Learning environment, attitudes and anxiety across the transition from primary to secondary school mathematics

Past research has revealed that, relative to primary-school students, high-school students have less-positive attitudes to mathematics and perceive their classroom environments and teacher–student relationships less favourably. This study involved the transition experience of 541 students in 47 classes in 15 primary (year 7) and secondary (year 8) government and Catholic schools in metropolitan and regional South Australia. Scales were adapted from three established instruments, namely, the What Is Happening In this Class?, Test of Mathematics Related Attitudes and Revised Mathematics Anxiety Ratings Scale, to identify changes across the transition from primary to secondary school in terms of the classroom learning environment and students’ attitude/anxiety towards mathematics. Relative to year 7 students, year 8 students reported less Involvement, less positive Attitude to Mathematical Inquiry, less Enjoyment of Mathematics and greater Mathematics Anxiety. Differences between students in Years 7 and 8 were very similar for male and female students, although the magnitude of sex differences in attitudes was slightly different in Years 7 and 8

Aripiprazole induced mania

Aripiprazole, a new antipsychotic drug is commenly used in treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Although all new generation antipsychotics were used in treatment of bipolar disorder, they could also induce mania in some cases. We present a case of aripipazole induced mania. K.K. is a 19 years old woman without history of bipolar disorder. Acute maniac episode occurred in her after using aripiprazole 30mg/day. Her episode ended after discontinuation of aripiprazole and administration of quetiapine 900mg/day, Na-valproat 1500mg/day, lorazepam 5mg/day. Clinicians might consider that aripiprazole might induce mania in some cases

presentation of two cases

Many drugs may cause skin reactions, but skin reactions are seen more commonly with psychotropic drugs. Dermatologic adverse effects have increased because use of antidepressant drugs have become more common all over the world. Most of these adverse effects are benign reactions but rarely serious adverse skin reactions might occur due to antidepressant drugs. There were several case reports about dermatologic side effects of antidepressants in the literature. We present two more cases of adverse skin reactions due to antidepressants; a case of erythema multiforme due to bupropion and a case of acute urticaria due to escitalopram

presentation of two cases

Many drugs may cause skin reactions, but skin reactions are seen more commonly with psychotropic drugs. Dermatologic adverse effects have increased because use of antidepressant drugs have become more common all over the world. Most of these adverse effects are benign reactions but rarely serious adverse skin reactions might occur due to antidepressant drugs. There were several case reports about dermatologic side effects of antidepressants in the literature. We present two more cases of adverse skin reactions due to antidepressants; a case of erythema multiforme due to bupropion and a case of acute urticaria due to escitalopram

Welcomes and goodbyes

201

Memantine as an Add-on Therapy in Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Objective: NMDA receptor antagonists were found to be effective treating alcohol withdrawal syndrome, preventing seizures, and decreasing daily alcohol intake in preclinical studies. But there were only few studies on the efficacy of NMDA receptor antagonists in humans. In this current study, we evaluated the effects of memantine, an NMDA receptor antagonist on alcohol withdrawal syndrome.Methods: The study was planned as a prospective, randomized; double-blind study. In total, 32 patients enrolled in study. 16 patients were randomized to benzodiazepine plus memantine group and 16 were randomized to benzodiazepine plus placebo group. Memantine was administered to patients as 10 mg/day in first week of study and 20 mg/day in second week of study. Severity of alcohol withdrawal was measured by Revised Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol scale (CIWA-AR). Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Gama Glutamyl transferase (GGT), Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrine (CDT), and Alcohol Using Disorders Identity Test (AUDIT) tests were also administered to evaluate patients. CIWA-AR scores of the two groups were compared with Mann-Whitney U test at 1(st), 4(th), 7(th), 10(th), and 15(th) days of treatment. P values were corrected for multiple comparisons.Results: Two groups were identical on age, sex, marital status, education and employment. There were also no differences in AUDIT, CDT, MCV, and GGT scores between two groups at the beginning of the study. Mean CIWA-AR score of the memantine group was 23.63 +/- 7.24 and mean CIWA-AR score of the placebo group was 22.94 +/- 7.47 at the beginning of the study. The difference between two groups was not statistically significant. CIWA-AR scores of the memantine group were 7.88 +/- 4,37, 2.44 +/- 2.03, 0.94 +/- 0.99, and 0.25 +/- 0.44 respectively on the 4(th), 7(th), 10(th) and 15(th) measurement days. CIWA-AR scores of the placebo group were 8.63 +/- 4,79, 4.19 +/- 2.10, 2.50 +/- 1.82, and 1.13 +/- 0.96 respectively on the 4(th), 7(th), 10(th) and 15(th) measurement days. Although the decline in CIWA-AR scores was higher in memantine group, there was no statistically significant difference between memantine and placebo group. Memantine group had better improvement in tremor and sweating subscales of CIWA-AR but this difference was not statistically significant.Discussion: Despite the previous results that were mentioning that memantine was effective in alcohol withdrawal syndrome, we could not find statistically significant difference between two groups. Although memantine was not superior to placebo in our setting, randomized placebo controlled studies with more subjects and no extra medication might be helpful for showing efficacy of memantine and other antiglutamatergic agents in alcohol withdrawal syndrome

study

Objective: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has a prominent place in current psychiatry. One of the most common side effects of this therapy is headache. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the effects of naproxen sodium given prior to ECT on headache and treatment satisfaction.Methods: The study was designed as prospective, randomized and blind. Twenty patients received 550 mg of naproxen sodium 90 minutes before the first and second ECT sessions while the patients in the control group received placebo (powdered glucose). Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was applied 30 minutes after the session and Treatment Satisfaction Scale was applied at the end of treatment.Results: The frequency of headache in placebo group was significantly higher than that of the naproxen-treated group (p<0.001). At the end of ECT sessions treatment satisfaction of naproxen -treated group was higher compared to the placebo group (p<0.001).Conclusions: Naproxen given prior to ECT sessions decreases the incidence of headache while increasing treatment satisfaction. Studies with larger samples and different drug combinations are needed for further decrease of side effects of ECT

polymorphism and olanzapine induced weight gain

Objective: Antipsychotic induced weight gain is a major problem for second generation antipsychotics which may lead to diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Recent studies were mentioning that genetic factors might be relevant in antipsychotic induced weight gain. Aim of this study is evaluation of the association between IRS-1 Glyp972Arg polymorphism and olanzapine induced weight gain. Methods: Total of 95 patients whom were diagnosed as schizophrenia by DSM-IV criteria were included to study. Body weight, body mass index and blood glucose levels of all patients were checked at the beginning and six weeks after olanzapine treatment. Blood for DNA analysis were obtained from patients and analyzed as mentioned in literature. Data were evaluated with descriptive methods and Mann Whitney U test was used for comparison of two groups. Results: Eighty and four of patients had Glycine/Glycine and 11 patients had Glycine/Arginine genotype of IRS-1 Gly972Arg polymorphism. Despite the patients with Glycine/Glycine polymorphism gained more weight than patients with Glycine/Arginine polymorphism, the difference between Glycine/Glycine and Glycine/Arginine groups for weight change and body mass index change wasn't statistically significant. Conclusion: Our results showed no statistical relationship between the IRS-1 Gly972Arg polymorphism and olanzapine induced weight gain. However exploration of the other IRS genotypes and the antipsychotic-induced body weight change may help in the understanding of the mechanisms of antipsychotic-induced body weight gain. (Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2010; 11:18-22