Introduction: Vitiligo is a chronic disorder of skin pigmentation caused by the selective destruc... more Introduction: Vitiligo is a chronic disorder of skin pigmentation caused by the selective destruction of melanocytes. It causes psychological distress and affects quality of life. Materials and method: An institution based case control study with 55 cases and 55 controls with vitiligo and without vitiligo was undertaken. They were assessed using the Vitiligo area severity index (VASI), Vitiligo Disease Activity Scoring (VDAS), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Dermatology life quality index (DLQI). Results: In our study sample 29.1 % had vulgaris, 27.3 % had focal type of vitiligo, and 32.7 % had acro-facial vitiligo, 5.5 % mixed and 5.5 % segmental type of vitiligo was respectively seen. 76.4 % of the cases scored for mild depression and 16.4 % of the cases scored for moderate degree of depression. 23 (41.8 %) of the cases had mild degree of anxiety and 2 (3.6 %) had moderate degree of anxiety. Acro-facial and vulgaris group scored more for anxiety. Significant difference between two groups on WHO Quality of Life scale BREF and DLQI scores. Discussion: Psychiatric morbidity and Quality of Life was found to be significant in patient group with vitiligo than normal controls. There was a higher positive correlation between QOL and VASI scores, denoting the poor quality of life in patients attributable to the severity of the lesions. Conclusion: Psycho-dermatological services will help to mitigate the sufferings and improve the quality of life of patients with vitiligo.
GLOBAL JOURNAL FOR RESEARCH ANALYSIS, Aug 15, 2021
It is a universal phenomenon that the stigma attached to mental illness and mentally ill is a maj... more It is a universal phenomenon that the stigma attached to mental illness and mentally ill is a major barrier in providing mental health services. Among doctors, the stigmatisation can further lead to decline in treating mental illness and compromises in patient care. Mental illnesses go unnoticed and unattended to most of the time. AIM-To study the attitude towards mental illness and psychiatry in non-psychiatric postgraduates in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and methods- This is a “Cross - sectional study” that was carried out among non-psychiatric post graduates in a tertiary care hospital using validated questionnaire among all non-psychiatric postgraduates Results- Out of 235 non-psychiatric postgraduate's only 200 postgraduates have lled questionnaire. Out of which 88 were male and 112 were females and 168 were from the clinical branch and 32 were from the non-clinical branch. Data analyse was by using SPSS. Total scores were high on MICA -4 (56.99±9.59) which represent negative attitude towards psychiatry. The majority of postgraduates have shown little interest in psychiatry in their MBBS programme and believe that functioning in a psychiatric setup is not respectful and have been reluctant to disclose their mental illness in front of friends and colleagues. On otherhand, they accepted that mental illness could be a treated and that people with psychiatric illness must have the right to live with dignity and not to be mistreated. Conclusion- The present study shows the negative perception of non-psychiatric medical post graduates. It shows the urgent need to revise the curriculum and correct the negative attitudes of non-psychiatric post graduates towards mental illness and to instil and impart the importance of mental health among students right from undergraduate days. This would help in providing people with mental illness a holistic care for their problems.
Solar retinopathy is a rare complication of damage to the retina due to unnatural exposure to bri... more Solar retinopathy is a rare complication of damage to the retina due to unnatural exposure to bright light. Few cases have been reported in international literature in special groups like in children, psychiatric patients, direct gazing of solar eclipse and in certain occupations like arc welding. Of the few that are reported in mental institutions, majority had a diagnoses of schizophrenia. Along with the review of the reported cases, we report the first case of solar retinopathy in a patient who indulged in sun gazing during acute manic phase in our country.
Osmotic demyelination syndromes are often progressive disorders, with clinical features ranging f... more Osmotic demyelination syndromes are often progressive disorders, with clinical features ranging from a mild tremor or dysarthria to a progressive quadriparesis. Although rapid correction of serum sodium is known to be a potent causative factor, additional pathogenic factors exist, which appear critical in predisposing pontine and extrapontine glia to osmotic stress. Interestingly, several cases of osmotic demyelination have emerged where serum sodium was found to be within normal limits and minimal or no correction of a hypo or hypernatraemic state was implemented. Here we report a case of isolated extra pontine myelinolysis during alcohol withdrawal state, with no sodium fluctuation.
