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Background: Epilepsy and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) are both common disease entities and psychiatric comorbidities are also high among the sufferers. Studies on the comparison of the levels of comorbidities between the two groups are few in number. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate different psychiatric disorders like depression, anxiety, social functioning, and quality of life (QoL) in epilepsy and PNES patients and compare them statistically. Materials and Methods: 38 epilepsy and 22 PNES patients were evaluated with clinical history and different tools like the mini international neuropsychiatric interview - 5, Beck’s Depression Inventory - 2,state and trait anxiety inventory, Social and Occupational functioning scale for epilepsy and QoL in epilepsy - 31 questionnaire. Comparisons were made between the groups regarding sociodemographic data, scores on different aspects of psychiatric disorders, social functioning, and QoL. Results: The majority in the epilepsy group were males, and in the PNES group were females, while younger age group predominates in both groups. There was a high prevalence of depression and anxiety in both groups, while PNES subjects had significantly higher depression and trait anxiety scores. Social and occupational functions were comparable in the two groups, but QoL indexes were significantly worse in the PNES group. Conclusion: Findings in this study indicate that psychiatric comorbidities like depression and anxiety disorders are much more common among patients with epilepsy and PNES. Occurrence of depression is even higher among patients with PNES. Both epilepsy/PNES and these psychiatric comorbidities affect Socio-occupational functions and their QoL. Thus, it is very important to look for these psychiatric comorbidities and QoL in these patients and implement proper management protocols to improve their mental health as well as their QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impedance, capacitance and conductance of deionized water-glucose polar solution is measured by employing impedance spectroscopy and a quasi-oscillatory nature of variation with glucose content in the solution is observed. Such quasi-oscillatory nature is attributed to the randomly distributed water-water, water-glucose and glucose-glucose dipole interactions at the molecular level in the solution. A relevant analytical model is developed on the basis of such random distribution of the molecular dipoles and the experimental data agree well with those obtained from the theoretical model. The electrical parameters are measured in the frequency range of 100Hz to 4MHz for the volume fractions of glucose with respect to water in the range of 0.1 to 0.5. The impedance, capacitance and conductance are obtained to be in the range of 1.03 kΩ – 112 kΩ, 34.9 pF – 1.66 nF, and 8.95 μS – 52.9 μS respectively for the glucose volume fraction range considered.

Background: Sexual dysfunction (SD) is a common occurrence in Schizophrenia on antipsychotics, both typical and atypical. Indian studies in this regard are not many in number. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate SD in Schizophrenics on Trifluoperazine, Risperidone, and Olanzapine and also to evaluate the incidence of SD in relation to the duration of illness, duration of treatment, and dosage of the drugs in each group of subjects. Materials and Methods: In stable schizophrenic patients, on Trifluoperazine (n=40), Risperidone (n=40), and Olanzapine (n=40), SD was assessed using Arizona sexual experience scale. Demographic profile and duration of illness, duration of treatment and drug dosage were evaluated in each group. Comparisons were made between the incidence of SD between patients taking typical and atypical antipsychotics. Furthermore, distribution of SD with duration of illness, duration of treatment and dose of drugs were assessed in each group of subjects (taking Trifluoperazine, Risperidone, or Olanzapine). Results: (1) Majority of the subjects were males (66.67%) and above 30 years (55%). (2) Incidence of SD was higher with typical antipsychotics (statistically insignificant). (3) Increased duration of treatment and dose of drugs was associated with higher incidence of SD. Patients treated with Risperidone for longer duration and with Trifluoperazine with higher dose had higher incidence of SD (P<0.05). Conclusion: Incidence of SD is higher in older age groups and with typical Antipsychotics. Increased duration of illness, duration of treatment and higher drug doses, all are associated with higher incidence of SD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a very common cause of disability in working age adults, lumbar canal stenosis (LCS) being one of the chief anatomical correlates. However, number of studies seeking role of LCS in the origin of LBP are not many, particularly in India. