Finasteride Side Effects and Post-Finasteride Syndrome in Male Androgenic Alopecia

Finasteride is in present a relatively frequent prescribed drug for male androgenic alopecia. The adverse effects reported by some patients seem to be notable, consisting of various (physical, mental/ neurological, sexual, etc.) manifestations which are encountered both during Finasteride administration and after treatment cessation (in the form of `post-Finasteride syndrome`). The pharmacological action and the corresponding adverse effects related to Finasteride administration were investigated and published in literature through several and successive studies. In respect to psychiatric disorders, the most notable concern is related to depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts among former users of finasteride with persistent adverse effects. Regarding genito-urinary symptoms, these are usually represented by gynecomastia, decreased interest in sexual intercourse/ low level of sexual desire and erectile dysfunction. Finally, we viewed Finasteride side effects and post-Finasteride syndrome as distinct physio-pathologic entities, thus requiring possible distinct therapeutic approaches. Additional studies will be necessary, in order to further investigate the cerebral neuromodulation of the two relational (cognitive and sexual) functions, both of which may be interfered by administration of hormones or by the corresponding compounds such as Finasteride

A Mania that is not Mania: A Case of Frontotemporal Dementia with Early Onset

The clinical picture of the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia can be very similar to a manic episode. Paying a careful attention to memory and attention problems and assessing the cognitive status of a patient with mania-like symptoms and no previous psychiatric history should be a standard procedure in order to distinguish mania from behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia. Sometimes, imaging techniques are revealing important aspects that are essential for a correct diagnosis and treatment plan. Here, we present a case of frontotemporal dementia with early onset that had a manic like clinical presentation. Also, we shortly discuss the available pharmacological approaches and outline the importance of thorough differential diagnosis.</em

The relationship between quality of life and functionality in patients with schizophrenia – A preliminary report

This research aimed to investigate the relationship between quality of life and level of functioning in a group of Romanian patients with schizophrenia. A cross-sectional, observational, prospective study on 47 patients with schizophrenia was conducted. Socio-demographic and clinical data were documented and WHOQOL-BREF and Life Skills Profile-16 instruments were further administered. To examine the correlation between variables, Person correlation test was employed. The mean age of the sample was 38.32±12.32 years and 66% of the patients were males. Significant correlations were found between all aspects of the quality of life (physical health, psychological, social relationships and environmental health) and total score of LSP-16 (r=-0.426,

Compulsive Buying-Shopping Disorder Associated with Recurrent Depressive Disorder: A Case Report

Compulsive buying – shopping disorder remains an incompletely defined and controversial pathology to our days. However, in the last years, progress has been made in establishing diagnostic criteria and developing new assessment instruments. In the absence of inclusion in the main diagnostic systems and without a largely accepted diagnostic criteria, compulsive buying shopping disorder is rarely recognized and diagnosed in clinical practice. In this context, we present the case of a 61-year-old female with compulsive buying–shopping disorder associated with recurrent depressive disorder. Our patient's symptoms met almost completely the set of criteria proposed by Müller et al. Even though the diagnosis of this disorder in our patient was not followed by a successful pharmacological intervention, we believe it brought a better understanding of the case, which may lead to a more successful approach in the future

Caregiving for Dementia Patients during the Coronavirus Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has had a global impact on both mental and physical health. Caregiving has become more difficult during this time due to the quick spread of this respiratory disease, dread of the unknown, congested hospitals, and many restrictions, particularly for people with multiple comorbidities. We aimed to assess the impact of this pandemic on a group of caregivers of patients with dementia and their needs during this time. The study’s findings indicate that females assumed the role of the caregiver more often than men (88.5% of the participants) and scored lower on the life quality scale. The most often issue encountered during the pandemic was difficulty in accessing health care facilities (36%). Participants with a higher education level scored better in the physical (24.67, p = 0.01 and 24.48, p = 0.01) and mental health (20.67, p = 0.002; 19,82, p = 0.008) domains of the life quality test. The fear of COVID questionnaire showed a low level of concern in the category of participants with a high education level. Overall, this pandemic emphasizes the importance of social interaction and the possibilities to improve health care services through telemedicine. Caregivers could benefit from socialization and support programs as well as the early detection of affective disorders