Background: There is a need to explore the sexual functioning of women with depression as one par... more Background: There is a need to explore the sexual functioning of women with depression as one part of sexuality is that it helps in developing an intimate emotional and physical relationship with another person, and this relationship may serve as a buffer against life stresses. Our aim was to study the prevalence and types of sexual dysfunction in depressed women patients and to compare them with non-depressed women. Materials and Methods: A total of 270 participants who attended a teaching hospital were selected for the study-135 cases and 135 controls. Sociodemographic and clinical details were collected. Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview (M.I.N.I), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Arizona Sexual Experiences (ASEX) scale, and Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI) scale were used. Sexual dysfunction was assessed in both groups. Results: Among the cases, 47.40% had mild depression, 44.44% had moderate depression, and 8.15% were severely depressed. On the ASEX, 46.66% of the cases had sexual dysfunction, while it was only 8.89% among the controls. The difference in sexual dysfunction among cases and controls was statistically significant. Using the FSFI, 40% of the cases had female sexual dysfunction (FSD), and it was only 11.1% in controls. Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction was more common in females with clinical depression than in those without depression. Numerous factors can operate in the causation of FSD. This study underlines the importance of screening females with depression for FSD, for its early diagnosis and management.
Introduction: Alcohol is one of the major substances used in our country, affecting people of you... more Introduction: Alcohol is one of the major substances used in our country, affecting people of young age to old age. It has become a significant concern as a public health burden across all of India. Although the consequences of alcohol dependence in terms of impulsivity are widely assessed, the depth of the burden of alcohol dependence changes with respect to place, time, and socio-economic conditions. Aim: To understand the role of impulsivity and Adverse Childhood Events (ACE) in alcohol dependence among male patients. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2020 and December 2020 among 190 male cases of alcohol dependence syndrome based on ICD-10 criteria. These patients visited the outpatient or inpatient psychiatry department at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Potheri, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India. During the first visit, socio-demographic and clinical details were collected, along with the Barratt Impulsi...
Background and objective Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a frequently ignored birth-related conseq... more Background and objective Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a frequently ignored birth-related consequence. Social network analysis can be used to address this issue because social media network serves as a platform for their users to communicate with their friends and share their opinions, photos, and videos, which reflect their moods, feelings, and sentiments. In this work, the depression of delivered mothers is identified using the PPD score and segregated into control and depressed groups. Recently, to detect depression, deep learning methods have played a vital role. However, these methods still do not clarify why some people have been identified as depressed. Methods We have developed Attribute Selection Hybrid Network (ASHN) to detect the postpartum depression diagnoses framework. Later analysis of the post of mothers who have been confirmed with the score calculated by the experts of the field using physiological questionnaire score. The model works on the analysis of the attrib...
Solar retinopathy is a rare complication of damage to the retina due to unnatural exposure to bri... more Solar retinopathy is a rare complication of damage to the retina due to unnatural exposure to bright light. Few cases have been reported in international literature in special groups like in children, psychiatric patients, direct gazing of solar eclipse and in certain occupations like arc welding. Of the few that are reported in mental institutions, majority had a diagnoses of schizophrenia. Along with the review of the reported cases, we report the first case of solar retinopathy in a patient who indulged in sun gazing during acute manic phase in our country.
