Mediating role of childhood abuse for the relationship between schizotypal traits and obsessive-compulsive disorder

The mediating role of childhood trauma in the relationship between schizotypal symptoms and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was not sufficiently investigated to date. Objectives: In the present study, our major goal was to analyse the mediator role of childhood abuse (emotional, physical, and sexual), and neglect (emotional and physical) on the link between schizotypal symptoms and OCD, after controlling for duration of OCD, the mean number of comorbid Axis I disorders, and current anxiety. Methods: One hundred fifteen patients (aged 18-65 years) who had primary diagnosis of OCD and YaleBrown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale score ≥16 were assessed using the short form of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire questionnaire (CTQ-SF), Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results: The all types of schizotypal symptoms were significantly correlated with the scores of childhood abuse and neglect, and BAI. The childhood abuse as a mediator significantly predicted the total YBOCS scores (p = 0.02) after when BAI scores were controlled. However, childhood neglect was not multivariately related to current OCD severity, and did not mediate the relationship between schizotypal traits and total YBOCS scores. Discussion: We suggested that childhood trauma mediated the schizotypal traits in relationship with current OCD severity independent from anxiety severity

Postpartum-onset and childhood sexual trauma in a patient with skin picking disorder: a case report

Women are at risk for the development of psychiatric disorders, particularly depression and psychosis in the postpartum period. Few studies have examined anxiety disorders or obsessive-compulsive and related disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The individuals with skin-picking disorder (SPD) frequently have childhood history of sexual abuse. To best of our knowledge, there is no report in literature on postpartum-onset SPD to date. We here report a case of SPD initially presented a postpartum onset and exacerbated following a sexual trauma long years after her delivery. She had no previous history of trauma or psychiatric diagnoses. Pregnancy and sexual trauma seem to be associated with occurrence and relapsing of SPD in this case

Cortico-thalamo-striatal circuit components’ volumes and their correlations differ significantly among patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder: a case–control MRI study

AIM: In the present study, we aimed to determine the volume differences in brain regions involved in cortical-striatal-thalamic-cortical circuit (CSTC) between healthy subjects and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) patients. We also evaluated the potential relationship between volumes of region of interest and various illness parameters (duration and current severity OCD, and the influence of drug treatment). METHODS: We examined the volumetric differences in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), thalamus and striatum between OCD patients (n = 21) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 25). RESULTS: Patients with OCD had significantly larger total, right, and left DLPFC, and OFC volumes compared to HCs. Total, and left ACC, total, and left striatum volumes were significantly smaller in OCD patients than in HC. The thalamus volumes were not different between two groups. The most of volumetric correlations in HCs disappeared among OCD patients. Only, the correlation between the volumes of left striaum and left ACC volume remained significant. Fisher's r-to-z transformation tests indicated that correlation coefficients of brain volumes significantly differed between both groups for right ACC and left (z = 2.17, p = .03) and right OFC (z = 2.00, p = .04); left ACC and right OFC (z = 2.41, p = .01); right ACC and left (z = 2.94, p = .003), and right striatum (z = 2.43, p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate the impaired connectivity of ACC, OFC, and striatum in the pathophysiology of OCD. Further research is needed to explore precisely which brain regions nuclei are specifically involved in the occurence of OCD symptoms

The characteristics of the comorbidity between social anxiety and separation anxiety disorders in adult patients

WOS: 000477892100009PubMed ID: 31322453Objective: In the present study, we compared social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients with (n = 31) and without childhood and adulthood separation anxiety disorder (SeAD) (n = 50) with respect to suicidal behavior, avoidant personality disorder (AvPD), other anxiety disorders (ADs), and major depression as well as some sociodemographic variables. Methods: In assessment of patients, we used Structured Clinical Interview for Separation Anxiety Symptoms, childhood and adulthood Separation Anxiety Symptom Inventories, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, The SCID-II Avoidant Personality Disorder Module, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation. Results: SAD patients with SeAD had higher comorbidity rates of AvPD, other lifetime ADs and panic disorder, and current major depression than those without SeAD. The current scores of SAD, depression, and suicide ideation and the mean number of AvPD symptoms were significantly higher in comorbid group compared to pure SAD subjects. The SAD and SeAD scores had significant associations with current depression, suicide ideations, and AvPD. The mean number of AvPD criteria and the current severity of depression were significantly associated with the comorbidity between SAD and SeAD. Conclusion: Our findings might indicate that the comorbidity of SeAD with SAD may increase the risk of the severity of AvPD and current depression

Psychogenic blepharospasm associated with Meige’s syndrome: a case report

Here we report a patient who presented a co-occurrence of Meige’s syndrome and psychogenic blepharospasm. At the first assessments, neurologists excluded conversion disorder because of the presence of a conflict and stress, absence of any markers for Meige’s syndrome, and a non-response to Botulinum toxin treatment. We determined bilateral blepharospasm, and oromandibular dystonia by neurological examination and EMG. The patient was diagnosed as primary Meige’s syndrome by the neurologists. Blepharospasm, which is triggered by emotional stress, caused secondary gains against her family. We decided that the patient had both psychogenic blepharospasm and Meige’s syndrome, which co-occurred nearly at the same interval three years ago. Similar to the seizure–pseudoseizure association, we supposed that Meige’s syndrome and concomitant psychogenic blepharospasm may indicate a coexistence of medical and conversion symptoms as in epileptic patients