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Psychological disorders such as depression have more prevalence in inflammatory bowel disease patients and can exacerbate the clinical course of the disease, so anti-depressant therapy may have a potential to positively impact the disease course. On the other hand several antidepressant drugs have shown antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Thus, this study aimed to explore the beneficial effects of venlafaxine on experimental colitis in normal and reserpinised depressed rats. Acetic acid colitis was induced in both reserpinised and non-reserpinised rats. Reserpinised groups received reserpine at dose of 6 mg/kg i.p.1 h prior to colitis induction and then treated with venlafaxine at doses of 10, 20, 40 mg/kg given i.p. 2 h after induction of colitis and daily for 4 consecutive days. Non-reserpinised groups treated with 10, 20, 40 mg/kg venlafaxine i.p. 2 h after the induction of colitis and daily for 4 successive days. Dexamethasone (1 mg/kg, i.p.) was used as reference drug. Colonic inflammation was evaluated using macroscopic, histological and myeloperoxidase activity measurements. Results showed that reserpine at dose of 6 mg/kg exacerbated the colitis damage. Compared to acetic acid control, venlafaxine at dose of 40 mg/kg as well as dexamethasone significantly improved colitis parameters in both reserpinised and non-reserpinised animals. Venlafaxine reduced inflammatory injury in this animal model of induced ulcerative colitis. These effects are probably mediated first through depressive behavioral changes that could be mediated through the brain-gut axis and second for the anti-inflammatory effect of the drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence on the long-term usefulness of anti-depressants in managing depression in cardiometabolic disease is limited. Aim: We examined the effects of anti-depressant prescribing on depressive symptoms at 12 months follow-up in patients with cardiometabolic disease and a positive depression screening result at baseline. Design and Setting: We retrospectively reviewed routine UK primary care data for patients with coronary heart disease, diabetes and previous stroke for the year 2008-2009. 35,537 patients with one of the three above diseases underwent depression screening using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D). Of 7080 patients with a positive screening result (HADS-D ≥ 8), 3933 (55.5%) patients had a repeat HADS-D recorded at 12 months follow-up. Methods: We compared the change in HADS-D at follow-up and remission rate in those who were prescribed anti-depressants (n = 223) against those who were not (n = 3710). Results: The mean change in HADS-D from baseline, for the nonprescribed group was similar to the reduction observed in patients who were continuously prescribed (n = 93) with anti-depressants during follow-up. Patients who were prescribed intermittently (n = 72) or only one (n = 58) prescription during follow-up had a lower reduction in HADS-D compared to the nonprescribed group. There was no difference in remission rates between continuously prescribed and the nonprescribed group, but remission was lower in patients prescribed intermittently and single prescription. Conclusion: Improvement in depressive symptoms in patients with cardiometabolic disease at 12 months was not any better in patients prescribed with anti-depressants compared to the nonprescribed group. The role of anti-depressants in the management of depression in cardiometabolic disease merits further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is one of the most important medical problems in today's world; despite its high prevalence, its causes unfortunately remain not fully known. Among important issues regarding this is its relation with heart diseases. Based on studies this comorbidity increase morbidity and mortality and leads to worst prognosis. However the cause of such high rate of comorbidity is unclear and instead of efforts to understand this correlation has prompted the medical world to consult other medicinal disciplines, not only to find the answer but also to increase the effectiveness of treatment and decrease its cost. Methods: We first reviewed the most important ancient causes for depression mentioned by Avicenna and considered those as the key words for our next step. Then, we made a literature search (PubMed and Scopus) with those key words to find out new scientific findings in modern medicine about the Avicenna's suggestions. Results: Avicenna does not regard depression as only a mental ailment, but as a disorder resulted by the involvement of brain, heart and blood. He believed that the main causes of depressive events are rooted in heart diseases; in most cases brain is only affected secondary to the heart. Thus he declared that for the treatment of depressive disorders, the underlying cardiovascular diseases should be considered. Conclusions: It is worthwhile to consider the Avicenna's recommended causes of depression and to design future scientific studies based on his suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent evidence has exhibited dietary influence on the manifestation of different types of behavior induced by stressor tasks. The present study examined the effects of Tualang honey supplement administered with the goal of preventing or attenuating the occurrence of stress-related behaviors in male rats subjected to noise stress. Forty-eight adult