Introduction: Vitiligo is a chronic disorder of skin pigmentation caused by the selective destruc... more Introduction: Vitiligo is a chronic disorder of skin pigmentation caused by the selective destruction of melanocytes. It causes psychological distress and affects quality of life. Materials and method: An institution based case control study with 55 cases and 55 controls with vitiligo and without vitiligo was undertaken. They were assessed using the Vitiligo area severity index (VASI), Vitiligo Disease Activity Scoring (VDAS), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Dermatology life quality index (DLQI). Results: In our study sample 29.1 % had vulgaris, 27.3 % had focal type of vitiligo, and 32.7 % had acro-facial vitiligo, 5.5 % mixed and 5.5 % segmental type of vitiligo was respectively seen. 76.4 % of the cases scored for mild depression and 16.4 % of the cases scored for moderate degree of depression. 23 (41.8 %) of the cases had mild degree of anxiety and 2 (3.6 %) had moderate degree of anxiety. Acro-facial and vulgaris group scored more for anxiety. Significant difference between two groups on WHO Quality of Life scale BREF and DLQI scores. Discussion: Psychiatric morbidity and Quality of Life was found to be significant in patient group with vitiligo than normal controls. There was a higher positive correlation between QOL and VASI scores, denoting the poor quality of life in patients attributable to the severity of the lesions. Conclusion: Psycho-dermatological services will help to mitigate the sufferings and improve the quality of life of patients with vitiligo.
International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health, 2019
disorders, dermatoglyphics can be utilized along with other clinical signs as a definitive marker... more disorders, dermatoglyphics can be utilized along with other clinical signs as a definitive marker. The second trimester of fetal ectodermal development is an at-risk period. [3] Stress can affect brain development as well as the ectodermal dermatoglyphic ridge development. Thus, dermatoglyphics are of interest as their development is localized to the same period of maturing fetal brain that may be at a higher risk for the later development of schizophrenia. Ectodermal ridges appear on the fingers and palm during the first and second trimester of pregnancy. [4] Skin and brain develop from the same ectoderm and cells migrate to the cortex in the second trimester. [5] Recent studies now link, the dermatoglyphic profiles of the hands to schizophrenia. [6]
Background: Suicide and suicidal attempt are an important cause of mortality and denotes severe m... more Background: Suicide and suicidal attempt are an important cause of mortality and denotes severe morbidity among the population. Successful suicide attempt is associated with previous suicide attempts. Identifying factors in suicide attempters will help in formulating a comprehensive response to these issues. Objective: To identify the sub group who are more vulnerable and the factors associated with this group. Setting and Design: A cross sectional observational study of this sub group was carried out. Material and Methods: study was conducted on patients who were referred to the Psychiatry department for attempted suicide. They were assessed to identify those with high suicidal intent and study the factors associated with high suicidal intent. Statistics: Epiinfo by CDC was used to analyze the results. Results: High intent was associated with history of psychiatric illness, history of previous attempts and family history of suicidal attempts. Conclusions: A sub group was identified which had a high intent and possibly higher chance of repeating an attempt.
Aims: To study insight correlates in schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder in remission among o... more Aims: To study insight correlates in schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder in remission among outpatients attending the Psychiatry Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital. Settings and Design: In a cross-sectional, naturalistic study, adult patients with schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder in remission (n = 80; schizophrenia-40, mania-20, bipolar depression-20) were compared on insight measures and clinical correlates. Materials and Methods: Scale to Assess the Unawareness of Mental Disorders (SUMD) was used as the main tool to assess current and past measures of insight. Hogan's Drug Attitude Inventory was used to assess the drug attitude and compliance. Positive and Negative Symptom Scale for Schizophrenia, Young's Mania Rating Scale, and HAMD were used to rate psychopathology. Clinical Global Improvement was used as a screening tool for remission. Statistical Analysis: For comparison of the three clinical groups, analysis of variance and Chi-square test were used. In the post-hoc analysis, the Ryan-Einot-Gabriel-Welsch test was used to find the group difference. Results: About 40% in the schizophrenia group were unaware of their mental illness as against none in the bipolar group. The awareness of mental disorder for the current period, the awareness of the achieved effects of medications, and the awareness of social consequence was better in the bipolar group. The drug attitude (compliant positive attitude) increased as the SUMD item scale decreased or in other words, as the insight improved. Conclusions: Insight, both current and retrospect, showed significant differences between the schizophrenia and bipolar patients. Insight is significantly correlated with the observed compliance and drug attitude of the patient groups.
