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Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important neurotrophin in the brain that modulates dopaminergic neurons. In this study, we aimed to investigate the changes in serum BDNF levels of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in response to OROS methylphenidate treatment. We also aimed to determine whether there were any pre-post-differences between ADHD subtypes and comorbid psychiatric disorders in serum BDNF levels. Fifty male children with ADHD and 50 male healthy controls within the age range of 6-12 years were recruited to the study. The psychiatric diagnoses were determined by applying a structured interview with Kiddie schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia for school-age children-present and lifetime version. The symptom severity of ADHD was measured using the Clinical Global Impression ADHD Severity Scale (CGI-S). Physicians completed Du Paul ADHD questionnaires. The levels of serum BDNF were assessed before and after 8 weeks of treatment with effective dosages of OROS methylphenidate. In the present study, the mean serum BDNF levels of boys with ADHD and of the healthy controls were 2626.33 ± 1528.05 and 2989.11 ± 1420.08 pg/mL, respectively. Although there were no statistically significant difference between the ADHD group and healthy controls at baseline (p = 0.22), the increase of serum BDNF was statistically significant from baseline to endpoint in the ADHD group (p = 0.04). The mean serum BDNF levels at baseline and endpoint of the ADHD group were 2626.33 ± 1528.05 and 3255.80 ± 1908.79 pg/mL, respectively. The serum BDNF levels of ADHD-inattentive subtype were significantly lower at baseline (p = 0.02), whereas BDNF levels post-treatment showed no significant difference. The increase of serum BDNF levels with methylphenidate treatment after 8 weeks was significantly higher in the inattentive group (p = 0.005). The increase of serum BDNF levels with methylphenidate treatment after 8 weeks in boys with ADHD may support the potential role of BDNF in the pathophysiology of ADHD. The role of BDNF in ADHD subtypes in particular should be evaluated with further, larger studies.

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It was concluded that Turkish version of DSM-5 Level 2 Anxiety Scale was a valid and reliable tool to be utilized both for clinical practice, and research purposes.

The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) is a simple and inexpensive tool for Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) assessments, with evidenced psychometric data from different countries. However, it is still unclear whether ASD symptoms are measured the same way across different societies and world regions with this tool, since data on its cross-cultural validity are lacking. This study evaluated the crosscultural measurement invariance of the CARS among children with ASD from six countries, for whom data were aggregated from previous studies in India (n = 101), Jamaica (n = 139), Mexico (n = 72), Spain (n = 99), Turkey (n = 150), and the United States of America (n = 186). We analyzed the approximate measurement invariance based on Bayesian structural equation modeling. The model did not fit the data and its measurement invariance did not hold, with all items found non-invariant across the countries. Items related to social communication and interaction (i.e., relating to people, imitation, emotional response, and verbal and nonverbal communication) displayed lower levels of cross-country noninvariance compared to items about stereotyped behaviors/sensory sensitivity (i.e., body and object use, adaptation to change, or taste, smell, and touch response). This study found that the CARS may not provide cross-culturally valid ASD assessments. Thus, cross-cultural comparisons with the CARS should consider first which items operate differently across samples of interest, since its cross-cultural measurement non-invariance could be a source of cross-cultural variability in ASD presentations. Additional studies are needed before drawing valid recommendations in relation to the cultural sensitivity of particular items.

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Introduction: This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of Turkish version of DSM-5 Level 2 Sleep Disorders Scale. Method:The scale was prepared by translation and back translation of DSM-5 Level 2 Sleep Disorders Scale. Study groups consisted of a clinical sample that contained cases that had sleep related problems and treated in a child and adolescent psychiatry unit and also a community sample. In the assessment process, child and parent forms of DSM-5 Level 2 Sleep Disorders Scale and also Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire-Turkish version (CSHQ) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used. As for reliability analyses, internal consistency coefficient and item-total score correlation analysis, test-retest reliability; and for validity analyses, explanatory factor analysis and for concurrent validity, correlation analyses with Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire-Turkish version (CSHQ) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were made.Results: In reliability analyses, Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient values were found to be very highly reliable regarding child and parent forms. Item-total score correlation coefficients were high for child form while medium and high for parent form; indicating a statistical significance. As for construct validity, two factors were maintained that would count for 74.1% of the variance in child form and 66.9% of the variance in parent form. It was seen that positive and negative statements weighed on two different factors. As for concurrent validity, child and parent form of the scale showed significant correlation with Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire-Turkish version (CSHQ) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Conclusion:It was found that Turkish version of DSM-5 Level 2 Sleep Disorders Scale could be utilized as a valid and reliable tool both in clinical practice and for research purposes.