male rats were randomly divided into the following four groups: i) nonstressed with vehicle, ii) nonstressed with Tualang honey, iii) stressed with vehicle, and iv) stressed with honey. The supplement was given once daily via oral gavage at 0.2 g/kg body weight. Two types of behavioral tests were performed, namely, the novel object recognition test to evaluate working memory and the forced swimming test to evaluate depressive-like behavior. Data were analyzed by a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using IBM SPSS 18.0. It was observed that the rats subjected to noise stress expressed higher levels of depressive-like behavior and lower memory functions compared to the unexposed control rats. In addition, our results indicated that the supplementation regimen successfully counteracted the effects of noise stress. The forced swimming test indicated that climbing and swimming times were significantly increased and immobility times significantly decreased in honey-supplemented rats, thereby demonstrating an antidepressant-like effect. Furthermore, cognitive function was shown to be intensely affected by noise stress, but the effects were counteracted by the honey supplement. These findings suggest that subchronic exposure to noise stress induces depressive-like behavior and reduces cognitive functions, and that these effects can be attenuated by Tualang honey supplementation. This warrants further studies to examine the role of Tulang honey in mediating such effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes associated depression is a largely understudied fi eld which nonetheless carries a signifi cant disease burden. The very low therapeutic effi cacy of the existing conventional drugs with poor outcome may be, in part, due to uncertainty of the mechanism involved that clearly explains the existing comorbidity. The main purpose of this review was to address the sophisticated mechanisms of this comorbidity with a view of developing potential novel targets with higher effi cacy and specifi city. Data were collected from database searches including PubMed, references from relevant English language research/review articles and other offi cial publications. Articles from 1990 to 2013 were included, and a broad search term criteria were followed for data mining so that relevant information was not missed out. Some of the search terms used included; diabetes-induced depression, diabetes and serotonin, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and diabetes and glucocorticoids in diabetes. Neuropathologically, depletion of brain monoaminergic activity specifi cally the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) system, due to chronically persisting diabetic state may lead to the mood and behavioral complications that further add on worsening the quality life years. The 5-HT system through multifunctional tasks regulates neurogenesis and plasticity and by complex receptor mechanism controls the emotional and behavioral activity. Persisting hyperglycemia leads to impaired neurogenesis, decreased synaptic plasticity, undesired neuro-anatomical alterations, neurochemical defi cits, and reduced neurotransmitter activity. The neurotrophic factors and secondary messenger functions affected at molecular and genetic levels indicate the impact of diabetes-mediated dysregulation on neuronal circuits. HPA activity, glycogen synthase kinase 3, and insulin signaling controls were also found to be hampered, interlinked to 5-HT system following diabetic progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship of depression with carotid intima media thickness and augmentation index in Asian Indians. Research Design and Methods: For this study, 1505 subjects were randomly selected from a population based study conducted in Chennai, South India. Right common carotid artery intima medial thickness [IMT] was determined using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. Augmentation index [AI] was measured using the Sphygmocor apparatus. Depressive symptoms were assessed using a previously validated instrument, the Patient Health Questionnaire -12 (PHQ -12). Results: Of the 1505 subjects included in this study, depressive symptoms were present in 16.6% (n = 250) of the subjects. The mean IMT and AI values among subjects with depression were significantly higher than those without depression [0.83 ± 0.43 mm vs 0.73 ± 0.12 mm, P < 0.001] and IMT was higher in females with depression while AI was higher in males with depression. However, both IMT and AI were higher among those with depression in both genders. In multiple logistic regression model, depressive symptoms were associated with IMT even after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, serum cholesterol and hypertension (Odds ratio [OR] =2.17, 95% Confidence intervals [CI]:1.01- 4.63, P = 0.047) but in the case of AI, the significance was lost in the adjusted model (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.991-1.02, P = 0.445). Conclusion: Among Asian Indians, presence of depressive symptoms was associated with carotid intima media thickness and Augmentation index, even after adjusting for potential confounders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anxiety and depression are highly comorbid psychiatric conditions that the prevalence will be increased to the second greatest risk of morbidity, causing a significant socioeconomic burden. Due to side effects and destructive effects of some chemical drugs, many