Alcoholism and psychiatry research : Journal on psychiatric research and addictions, 2018
Osmotic demyelination syndromes are often progressive disorders, with clinical features ranging f... more Osmotic demyelination syndromes are often progressive disorders, with clinical features ranging from a mild tremor or dysarthria to a progressive quadriparesis. Although rapid correction of serum sodium is known to be a potent causative factor, additional pathogenic factors exist, which appear critical in predisposing pontine and extrapontine glia to osmotic stress. Interestingly, several cases of osmotic demyelination have emerged where serum sodium was found to be within normal limits and minimal or no correction of a hypo or hypernatraemic state was implemented. Here we report a case of isolated extra pontine myelinolysis during alcohol withdrawal state, with no sodium fluctuation.
Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes (PNS) are a group of rare disorders that occur in people wi... more Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes (PNS) are a group of rare disorders that occur in people with malignancies due to autoimmune mediated mechanisms affecting the central or peripheral nervous system. These effects are not due to the direct or local effects of the primary neoplasm or its secondaries. They are due to cross reaction of antibody or cell mediated immune factors affecting specific cells of the body. Sometimes these even ante-date the clinical presentation of the specific malignancy, there by leading to the search and discovery of the said malignancy. Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration (PCD) is a rare manifestation noted more commonly in breast cancer, ovarian cancer and small cell cancer of the lung. Very few are reported occurring due to uterine carcinoma. Here we report a rare case where Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration was preceded by psychosis in a female patient with uterine malignancy.
International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2017
Background: Schizophrenia is a complex mental illness with multiple etiological factors. Prenatal... more Background: Schizophrenia is a complex mental illness with multiple etiological factors. Prenatal insult to the developing foetus has been implicated as a major risk factor for the genesis of schizophrenia, according to the neuro-developmental model. As the brain and skin are ectodermal derivatives, insult to developing brain is reflected in several dermatoglyphic markers.Methods: Total finger ridge count (TFRC), Total A-B ridge count (TABRC) and ATD Angle of 100 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were compared with 100 age and sex matched healthy controls.Results: Statistically significant differences were observed in the values recorded and compared between healthy controls and schizophrenia patients.Conclusions: This study shows the correlation between abnormalities in dermatoglyphic patterns and development of schizophrenia.
Introduction: Vitiligo is a chronic disorder of skin pigmentation caused by the selective destruc... more Introduction: Vitiligo is a chronic disorder of skin pigmentation caused by the selective destruction of melanocytes. It causes psychological distress and affects quality of life. Materials and method: An institution based case control study with 55 cases and 55 controls with vitiligo and without vitiligo was undertaken. They were assessed using the Vitiligo area severity index (VASI), Vitiligo Disease Activity Scoring (VDAS), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Dermatology life quality index (DLQI). Results: In our study sample 29.1 % had vulgaris, 27.3 % had focal type of vitiligo, and 32.7 % had acro-facial vitiligo, 5.5 % mixed and 5.5 % segmental type of vitiligo was respectively seen. 76.4 % of the cases scored for mild depression and 16.4 % of the cases scored for moderate degree of depression. 23 (41.8 %) of the cases had mild degree of anxiety and 2 (3.6 %) had moderate degree of anxiety. Acro-facial and vulgaris group scored more for anxiety. Significant difference between two groups on WHO Quality of Life scale BREF and DLQI scores. Discussion: Psychiatric morbidity and Quality of Life was found to be significant in patient group with vitiligo than normal controls. There was a higher positive correlation between QOL and VASI scores, denoting the poor quality of life in patients attributable to the severity of the lesions. Conclusion: Psycho-dermatological services will help to mitigate the sufferings and improve the quality of life of patients with vitiligo.