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate LBP and its relation to lumbar canal diameter (LCD), also to evaluate the impact of psychosomatic factors on LBP. Materials and Methods: Eighty symptomatic (LBP) and 41 asymptomatic (without LBP) subjects were chosen and LCD for three lowest lumbar segments measured by 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging for both symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects was ascertained. Canal diameters of both groups were compared by Pearson’s Chi-square test. Pain intensity of patients was assessed using visual analog scale (VAS)-pain score. Using tests of normality and non-parametric test Spearman’s rank coefficient, correlation between VAS score (pain intensity) and lowest canal diameter of the cases was evaluated. To evaluate the role of psychosomatic factors in LBP, the number of subjects (LBP) with somatic symptoms disorder (SSD) score ≥8 was ascertained. Results: The results were as follows: (1) Significant association between presence of LCS (diameter <10 mm) and LBP (P=0.015). (2) No significant correlation between intensity of LBP (VAS score) and LCD. (3) 13.75% of LBP patients had SSD (Male 8% and Female 23.33%). Conclusion: LCS may be an important factor in the origin of LBP. More studies are needed in this regard and also seeking correlation between LBP and other anatomical factors. Psychosocial factors may play important role in the origin and maintenance of LBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chronic, low-grade inflammation is a proposed etiological factor associated with schizophrenia. Thus, various studies have been conducted to understand the role of inflammatory process in schizophrenia by using inflammatory maker C-reactive protein (CRP) with conflicting findings. Inadvertently, studies of CRP among the Indian schizophrenia patients are very few. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the role of inflammatory process among Indian Bengalee schizophrenia patients of Siliguri, using the marker CRP and its stimulating cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6). In addition, the study also intended to investigate the immunomodulatory effect of antipsychotic medication on serum levels of CRP and IL-6. Materials and methods: The serum levels of CRP and IL-6 were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) among 67 antipsychotic medicating, 28 psychotropic medication-free schizophrenia patients, and it was compared with 72 age, sex and ethnicity-matched controls. Results: A significantly higher level of CRP and IL-6 were recorded among the antipsychotic medicating patients. Although CRP was found to be higher among the psychotropic medication-free patients than the controls, it was not found to be significant. However, a significantly higher level of IL-6 was observed in this group. Conclusions: The results provide the evidence for a possible immunomodulatory effect of antipsychotic drugs on CRP. Future investigations including the study of antipsychotics separately may help to understand the differential effects of individual antipsychotics on CRP level. Additional studies with a larger sample size of psychotropic medication-free patients may help to verify the role of inflammation in schizophrenia patients of this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly crystallized polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers were synthesized by oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of sodium alginate as a soft template in HCl and ammonium peroxydisulfate (APS) acting as an oxidizing agent. Sodium alginate, in presence of a protonic acid like HCl, formed hydrogen bonds with anilium ions or oligomers. The formed hydrogen bonds provide the driving force to form PANI nanofibers. The nanofibers were separated from the alginate gel by degelling with ammonium hydroxide and during degelling emeraldine salt was converted into emeraldine base form. The polymerized PANI was characterized using ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). UV and FTIR spectra showed that the presence of sodium alginate had no effect on the electronic state and backbone structures of the resulting PANI products. It was evident from the XRD analysis that the obtained PANI nanofibers exhibit higher crystalline order. SEM micrographs showed that PANI nanofibers were just like a mat of interwoven twisted nanofibers. After magnification of the SEM image, it was found that most of the nanofibers were interconnected to form ramose structures rather than isolated nanofibers. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic low-grade inflammation triggered by viral agents is a suggested etiological factor for schizophrenia. However, the underlying mechanism of inflammation and genetic predisposition to schizophrenia is poorly understood. Toll-like receptor (TLR) is a potential candidate gene to understand the inflammatory process and genetic predisposition to schizophrenia as they are known to express widely in brain cells and can modulate cytokine synthesis through recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns. To date, no TLR mutations or single nucleotide polymorphisms have been established as accepted risk factors for schizophrenia., Aim: Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to study the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the TLR genes in the etiopathology of schizophrenia., Methods: A total of 120 India-born Bengalee schizophrenia patients fulfilling diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-V criteria, and 145 age, sex, and ethnicity-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Previous virally associated SNPs in TLR genes were genotyped by Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. The allele frequency was compared using the odds ratio, and the association was studied under five inheritance models using the SNPStats program., Results: The frequencies of G allele (OR = 2.68, P = 0.01) and A/G genotype of TLR-4 rs4986790 ( P = 0.04), T allele (OR = 4.09, P = 0.01) and C/T genotype of TLR-4 rs4986791 ( P = 0.05), and T allele of TLR-9 rs352140 (OR = 1.77; P = 0.00) were found to be significantly high in patients. The dominant model was the optimum genetic model for TLR-4 rs4986790 (OR = 3.24, P = 0.01) and TLR-9 rs352140 (OR = 2.88, P = 0.005)., Conclusion: The findings suggest that SNPs in TLR genes rs4986790, rs4986791, and rs352140 may confer susceptibility to schizophrenia among Indian Bengalee patients., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Indian Journal of Psychiatry.)

Background: Stresses of medical course affects the academic performance as well as physical and psychological health of the students negatively. In the present day scenario every one of us has vulnerability to have psychiatric morbidity. Like other young adults, undergraduate dental students are similarly vulnerable to turmoil due to academic and social stresses, which often hamper the educational achievement. Early detection and treatment of psychological morbidities shorten the suffering leading to less social impairment in long term., Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the psychiatric morbidity of dental students and the factors affecting their mental health., Settings and Design: This cross sectional, descriptive and correlation study was conducted in North Bengal Dental College, a rural dental college of West Bengal, India., Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of a total of 89 dental students. The student enrollment was done by "simple random sampling method". The semi-structured proforma and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-28 were used to collect data and to assess the psychiatric morbidity., Statistical Analysis: Pearson's correlation followed by multivariate linear regression analysis was done to assess the effect of academic achievement, positive and negative event on the GHQ total score., Results: The overall mean GHQ total score in the study population was 5.33, with a SD of 4.85 which was above the cutoff (>4) score. Karl Pearson correlation co-efficient r-values for GHQ total score with 'academic achievement' and 'negative events' score were 0.718 and 0.628 respectively and p-values were 0.001 and 0.001., Conclusion: The poor academic performance and negative events had strong impact on psychological morbidity of dental students. The findings of our study can't be generalized for all undergraduate dental student due to small sample size and non inclusion of many other variables.

An internal 24-hour biological clock working in tandem with external environmental cues like bright light regulates our daily rhythms specially sleep-wake cycle. In a blind individual, due to absence of external cue endogenous rhythm may take upper hand and free running of sleep-wake cycle starts without any synchronicity with day-night cycle, creating ground for sleep disorders. To evaluate the frequency of sleep disorders, 65 blind individuals without any comorbid medical or surgical problem were interviewed according to the criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder-IV (DSM-IV). Simultaneously 70 persons with no visual impairment were assessed in the same manner as used for blind persons. Blind patients showed far higher presence (44.6%) of sleep problems compared to controls (15.7%), and this difference was highly significant statistically [odd's ratio (OR) = 4.32, CI 95 =1.8-10.54]. Blind patients showed far higher presence (43.1%) of DSM-IV based diagnosis compared to controls (8.6%), and this difference was highly significant statistically [OR = 8.072, CI 95 = 3.059-21.298]. Circadian sleep disorders, insomnia and hypersomnia were relatively higher in blind patients. High incidence of sleep disorders calls for development of short reliable screener for sleep disorders among blind persons and better liaison among ophthalmologists and psychiatrists for early detection of this problem.