patients prefer herbal medicines to treat diseases. Although there are key review papers in the area of medicinal plants and psychiatry disorders, they have either covered the area in a relatively cursory manner or focused on a specific plant medicine. In the present study, we tried to present the effect of most important medicinal plants on two important highly comorbid psychiatric conditions-anxiety and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although studies have demonstrated significant negative relationships between quality of life (QOL), fatigue, and the most common psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety, stress), the main ambiguity of previous studies on QOL is in the relative importance of these predictors. Also, there is lack of adequate knowledge about the actual contribution of each of them in the prediction of QOL dimensions. Thus, the main objective of this study is to assess the role of fatigue, depression, anxiety, and stress in relation to QOL of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Materials and Methods: One hundred and sixty-two MS patients completed the questionnaire on demographic variables, and then they were evaluated by the Persian versions of Short-Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36), Fatigue Survey Scale (FSS), and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient and hierarchical regression. Results: Correlation analysis showed a significant relationship between QOL elements in SF-36 (physical component summary and mental component summary) and depression, fatigue, stress, and anxiety (P < 0.01). Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that among the predictor variables in the final step, fatigue, depression, and anxiety were identified as the physical component summary predictor variables. Anxiety was found to be the most powerful predictor variable amongst all (β = −0.46, P < 0.001). Furthermore, results have shown depression as the only significant mental component summary predictor variable (β = −0.39, P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study has highlighted the role of anxiety, fatigue, and depression in physical dimensions and the role of depression in psychological dimensions of the lives of MS patients. In addition, the findings of this study indirectly suggest that psychological interventions for reducing fatigue, depression, and anxiety can lead to improved QOL of MS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a serious and frequent co-morbid illness among people with epilepsy (PWE) and the risk for depression in PWE is higher than the general population. However, depression among PWE is often under diagnosed and treated by physicians other than psychiatrists in resource-limited settings like Ethiopia. Objective: This study aimed at assessing the prevalence and factors associated with depression and its implication for treatment among PWE in Southwest Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study design was facilitated among 300 adult subjects diagnosed with epilepsy at the Jimma University Specialized Hospital (JUSH) from August to October 2012. Depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) scale which was found to have Cronbach's Alpha of 0.82 for this study . Results: A total of 300 adult subjects with epilepsy were interviewed making a response rate of 100%. The prevalence of depressive disorder among patient with epilepsy was 49.3%. Of these, 39.9%, 38.5%, and 21.6% of the patient were found to have mild, moderate, and severe depression, respectively . Epilepsy-related perceived stigma, high seizure frequency, and low educational status were found to be independent predictors of depression among subjects with epilepsy . Conclusion: In this study, depression was found to be highly prevalent. Early recognition and treatment of depression through routine screening and assessment of PWE should become an essential part of diagnosis and treatment protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, play an undeniable role in the incidence of mental illnesses. Almost all humans will experience depression. Furthermore, most humans lack the ability to control and reduce depression, the disorder can lead to physical damage. The main goal of this study was to determine the association between distribution of depression and the climatic conditions in the Iran country. Methods: Spatial distribution maps of depression were plotted by using data recorded during 2010 year in the Iran health center registry. The geographical mapping of depression and climatic conditions were then incorporated into a geographic information system to create a spatial distribution model and in this study we used neural network to model the trend of depression and climatic conditions. Results: The spatial distributions of depression diseases in the country, followed by were scattered based on climatic conditions. In fact, common depression was more prevalent in the parts of the country where cold and rainy weather was more abundant. Conclusions: The findings of this study can be useful for psychologists and controlling of this disease, because lack the ability to control and reduce depression, the disorder can lead to physical damage. Data are also important to establish further effects modeling for depression. Moreover, psychologists and health professionals should consider the impact of environmental factors on their patients' health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies investigating effectiveness of group psychotherapy intervention in depression in persons with HIV have showed varying results with differing effect sizes. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of group psychotherapy in depression in persons with HIV has been conducted to present the best available evidence in relation to its effect on depressive symptomatology. Electronic databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials. Selected studies were quality assessed and data extracted by two reviewers. If feasible, it was planned to conduct a meta-analysis to obtain a pooled effect size of group psychotherapeutic interventions on depressive symptoms. Odds ratio for drop out from group was calculated. The studies were assessed for their quality using the Quality Rating Scale and other parameters for quality assessment set out by COCHRANE. The quality of reporting of the trials was compared against the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist for non-pharmacological studies (CONSORT-NPT). Four studies met the full inclusion criteria for systematic review. The trials included in the review examined group interventions based on the Cognitive behavioral therapy model against other therapeutic interventions or waiting list controls. In all four studies, group psychotherapy was an effective intervention for reducing depressive symptoms in persons with HIV in comparison to waiting list controls. The reported benefits from the group psychotherapy in comparison to active controls were less impressive. There were no statistically significant differences in drop outs at post treatments across group psychotherapy, wait list control, and other active interventions. The methodological quality of the studies varied. The quality of reporting of the studies was sub-optimal. The results of this systematic review support that group psychological interventions for depression in persons with HIV have a significant effect on depressive symptomatology. This review also indicates that group cognitive behavioral therapies are an acceptable psychological intervention for persons with HIV and comorbid depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This consensus based national guideline addresses the need for psychological, psychiatric and social assessment, as well as management, in antenatal women with diabetes. It builds upon the earlier Indian guidelines on psychological management of diabetes, and should be considered as an addendum to the parent guideline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is the most common geriatric psychiatric disorder. Other than organic, socio demographic factors, have been found to play an important role in mental health. In this study we evaluated the association of some socio-demographic factors with geriatric depression Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in the Out Patient Department registration area of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Delhi. Questionnaire based interviews were conducted among the elderly people visiting the hospital. A 15 item geriatric depression scale Hindi was used to assess depression. Results: Six hundred and seventy eight subjects were interviewed. The age of the subjects ranged from 65 to 85 years. About three fourth of the study population were males. About 61.4% scored positive for depression. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the following were significant (P<0.05) independent predictors of depression: Higher age, low educational status, financial dependence and presence of any chronic health problem. Conclusions: The present study found that the prevalence of depression among the study subjects was high. Also the independent risk factors found in this study need to be targeted in formulating mental health policy for geriatrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which compares the effectiveness of Xingnao Jieu capsules with fluoxetine. It states that Xingnao Jieu capsule is an effective drug used to reduce depression and relieve neurologic impairments. The study used rats with post-stroke depression as experiment models in which intragastric perfusion, sugar water consumption test, and open-field test have been applied.

Context: Therapeutic effects in depression of yoga adopted from different schools have been demonstrated. The efficacy of a generic module of yoga on depressed patients has not yet been tested in the literature. Aims: The study was aimed to compare the therapeutic effect of a generic yoga module with antidepressant drugs in non-suicidal out-patients of major depression attending a psychiatric hospital. Settings and Design: The study was outpatient-based using an open-labeled design. Materials and Methods: A total of 137 out-patients of depressive disorders received one of the three treatments as they chose - yoga-only, drugs-only or both. The yoga was taught by a trained yoga physician for over a month in spaced sessions totaling at least 12. Patients were assessed before treatment, after 1 and 3 months on depression and Clinical Global Impression Scales. Out of 137, 58 patients completed the study period with all assessments. Results: Patients in the three arms of treatment were comparable on demographic and clinical variables. Patients in all three arms of treatment obtained a reduction in depression scores as well as clinical severity. However, both yoga groups (with or without drugs) were significantly better than the drugs-only group. Higher proportion of patients remitted in the yoga groups compared with the drugs-only group. No untoward events were spontaneously reported in the yoga-treated patients. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that the findings support a case for prescribing yoga as taught in the study in depressive non-suicidal out-patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a lack of data from India on the impact of migraine on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the extent of psychiatric co-morbidities in migraine. Objective: The objectives of the study were to quantify the impairment in HRQoL in migraine patients compared to healthy controls, to compare the prevalence of clinically significant anxiety and depressive symptoms in these groups, and to identify patient and headache characteristics that may predict health-related quality of life. Materials and Methods: We interviewed 71 consecutive newly diagnosed migraine patients seen in the headache clinic of a tertiary referral center between September and December 2008. Age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (n = 71) were used as controls. Short Form-36, Migraine Disability Assessment Score, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were administered. Predictors of HRQoL were identified using regression analysis. Results: Migraineurs were significantly impaired in all subscales of the SF-36 compared to controls, with greatest impairments in role physical, general health, and role emotional subscales. Prevalence of clinically significant anxiety (48%) and depressive (41%) symptoms in patients was higher than in healthy controls. Female gender, headache-related disability, and severity of anxiety predicted worse Physical Component Summary scores, while severity of both anxiety and depressive symptoms predicted worse Mental Component Summary scores. Conclusion: HRQoL is significantly reduced in Indian migraine patients compared to healthy controls. Incidence of clinically significant anxiety and depressive symptoms is also much higher in these patients. These findings corroborate well with studies from other parts of the world and suggest that cultural differences do not significantly alter the subjective impact of migraine on quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with diabetes experience some level of emotional distress varying from disease-specific distress to general symptoms of anxiety and depression. Since empirical data about symptom distress in relation to diabetes are sparse in Iran, this study was designed to assess the diabetes-specific distress in Iranian population. Methods: Persian version of Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) questionnaire was completed by volunteer outpatients on a consecutive basis between February 2009 and July 2010, in Endocrine Research Center (Firouzgar Hospital). Then, scheduled appointments were made with a psychiatrist in the same week following completion of the questionnaire. The psychiatrist was not aware about the results of this questionnaire and patients were interviewed based on DSM-IV criteria. Results: One hundred and eighty-five patients completed the questionnaire and were interviewed by a psychiatrist. Fifty-two percent of the patients were females. The mean age was 56.06 (SD=9.5) years and the mean of duration of diabetes was 9.7 (SD=7.3) years. Sixty-five (35%) had distress. Among the patients with distress, 55% were females and 64% had lower grade of education. Eighty patients were diagnosed as having Major Depressive Disorder. There was a relation between Emotional Burden subscale and age (P=0.004), employment status (P=0.03), and also diabetes duration (P=0.02). The physician-related distress subscale was also related to the type of medication (P=0.009) and marital status (P=0.01). It has been shown that the regimen-related distress subscale was also related to age (P=0.003) and duration of diabetes (P=0.005). Conclusions: High prevalence rate of distress in the study highlights the significance of the need for identifying distress and also other mental health conditions in patients with diabetes in order to take collaborative care approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which focused on the extracellular signal-regulated kinase/camp response element-binding protein/brain-derived neurotrophic factor signal transduction pathway. It also discusses recent studies and future possibilities to explore said pathway to find a new drug target and produce appropriate treatments. It indicates that increased hippocampal neurogenesis in the camp response element-binding allowed the rats to respond to acute treatment more efficiently.