GLOBAL JOURNAL FOR RESEARCH ANALYSIS, Aug 15, 2021
It is a universal phenomenon that the stigma attached to mental illness and mentally ill is a maj... more It is a universal phenomenon that the stigma attached to mental illness and mentally ill is a major barrier in providing mental health services. Among doctors, the stigmatisation can further lead to decline in treating mental illness and compromises in patient care. Mental illnesses go unnoticed and unattended to most of the time. AIM-To study the attitude towards mental illness and psychiatry in non-psychiatric postgraduates in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and methods- This is a “Cross - sectional study” that was carried out among non-psychiatric post graduates in a tertiary care hospital using validated questionnaire among all non-psychiatric postgraduates Results- Out of 235 non-psychiatric postgraduate's only 200 postgraduates have lled questionnaire. Out of which 88 were male and 112 were females and 168 were from the clinical branch and 32 were from the non-clinical branch. Data analyse was by using SPSS. Total scores were high on MICA -4 (56.99±9.59) which represent negative attitude towards psychiatry. The majority of postgraduates have shown little interest in psychiatry in their MBBS programme and believe that functioning in a psychiatric setup is not respectful and have been reluctant to disclose their mental illness in front of friends and colleagues. On otherhand, they accepted that mental illness could be a treated and that people with psychiatric illness must have the right to live with dignity and not to be mistreated. Conclusion- The present study shows the negative perception of non-psychiatric medical post graduates. It shows the urgent need to revise the curriculum and correct the negative attitudes of non-psychiatric post graduates towards mental illness and to instil and impart the importance of mental health among students right from undergraduate days. This would help in providing people with mental illness a holistic care for their problems.
Solar retinopathy is a rare complication of damage to the retina due to unnatural exposure to bri... more Solar retinopathy is a rare complication of damage to the retina due to unnatural exposure to bright light. Few cases have been reported in international literature in special groups like in children, psychiatric patients, direct gazing of solar eclipse and in certain occupations like arc welding. Of the few that are reported in mental institutions, majority had a diagnoses of schizophrenia. Along with the review of the reported cases, we report the first case of solar retinopathy in a patient who indulged in sun gazing during acute manic phase in our country.
Osmotic demyelination syndromes are often progressive disorders, with clinical features ranging f... more Osmotic demyelination syndromes are often progressive disorders, with clinical features ranging from a mild tremor or dysarthria to a progressive quadriparesis. Although rapid correction of serum sodium is known to be a potent causative factor, additional pathogenic factors exist, which appear critical in predisposing pontine and extrapontine glia to osmotic stress. Interestingly, several cases of osmotic demyelination have emerged where serum sodium was found to be within normal limits and minimal or no correction of a hypo or hypernatraemic state was implemented. Here we report a case of isolated extra pontine myelinolysis during alcohol withdrawal state, with no sodium fluctuation.
Background: There is a need to explore the sexual functioning of women with depression as one par... more Background: There is a need to explore the sexual functioning of women with depression as one part of sexuality is that it helps in developing an intimate emotional and physical relationship with another person, and this relationship may serve as a buffer against life stresses. Our aim was to study the prevalence and types of sexual dysfunction in depressed women patients and to compare them with non-depressed women. Materials and Methods: A total of 270 participants who attended a teaching hospital were selected for the study-135 cases and 135 controls. Sociodemographic and clinical details were collected. Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview (M.I.N.I), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Arizona Sexual Experiences (ASEX) scale, and Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI) scale were used. Sexual dysfunction was assessed in both groups. Results: Among the cases, 47.40% had mild depression, 44.44% had moderate depression, and 8.15% were severely depressed. On the ASEX, 46.66% of the cases had sexual dysfunction, while it was only 8.89% among the controls. The difference in sexual dysfunction among cases and controls was statistically significant. Using the FSFI, 40% of the cases had female sexual dysfunction (FSD), and it was only 11.1% in controls. Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction was more common in females with clinical depression than in those without depression. Numerous factors can operate in the causation of FSD. This study underlines the importance of screening females with depression for FSD, for its early diagnosis and management.
Introduction: Alcohol is one of the major substances used in our country, affecting people of you... more Introduction: Alcohol is one of the major substances used in our country, affecting people of young age to old age. It has become a significant concern as a public health burden across all of India. Although the consequences of alcohol dependence in terms of impulsivity are widely assessed, the depth of the burden of alcohol dependence changes with respect to place, time, and socio-economic conditions. Aim: To understand the role of impulsivity and Adverse Childhood Events (ACE) in alcohol dependence among male patients. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2020 and December 2020 among 190 male cases of alcohol dependence syndrome based on ICD-10 criteria. These patients visited the outpatient or inpatient psychiatry department at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Potheri, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India. During the first visit, socio-demographic and clinical details were collected, along with the Barratt Impulsi...
