Understanding the pharmacogenetic basis of developing iatrogenic disorders such as Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) has significant clinical implications. CYP1A2, an inducible gene of the cytochrome P450 family of genes, has been suggested to contribute to the metabolism of typical antipsychotics in subjects with schizophrenia on long-term treatment, and has been considered as a potential candidate gene for development of TD. In this study, we have investigated the significance of CYP1A2 gene polymorphisms in TD susceptibility among chronic schizophrenia sufferers (n ¼ 335) from north India. TD was diagnosed in B29% (96/335) of these subjects. Of the 96 TD positives, 28 had been treated with typical antipsychotics alone, 23 with atypical antipsychotics alone and 45 patients had received both classes of drugs during the course of their illness. Out of the six SNPs tested, CYP1A2*2, *4, *5, *6 were found to be monomorphic in our population. CYP1A2*1C and CYP1A2*1F were polymorphic and were analyzed in the study sample. Since these two allelic variants lead to lesser inducibility among smokers, the smoking status of TD patients was also considered for all subsequent analysis. We observed increased severity of TD among TD-Y smokers, who were carriers of CYP1A2*1C (G4A) variant allele and had received only typical antipsychotic drugs (F(1,8) ¼ 9.203, P ¼ 0.016). No significant association of CYP1A2*1F with TD was observed irrespective of the class of drug they received or their smoking status. However, we found a significant association of CYP1A2*1F with schizophrenia (w 2 ¼ 6.572, df ¼ 2, P ¼ 0.037).

Introduction Currently available screening questionnaires for Autism spectrum disorders were tested in developed countries, but many require additional training and many are unsuitable for older individuals, thus reducing their utility in lower/ middle- income countries. We aimed to derive a simplified questionnaire that could be used to screen persons in India. Methods We have previously validated Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA), that is now mandated for disability assessment by the Government of India. This detailed tool requires intensive training and it is time consuming. It was used to derive a new screening questionnaire: 1) items most frequently scored as positive by participants with autism in original ISAA validation study were modified for binary scoring following expert review. 2) In a new sample, clinically diagnosed individuals with/without autism were administered the screening tool and ISAA following written informed consent. Its psychometric properties were determined. Results A 10-item scale named Indian Autism Screening Questionnaire (IASQ) was prepared in Hindi and English. Thereafter 145 parents/caregivers of participants (autism, n = 90, other psychiatric disorders, n = 55) (ages 3–18), were administered IASQ and ISAA (parents/caregivers plus observation) by separate interviewers, blind to each other and to diagnosis. At a cutoff of 1, sensitivity was 99%, specificity 62%, Positive Predictive Value 81%, and Negative Predictive Value 95%. Test-retest reliability was r = 0.767 (CI = 0.62–0.86) and interrater reliability- Krippendorff”s-alpha was 0.872. The area under Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) was 95%. There was a significant difference on IASQ-scores between participants with and without a clinical diagnosis of Autism (t = 14.57, p<0.0001). Discussion The IASQ is a simple, easy to use screening tool with satisfactory reliability and validity, that can be administered to caregivers in 15 minutes and provides information about DSM 5 criteria for autism. It may be applicable outside India, following additional adaptation, for community-based studies.

The trail making test (TMT) is a short and convenient estimate of cognitive functions, principally attention and working memory. Like most neuropsychological tests, it is derived from and primarily applicable to English-speaking individuals. Norms for other ethnic minorities may differ significantly. The application of majority or mixed norms to specific ethnic subcultures may introduce systematic bias. To examine the impact of an English test on primarily nonEnglish-speaking individuals, outpatients attending the dermatology department of a large Indian hospital (n = 120) were asked to complete the English version of the TMT. The time taken to complete the TRAILS was unexpectedly long, although all the subjects scored within normal limits on the modified mini mental status examination and a test for general knowledge. Possible reasons for the delayed completion times are discussed below.

Introduction: Autism is included as a certifiable disability in the Indian Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016. The Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA), developed by the Government of India and mandated for certifying disability, is a detailed instrument that needs trained mental health experts and takes time to administer. The current project was planned to develop a simple, easy to use screening tool based on the ISAA to identify possible cases in the community. Methods: The project is planned in three phases. During the first phase, data collected during the development of the ISAA ( N = 433/436 children with autism) will be used to identify questions answered as frequently, mostly, and always. During the second phase, the psychometric properties of the screening tool based on these items will be evaluated among research participants recruited from hospitals and special schools ( n = 100). In the third phase, the screening questionnaire will be administered in the community ( n = 500). Results: The most frequently answered questions will be selected for inclusion in the proposed screening tool. The number of items in the screening tool will be kept as few as possible, with yes or no responses Discussion: Indian Autism Screening Questionnaire (IASQ) will be tested as a screening version of ISAA, which can be used by community health workers, teachers, or school counselors. The IASQ will not provide a diagnosis of autism. A positive screening result should be followed by a thorough assessment by a trained specialist. Analyzing the psychometric properties of the test can help ensure cost-effective screening of the community to identify autism.