Background: There are very few studies from India which have evaluated the prescription pattern for antidepressants by psychiatrists for treatment of depression. Aim: To study the psychotropic prescription patterns of patients with first episode depression from diverse settings including teaching institutions in public and private sectors and even privately run psychiatric clinics. Materials and Methods: Prescription data of 706 patients with first episode depression, who participated in the IPS multicentric study, were evaluated. Results: Escitalopram was the most commonly prescribed antidepressant, comprising 40% of the total prescriptions. This was followed by sertraline (17.6%) and fluoxetine (16.3%). In total, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) formed 79.2% of all the prescriptions. Tricyclic antidepressants formed a small part (15.15%) of total prescriptions, with imipramine being the most commonly used tricyclic antidepressant. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine and duloxetine) were prescribed to 11.3% of patients with equal share of venlafaxine and duloxetine. About one-sixth (N=104; 14.7%) of the patients were prescribed more than one antidepressant. Nearly three-fourth of the patients (N=523; 74.1%) were prescribed a benzodiazepine, with clonazepam being the most preferred agent, prescribed to nearly half of the participants (49%) and formed nearly two-third of the total benzodiazepine prescriptions (346 out of 523). Conclusion: Escitalopram is the most commonly prescribed antidepressant and SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressants. Poly pharmacy in the form of concomitant use of two antidepressants is practiced infrequently. However, benzodiazepines are used quite frequently as the co-prescription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychosocial oncology is an upcoming area of interest, which deals with numerous psychiatric, psychological, and social aspects of malignancies. Psychiatric oncology relates to some of the common psychological and emotional problems encountered in persons with malignancy and their formal and informal caregivers. This oration will discuss the importance of this field of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, with a focus on the research and practice in the Indian setting. This presentation will also share the findings and researches of the presenter. All these range from studies on cancer pain and palliative care, screening for psychiatric morbidity, quality of life, communication skills for health professionals in breaking bad news and handling difficult questions, and counseling. The findings on researches on somatization and illness behavior in cancer patients would highlight newer challenges in this field. Caregivers of persons with cancer are as important as the patient, but usually ignored. The stress, strain, burden, positive emotions, and coping in the context of care giving for persons with cancer are being increasingly realized. Professional caregivers should be aware of caregiver difficulties and support them through their ordeal. Lastly, the importance of dealing with staff stress and burnout among health professionals looking after families with cancer patients and survivors will be emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dementia and depression are mental health problems that are commonly encountered in neuropsychiatric practice in the elderly. Approximately, half of the patients with late-onset depression have cognitive impairment. The prevalence of depression in dementias has been reported to be between 9 and 68%. Depression has been both proposed to be a risk factor for dementia as well as a prodrome of dementia. This article is a selective literature review of the complex relationship between the two conditions covering definitions, epidemiology, related concepts, treatment, and emerging biomarkers. The methodological issues and the mechanisms underlying the relationship are also highlighted. The relationship between the two disorders is far from conclusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although definititions of refractory epilepsy vary, about 40% of prevalent cases of epilepsy are not controlled by anti-epileptic drugs. A substantial proportion of this population requires palliative therapy since only a minority are candidates for epilepsy surgery. Drug therapy can be optimised after accurate classification of the epilepsy. Monotherapy is often as effective as polytherapy with fewer adverse effects. Depression and CNS adverse effects significantly impact quality of life and must be systematically screened for and treated. The ketogenic diet and vagal nerve stimulation provide substantial seizure control in a significant number of cases and may be used synergistically. Deep brain stimulation is another promising modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder, and its definite etiology is still unclear. It has been shown that personality characteristics can affect the disease presentation and attitude of patient toward symptoms. This study was undertaken to evaluate the personality characteristics in patients with IBS in Shiraz, southern Iran. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, the personality characteristics of 60 patients with IBS and 55 healthy persons were compared using Minnesota II Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2). The cases were selected from patients who were referred to the Mottahari clinic affiliated to the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Results: The patients recorded the highest scores on the hypochondriasis and psychoasthenia scales. The scores of the patient on the scales of lie, infrequency, hypochondriasis, depression and hysteria showed significant elevation in comparison to those of the control group. Furthermore, the scores on clinical scales in male subjects were higher for psychopathic-deviate, paranoia and social introversion scales in comparison to the males in the control group. Female subjects recorded lower scores on the social introversion scale in comparison to the females in the control group. Male subjects also recorded a higher score on the psychopathic-deviate, paranoia, psychoasthenia and social introversion scales in comparison to females. Female subjects had a relatively higher score on the masculinity/feminity scale. Based on the clinical interview using DMS-IV criteria, the most prevalent symptoms were anxiety and depression in patients with IBS. Conclusion: Due to the high prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with IBS, psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy of these patients is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We examined the involvement of 5-HT neurotransmission on the antidepressantlike effect of the dichloromethane (DcM) fraction of an extract from Kielmeyera coriacea stems. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats treated chronically (45 days, gavage) with the DcM fraction received an intradorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) microinjection of saline or 5-HT1A receptor ligands and were evaluated in the forced swimming test (FST) and in the open-field test (OFT). Results: The DcM fraction (5.0 mg/kg) reduced immobility time in the FST without altering locomotion in the OFT. IntraDRN microinjection of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist, (+)-8- OH-DPAT (0.10; 0.20 or 0.33 μg) increased immobility time and reduced locomotion at the higher dose whereas the 5-HT1A antagonists, (-)-pindolol (0.10; 0.20 or 0.40 μg) or WAY100635 (0.11; 0.22 or 0.43 μg) did not produce any effect in the behavioral tests. IntraDRN (+)-8-OH-DPAT (0.20 or 0.33 μg) in rats treated with the DcM fraction (5.0 mg/kg) blocked the changes in the immobility time or in locomotion produced by each drug. Intra-DRN (-)-pindolol (0.10 μg) or WAY100635 (0.43 μg) in rats treated with a subactive dose of the DcM fraction (4.0 mg/kg) synergistically reduced immobility time in the FST. Conclusion: The DcM fraction of Kielmeyera coriacea produced an antidepressant-like effect in the FST and interacted with 5-HT1A receptor ligands. Activation of 5-HT1A receptors into DRN by (+) 8-OH-DPAT produced detectable changes in the FST or in the OFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Increasingly, health care facilities worldwide, particularly those that comprise the safety-net, are finding themselves understaffed and challenged to meet patients' needs. Identifying additional sources of support and resources is critical for facilities to be able to sustain current and develop new initiatives to improve patients' health. Approach: We present one community health center's reliance on a partnership with an academic medical/nursing institution to develop and initiate a depression screening and treatment project. Incorporating students to help implement or pilot a needed clinical service for a high prevalence condition presents significant rewards as well as challenges. Nevertheless, an academic-community partnership has the potential to initiate systems change at the clinical level. Results: Using a service-learning modality, medical and nursing students worked with health center providers to initiate a pilot depression screening and treatment program based on the chronic disease model. Implementation of this initiative succeeded in poising the health center for participation in a large, federally supported collaborative on depression in primary care. While students gained insight into some of the challenges faced by safety net providers and their patients, discontinuity in student availability led to uneven pacing in project implementation. Conclusion: Curricula that employ a service-learning framework can enable health care facilities world-wide to gain additional resources for needed initiatives. Students' learning experiences can provide an excellent mutually beneficial opportunity as a "jumpstart" for new evidence-based clinical initiatives and demonstration projects. Such programs can help meet the needs of patients while enhancing students' education. However, students can neither make up for staffing shortages nor be expected to maintain programs. In order to be successful for the long term, service-learning projects must skirt the pitfalls of the inherent logistical incompatibilities e.g. schedules and length of commitment, between academic institutions and health care facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Call center sector in India is a relatively new industry and one of the fastest growing sectors driving employment and growth in modern India today. While employment in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector has meant that young adults are reaching their career milestones and financial goals much earlier than before, surveys and anecdotal evidence show that workers in the BPO sector experience high levels of stress and its related disorders, primarily due to its contemporary work settings. Safeguarding the health of youngsters employed in this new, growing economy becomes an occupational health challenge to public health specialists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compulsive sexual behavior consists of sexual obsessions and compulsions that are recurrent, distressing, and interfere with daily functioning. It has been called hypersexual disorder in the upcoming diagnostic and statistical manual 5th edition. Though hypersexuality is commonly seen in mania, it can also be seen in depression and anxiety disorders. This case report describes a case that presented with depression and had underlying compulsive sexual behavior in the form of frottage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]