Background and objective Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a frequently ignored birth-related conseq... more Background and objective Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a frequently ignored birth-related consequence. Social network analysis can be used to address this issue because social media network serves as a platform for their users to communicate with their friends and share their opinions, photos, and videos, which reflect their moods, feelings, and sentiments. In this work, the depression of delivered mothers is identified using the PPD score and segregated into control and depressed groups. Recently, to detect depression, deep learning methods have played a vital role. However, these methods still do not clarify why some people have been identified as depressed. Methods We have developed Attribute Selection Hybrid Network (ASHN) to detect the postpartum depression diagnoses framework. Later analysis of the post of mothers who have been confirmed with the score calculated by the experts of the field using physiological questionnaire score. The model works on the analysis of the attrib...
Solar retinopathy is a rare complication of damage to the retina due to unnatural exposure to bri... more Solar retinopathy is a rare complication of damage to the retina due to unnatural exposure to bright light. Few cases have been reported in international literature in special groups like in children, psychiatric patients, direct gazing of solar eclipse and in certain occupations like arc welding. Of the few that are reported in mental institutions, majority had a diagnoses of schizophrenia. Along with the review of the reported cases, we report the first case of solar retinopathy in a patient who indulged in sun gazing during acute manic phase in our country.
Introduction: Vitiligo is a chronic disorder of skin pigmentation caused by the selective destruc... more Introduction: Vitiligo is a chronic disorder of skin pigmentation caused by the selective destruction of melanocytes. It causes psychological distress and affects quality of life. Materials and method: An institution based case control study with 55 cases and 55 controls with vitiligo and without vitiligo was undertaken. They were assessed using the Vitiligo area severity index (VASI), Vitiligo Disease Activity Scoring (VDAS), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Dermatology life quality index (DLQI). Results: In our study sample 29.1 % had vulgaris, 27.3 % had focal type of vitiligo, and 32.7 % had acro-facial vitiligo, 5.5 % mixed and 5.5 % segmental type of vitiligo was respectively seen. 76.4 % of the cases scored for mild depression and 16.4 % of the cases scored for moderate degree of depression. 23 (41.8 %) of the cases had mild degree of anxiety and 2 (3.6 %) had moderate degree of anxiety. Acro-facial and vulgaris group scored more for anxiety. Significant difference between two groups on WHO Quality of Life scale BREF and DLQI scores. Discussion: Psychiatric morbidity and Quality of Life was found to be significant in patient group with vitiligo than normal controls. There was a higher positive correlation between QOL and VASI scores, denoting the poor quality of life in patients attributable to the severity of the lesions. Conclusion: Psycho-dermatological services will help to mitigate the sufferings and improve the quality of life of patients with vitiligo.
International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health, 2019
disorders, dermatoglyphics can be utilized along with other clinical signs as a definitive marker... more disorders, dermatoglyphics can be utilized along with other clinical signs as a definitive marker. The second trimester of fetal ectodermal development is an at-risk period. [3] Stress can affect brain development as well as the ectodermal dermatoglyphic ridge development. Thus, dermatoglyphics are of interest as their development is localized to the same period of maturing fetal brain that may be at a higher risk for the later development of schizophrenia. Ectodermal ridges appear on the fingers and palm during the first and second trimester of pregnancy. [4] Skin and brain develop from the same ectoderm and cells migrate to the cortex in the second trimester. [5] Recent studies now link, the dermatoglyphic profiles of the hands to schizophrenia. [6]
Background: Suicide and suicidal attempt are an important cause of mortality and denotes severe m... more Background: Suicide and suicidal attempt are an important cause of mortality and denotes severe morbidity among the population. Successful suicide attempt is associated with previous suicide attempts. