED WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common psychiatric disorder in children. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain its etiology. Mitochondrial dysfunction (MD) is suggested to be one of the causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The objective of the study was to evaluate the relationship between MD and ADHD by investigating mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels from peripheral blood leukocytes, one of the best biomarkers of mitochondrial dysfunction. Subjects and methods: This study included 56 children aged 6-16 years who were diagnosed with ADHD for the first time and 56 age- and sex matched children without ADHD. Real-time PCR was performed to determine the relative mtDNA copy number in each study participant. Results: The mean mtDNA copy number of the case group was 57.623±24.827 and that of the control group was 44.204±18.926 (p=0.002). The mtDNA copy number of the case group was higher than that of the control group. Results of ROC curve analysis provided a mtDNA cutoff value of 45. Conclusion: Significantly higher mtDNA copy number in ADHD group may suggest mitochondrial dysfunction in the etiopathogenesis of ADHD

Parental psychological distress associated with COVID-19 outbreak: A large-scale multicenter survey from Turkey

Aims: Pandemics can cause substantial psychological distress; however, we do not know the impact of the COVID-19 related lockdown and mental health burden on the parents of school age children. We aimed to comparatively examine the COVID-19 related the stress and psychological burden of the parents with different occupational, locational, and mental health status related backgrounds. Methods: A large-scale multicenter online survey was completed by the parents (n = 3,278) of children aged 6 to 18 years, parents with different occupational (health care workers—HCW [18.2%] vs. others), geographical (İstanbul [38.2%] vs. others), and psychiatric (child with a mental disorder [37.8%]) backgrounds. Results: Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that being a HCW parent (odds ratio 1.79, p <.001), a mother (odds ratio 1.67, p <.001), and a younger parent (odds ratio 0.98, p =.012); living with an adult with a chronic physical illness (odds ratio 1.38, p <.001), having an acquaintance diagnosed with COVID-19 (odds ratio 1.22, p =.043), positive psychiatric history (odds ratio 1.29, p <.001), and living with a child with moderate or high emotional distress (odds ratio 1.29, p <.001; vs. odds ratio 2.61, p <.001) were independently associated with significant parental distress. Conclusions: Parents report significant psychological distress associated with COVID-19 pandemic and further research is needed to investigate its wider impact including on the whole family unit. © The Author(s) 2020

Teknoloji Kabul Modeli Çerçevesinde Çalışanların Elektronik Belge Sistemini Kullanmaya Yönelik Tutumu: Kamu Sektöründe Bir Uygulama

DergiPark: 553713kusbderBuçalışma İstanbul Üniversitesi İşletme Fakültesi’nde görev yapmakta olan kamu görevlilerininelektronik belge otomasyon sistemini kullanmaya yönelik tutumlarını ortayakoyan faktörleri belirleyebilmek ve bu faktörler arasındaki ilişkileri tespitedebilmek amacıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu doğrultuda anket yoluyla 53 kamugörevlisinden veri toplanmıştır. Yapılan analizlerin sonucunda algılanan fayda,algılanan kullanım kolaylığı, alışkanlık ve uyumluluk değişkenleri ileçalışanların elektronik belge otomasyon sistemini kullanmaya yönelik tutumlarıarasında anlamlı ilişkilerin var olduğu tespit edilmiştir

The effects of carbamazepine on thyroid functions in childhood epilepsy

Objective: To investigate the effects of carbamazepinetherapy on thyroid function tests in childrenMethods: The carbamazepine group consisted of 58 childrenunder observation for epilepsy, and the control groupof 54 healthy children. Age of onset, length of drug use,drug dosage and laboratory parameters including free triiodothyronine(FT3), free thyroxin (FT4) and thyrotropin(TSH) were recorded. These data were then comparedagainst those from the control group.Results: In the carbamazepine group, FT3 was 3.86 ±0.43 pg/mL, FT4 was 1.15 ± 0.18 mg/dL and TSH: 2.58 ±1.33 ml U/L. In the control group, FT3 was 4.13 ± 0.59 pg/mL, FT4 1.34 ± 0.13 mg/dL and TSH was 2.06 ± 0.89 mlU/L. No statistically significant difference between rates ofsubclinical hypothyroidism was determined between thetwo groups (p=0.196).Conclusion: Although, carbamazepine reduces thyroidhormone concentrations, rarely causes hypothyroidism.Key words: Child, carbamazepine, thyroid function test

Myasthenia Gravis Attack after Oral Risperidone Treatment: A Case Report

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease, which can be triggered by anticholinergic agents. The 6-year-old female patient was admitted to the outpatient clinic. She was had been previously diagnosed with comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder and was receiving short-acting methylphenidate and risperidone, as recommended by a child psychiatrist. However, after using the drugs, she stated that she was overly tired during the day and that her eyelids drooped. Hence, the current treatment was stopped. She was hospitalized with a prediagnosis of ocular type MG and pyridostigmine (90 mg/day) treatment was started. The patient recovered and subsequently the treatment was stopped. Since psychiatric symptoms of the patient resurfaced, long-acting methylphenidate treatment was initiated. During this treatment, the symptoms of MG did not return. The Naranjo's scale of adverse drug reaction probability was completed. Consequently, there may be an association between risperidone and MG

Serum NGF levels may be associated with intrauterine antiepileptic exposure-related developmental problems

Objective: It has been shown that maternal epilepsy and antiepileptic drug use during pregnancy have adverse developmental outcomes in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental outcomes of maternal epilepsy and prenatal antiepileptic exposure. We also looked for the associations between serum levels of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) and developmental outcomes

Psychopathology and Related Psychosocial Factors in Children with Office Discipline Referrals at School: Evidence from a Developing Country

Many childhood psychiatric disorders present their first symptoms as challenging behaviors at school. Evidence from cross-national studies enhance the understanding of the biological and cultural variables underlying these behaviours. In this study, we aim to identify the psychopathology among children with office disciplinary referrals and assess psychosocial risk factors related to this situation. Forty-seven students who had received an office discipline referral and eighty-three controls who had never been given an office disciplinary referral participated in this study. The Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime, socio-demographic data form were administered to children to assess their respective psychopathologies and psychosocial risk factors. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder were significantly higher in children with Office discipline referrals. Psychiatric assessment should be one of the first steps in the evaluation processes of assessing challenging behaviors at school