Neurocognitive Deficits in Euthymic Bipolar Patients

Neurocognitive deficits detected in bipolar patients have a negative influence on clinical course and severity. We reviewed studies on neurocognitive deficits in euthymic bipolar subjects and their possible neuroanatomical correlates. We also examined studies suggesting deficits seen in euthymic patients may be endophenotypes of the disorder. Results of the studies in euthymic patients and their healthy relatives indicate that have cognitive dysfunctions especially of verbal memory, learning and executive domains, which were found to be related to prefrontal cortex and temporo-limbic circuitry. Longitudinal studies investigating heritability of cognitive impairment in bipolar disorder and its relation with brain connectivity and epigenetic mechanisms are needed

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

Recognition of Face and Emotional Facial Expressions in Autism

Autism is a genetically transferred neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe and permanent deficits in many interpersonal relation areas like communication, social interaction and emotional responsiveness. Patients with autism have deficits in face recognition, eye contact and recognition of emotional expression. Both recognition of face and expression of facial emotion carried on face processing. Structural and functional impairment in fusiform gyrus, amygdala, superior temporal sulcus and other brain regions lead to deficits in recognition of face and facial emotion. Therefore studies suggest that face processing deficits resulted in problems in areas of social interaction and emotion in autism. Studies revealed that children with autism had problems in recognition of facial expression and used mouth region more than eye region. It was also shown that autistic patients interpreted ambiguous expressions as negative emotion. In autism, deficits related in various stages of face processing like detection of gaze, face identity, recognition of emotional expression were determined, so far. Social interaction impairments in autistic spectrum disorders originated from face processing deficits during the periods of infancy, childhood and adolescence. Recognition of face and expression of facial emotion could be affected either automatically by orienting towards faces after birth, or by “learning” processes in developmental periods such as identity and emotion processing. This article aimed to review neurobiological basis of face processing and recognition of emotional facial expressions during normal development and in autism

Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Child PTSD Symptom Scale

Objective: Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) were examined in a sample of young individuals who experienced a severe earthquake

Recognition of emotional facial expressions and broad autism phenotype in parents of children diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder

Objective: Research findings debate about features of broad autism phenotype. In this study, we tested whether parents of children with autism have problems recognizing emotional facial expression and the contribution of such an impairment to the broad phenotype of autism

Personality Development

Personality is the integration of characteristics acquired or brought by birth which separate the individual from others. Personality involves aspects of the individual's mental, emotional, social, and physical features in continuum. Several theories were suggested to explain developmental processes of personality. Each theory concentrates on one feature of human development as the focal point, then integrates with other areas of development in general. Most theories assume that childhood, especially up to 5-6 years, has essential influence on development of personality. The interaction between genetic and environmental factors reveals a unique personality along growth and developmental process. It could be said that individual who does not have any conflict between his/her basic needs and society's, has well-developed and psychologically healthy personality

Relationship between temperament, character and the autistic trait in parents of children with autistic spectrum disorder

Objective. Previous studies have revealed distinct features of autism, with higher harm avoidance and lower reward dependence and novelty seeking. It is assumed that high harm avoidance, and low novelty seeking, reward dependence, cooperativeness, and self-directedness are related with the broad autism phenotype, as seen in autistic individuals. Method. This study examined the association between the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), in parents of children with ASD. Result. There was significant correlation between total AQ and total harm avoidance, cooperativeness, and self-directedness (p < 0.05). In the stepwise analysis, self-directedness and education emerged significantly (F(2,67) = 19.71, p < .005). This model modestly explained 35% of variance (Adjusted R-2 = .350). Conclusion. Our findings suggest that self-directedness may be an autistic trait

Neurological soft signs in antisocial men and relation with psychopathy

Neurological soft signs (NSS) were studied in some axis-I disorders like schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, alcohol and substance abuse disorder. Aim of this study is detection of neurological soft signs in antisocial personality disorder and relation of these signs with psychopathy. The study was included 41 antisocial men and 41 healthy control subjects. Sociodemographic form, neurological evaluation scale and Hare psychopathy checklist was applied to the antisocial subjects, whereas sociodemographic form and neurological evaluation scale were applied to the controls. Antisocial men exhibited significiantly more NSS in total score and subgroups scales (p < 0.05). It was shown that there was a significant association with psychopathy scores and NSS sequencing complex motor tasks (r = 0.309; p = 0.049) and NSS other tests subgroup scores (r=0.328; p=0.037). Similar relation was also observed in comparison between psychopathy subgroups. NSS accepted as being endophenotypes in schizophrenia, were also detected in antisocial group significantly more than controls in our study. Significant relationship between psychopathy and NSS may also hint the role of genetic mechanisms in personality development, though new extended studies with larger sample size are needed for clarification of this relationship. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved