Individuals with Major Depressive Disorder Report High Scores of Insecure-Avoidant and Insecure-Anxious Attachment Styles, Dissociative Identity Symptoms, and Adult Traumatic Events

Objective: Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) report more issues in social interaction compared to the general population. Moreover, dimensions of dissociation are considered dysfunctional strategies to cope with adverse life events. In this regard, current symptoms of MDD could be associated with traumatic events that occurred in childhood and in adult life. Given this background, the aim of the present study was to explore the associations between attachment styles as a proxy of quality of social interaction, dimensions of dissociation, and childhood and adult traumatic life events among individuals with MDD. Method: A total of 300 individuals with MDD (mean age: 31.31 years; 58.7% female) took part in this study. They completed a series of questionnaires on sociodemographic information, attachment styles, dimensions of dissociation, and childhood and adult traumatic life events. Results: Prevalence rates for attachment styles were as follows: anxious/ambivalent attachment style—71.7%; avoidant/dependent attachment style—13%; secure/close attachment style—15.3%. Compared to the general population, the participants reported higher prevalence rates of insecure attachment styles. Current symptoms of dissociation were associated with adult but not childhood traumatic life events. An anxious attachment style was associated with higher scores of dissociation. Conclusion: Psychotherapeutic treatment of individuals with MDD should consider the individuals’ challenging attachment styles and their risk of dissociation. While it is important to consider both adult and childhood traumatic events, in this research, more recent trauma occurring in adulthood was associated with current symptoms of dissociation

Comparison of the Antidiabetic Activity of Lepidium sativum Seed Extract with that of Insulin in Diabetic Rats: A Comparative Study

Background and Aim: Diabetes can adversely affect spermatogenesis. Garden cress plant, known as Lepidium sativum, contains antioxidants. This study aimed to evaluate and compare in vivo antidiabetic activities of hydroalcoholic garden cress seed extract and insulin on diabetic rats. Material and Methods: In this experimental study, diabetes was induced in the animals using streptozotocin (STZ; 60 mg/kg). Fifty rats were divided into five equal groups as follows: Groups 1, nondiabetic rats; group 2, diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin; Group 3, diabetic animals that received streptozotocin plus insulin; and groups 4 and 5 were diabetic rats that received 200 and 400 mg/kg garden cress seed extract respectively by gavage for 4 weeks. At the end of the study, the sperm parameters obtained from the tail of the left epididymis and biochemical parameters were analyzed and compared among the groups. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Results: The sperm parameters of the diabetic groups receiving 200 and 400 mg/kg of garden cress extract demonstrated a significant increase in all parameters compared to those of the diabetic control group. Administration of garden cress extract as a powerful antioxidant led to compensation for the streptozotocin toxicity and improved sperm quality. Conclusion: Administration of the Lepidium sativum seed extract compensated for the Streptozotocin-induced harmful effects. Our findings suggested that use of the garden cress seed extract and insulin therapy may have a potential protective effect on diabetes mellitus

Individuals with Major Depressive Disorder Report High Scores of Insecure‐Avoidant and Insecure‐Anxious Attachment Styles, Dissociative Identity Symptoms and Adult Traumatic Events

Objective: Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) report more issues in social interaction compared to the general population. Moreover, dimensions of dissociation are considered dysfunctional strategies to cope with adverse life events. In this regard, current symptoms of MDD could be associated with traumatic events that occurred in childhood and in adult life. Given this background, the aim of the present study was to explore the associations between attachment styles as a proxy of quality of social interaction, dimensions of dissociation, and childhood and adult traumatic life events among individuals with MDD. Method: A total of 300 individuals with MDD (mean age: 31.31 years; 58.7% female) took part in this study. They completed a series of questionnaires on sociodemographic information, attachment styles, dimensions of dissociation, and childhood and adult traumatic life events. Results: Prevalence rates for attachment styles were as follows: anxious/ambivalent attachment style—71.7%; avoidant/dependent attachment style—13%; secure/close attachment style—15.3%. Compared to the general population, the participants reported higher prevalence rates of insecure attachment styles. Current symptoms of dissociation were associated with adult but not childhood traumatic life events. An anxious attachment style was associated with higher scores of dissociation. Conclusion: Psychotherapeutic treatment of individuals with MDD should consider the individuals’ challenging attachment styles and their risk of dissociation. While it is important to consider both adult and childhood traumatic events, in this research, more recent trauma occurring in adulthood was associated with current symptoms of dissociation

Demographic and mental history-related data predicted occurrence of psychosis in metamphetamine users

Methamphetamine use is increasing worldwide, and the occurrence of psychosis further complicates treatment. This holds also true for Iran. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible predictors of metamphetamine-induced psychosis. 237 methamphetamine users (70.9% with psychosis; mean age: M=33.41 years) took part in the study. A psychiatric interview was performed covering socio-demographic and illness-related information. Male gender, low education, unemployment, being single, a history of mental disorders, and a higher number of previous hospitalizations predicted the occurrence of psychosis, while age and duration of metamphetamine use were excluded from the equation. Socio-demographic and mental illness-related dimension seemed suitable to predict occurrence of psychosis among metamphetamine abusers