Violence as a Vicious Cycle

Since the conclusion that the violence as a behavior is not (cannot be) determined within an absolute genetic determinism has been reached for long years, environmental factors are increasingly examined. We witness that human behavior in society can easily convert into coping with stressful events with violence. Individual or social violence as a behavior has a similar pattern with violence committed in primitive society and by children. After a brief review of violence, its description, etiological theories and types, this article majorly focuses on children and their early and late response to violence. The purpose here is to draw attention to the individuals who were previously exposed to violence (either directly or indirectly) resort to violence, perpetuating a vicious cycle

POTENTIAL PROTECTIVE ROLE OF SDF-1 AND CXCR4 GENE VARIANTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEMENTIA

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of polymorphisms of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4) genes in dementia susceptibility in a Turkish population. Subjects and methods: The study group included 61 dementia patients, while the control group comprised 82 healthy individuals. Gene polymorphisms of SDF-1 3’A G801A (rs1801157) and CXCR4 C138T (rs2228014) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Results: A significantly reduced risk for developing dementia was found for the group bearing an A allele for SDF-1 3’A polymorphism (p=0.009; x2=6.812; OR=0.626; 95%CI= 0.429-0.913). The frequency of the CXCR4 TT and TC genotype was significantly lower in patients with dementia compared to controls (p=0.028; x2=5.583; OR=0.215; 95%CI=0.05-0.914); (p=0.027; x2=4.919; OR=0.484; 95% CI= 0.246-0.955). Additionally, combined genotype analysis showed that the frequency of SDF1 GACXCR4 CC was significantly lower in patients with dementia in comparison with those of controls (p=0.049; OR=0.560; 95% CI= 0.307±1.020). Conclusions: Our study provides new evidence that SDF1 A and CXCR4 T alleles may be associated with a decreased dementia risk. The present study is important because to our knowledge, it is the first one to be conducted in a Turkish population to date, but we believe that more patients and controls are needed to obtain statistically significant results

Effect of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors on periprocedural myocardial infarction in patients with metabolic syndrome

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been reported as a risk factor for cardiovascular events. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between chronic angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) therapy and the rate of periprocedural myocardial infarction (PMI) after elective coronary stenting among patients with MetS. Methods: The inclusion criteria were MetS and plan for elective percutaneous coronary intervention. To assess the effect of ACE-I treatment on the incidence of PMI, measurements of cardiac biomarkers (CK-MB mass and troponin I) were performed at baseline and 24 h after the procedure. Results: A total of 459 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were recruited to chronic ACE-I treatment and ACE-I naive groups in a 2/1 ratio. Baseline troponin I and CK-MB levels were similar in both treatment groups, whereas they were significantly lower in ACE-I group 24 h after the procedure. Univariate analysis identified body mass index (BMI), LDL cholesterol, nitrate and ACE-I use as significant factors for the development of PMI. Multivariate regression model revealed that body mass index increased and use of nitrate and ACE-I decreased the probability of PMI independent from confounding factors (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.05–1.23, p = 0.002 for BMI; OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.14–0.48, p = 0.01 for nitrate use, OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.27–0.93, p = 0.03 for ACE-I use). Conclusions: This prospective observational cohort trial demonstrated that chronic ACE-I therapy was an independent predictor for reduced PMI among patients with MetS who underwent elective coronary intervention

A Comparison of Quality of Life in Patients with Alexithymic and Non-Alexithymic Schizophrenia: A Preliminary Report

Purpose: The impairment the quality of life in schizophrenia should be seen as a public health problem rather than a psychiatric approach. The aim of this study was to improve the life quality of the patients with schizophrenia in terms of providing a different approach in order to examine the alexithymia. Material and Methods: This study was conducted with patients who were treated a outpatients in Erenkoy Mental and Nervous Diseases Training and Research Hospital Psychotic Disorders and Schizophrenia Outpatient Clinic. The data collection form, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF-TR) and the 20- item Toronto Alexithymia Scale were administered to 152 patients with schizophrenia who accepted to participate in this study. Results: The life quality of the alexithymic patients with schizophrenia compared to non-alexithymic patients with schizophrenia, in all sub-scales were found to be statistically significantly lower. Conclusion: When the individuals with schizophrenia were divided into two groups as alexithymia or non-alexithymia, it was observed that the group with alexithymia was affected adversely in all areas of life quality. It was stated alexithymia caused an unexpected progress in schizophrenia. [Cukurova Med J 2015; 40(1.000): 107-112

Short Form of Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11-SF) Turkish Adaptation Study

WOS: 000320972700006Background: This study aims to conduct Turkish adaptation of abbreviated version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). This short form (BIS-11-SF) would let the researchers easily use this impulsiveness scale in several different study fields including epidemiological studies, primary care and clinical samples. Methods: The present study was conducted in two stages. At the first stage, an exploratory factor analysis was carried out with 30-item BIS-11 which has been completed by 142 healthy participants. Through this analysis, 5 items with the highest factor loadings that belong to each of the three factors of the scale was determined. The final 15-item short form (BIS-15-SF) went on re-exploratory factor analysis and, internal consistency of the total scale and subscale scores were calculated. For validity analysis, the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSDa) was used. Ninety-two new subjects were included in this second stage. Results: At the first stage, 15 items of 30-item form that had sufficient rate of internal consistency and item-total correlation analysis have been included in factor analysis. The 3-factorial structure of the original 30-item scale [Non Planning (NP), motor impulsivity (M), and attention impulsivity (A)] was also valid in this short form. Internal consistency rates (Cronbach's alpha) for total and subscale scores of the 15-item new form were: 0.82, 0.80, 0.70 and 0.64 for total score, NP, M and D subscales, respectively. FrSDa (total scale and all subscales) had a moderately positive correlation (0.31-0.67) with BIS-11-SF total and subscale scores. Conclusion: Our findings show that the factorial structure of the Turkish adaptation of BIS-11 short form is reliable and valid for healthy normal population

The validity and reliability of Turkish version of frontal assessment battery in patients with schizophrenia

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of Turkish version of the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) in patients with schizophrenia

Are emotion recognition deficits in patients with schizophrenia states or traits? A 6-month follow-up study

Background: Patients with schizophrenia were found to be less successful at emotion recognition tasks (ERTs) than healthy individuals. There is a debate surrounding whether this deficit is permanent or temporary. The current study aims to assess how emotion recognition skills are affected by treatment processes and during the course of the disease and also to determine the relation of this change with clinical assessment scales, other cognitive functions, and quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG)