No abstract

To examine the importance of free radicals in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), we aimed to evaluate whether malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme [superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT)] activity levels were associated with OCD. The patients were divided into two subgroups according to whether DSM-IV major depressive disorder (MDD) was accompanied (OCD + MDD) or not (OCD – MDD). The MDA and antioxidant enzyme levels both in patients and controls were determined. SOD activity levels were significantly higher in the OCD + MDD group compared with the control and the OCD – MDD group. Although the OCD – MDD group had slightly higher SOD activity levels as compared with the controls, the difference was not statistically significant. GSH-Px activity levels were statistically significantly higher in both groups compared with controls. Likewise, there was a significant difference in GSH-Px activity levels between the OCD + MDD and OCD – MDD group. CAT activity levels were slightly higher in the OCD + MDD group compared with the OCD – MDD and control group. MDA levels in both groups were significantly higher than in controls. In addition, the difference in MDA levels between both groups was statistically significant. In conclusion, our results suggest that OCD is associated with free radicals and that it may be a heterogeneous subtype including some biological indications of anxiety and affective disorders. More comprehensive and detailed studies are needed to decipher the exact role of free radicals in OCD.

No abstract

There is an association between anxiety and depression early in pregnancyand severity of NVP.

Schizophrenia is a serious neuropsychiatric disease of uncertain etiology. We investigated the seropositivity rate for anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in patients with schizophrenia to ascertain a possible relationship between Toxoplasma gondii and schizophrenia. We selected 100 patients with schizophrenia, 50 with depressive disorder, and 50 healthy volunteers to investigate the seropositivity rate of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies by ELISA. The seropositivity rate for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies among schizophrenia patients (66%) was significantly higher than among patients with depressive disorder or healthy volunteers (P < .01). Thus, there might be a causal relationship between toxoplasmosis and the etiology of schizophrenia.

Recently, atypical antipsychotics have been used for the management of the patients with refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the results of quetiapine augmentation to a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) in the patients with refractory OCD. Fifty-two patients with OCD according to DSM-IV entered 3 months of an open-label phase treatment with a SRI with or without concomitant adjunctive treatment regimen. Of them, 27 patients were refractory OCD. These patients were randomly divided into two groups, SRI plus quetiapine and SRI plus placebo, for an 8-week single-blind phase. The course of OCD was evaluated by Yale-Brown Obsession-Compulsion (Y-BOCS) and Clinical Global Impression-Severity of Illness and Improvement (CGI-SI and I) Scales every other week for 8 weeks. Of the 14 patients in group I, nine (64.4%) showed significant improvement with 60% or greater improvement on the Y-BOCS and one (7.1%) partial improvement with 30% or greater improvement on the Y-BOCS, whereas no improvement was observed in group II. The addition of quetiapine to ongoing SRI therapy has been found to be effective and well-tolerated approach in patients with refractory OCD.

No abstract

The growing number of studies examining the relationship between suicide and lipid metabolism are based upon studies suggesting that cholesterol-lowering procedures may incease the risk of death due to suicide or impulsive-aggressive behavior. Leptin seems to be strongly associated with lipid metabolism. In the present study, serum total cholesterol and leptin levels were compared in 24 suicide attempters and 24 healthy controls. The patients with suicide attempts had significantly lower serum cholesterol and leptin levels than controls. There was a positive correlation between cholesterol and leptin levels in both groups. Our results suggest that suicide attempts seem to be associated with decreased serum cholesterol and leptin levels.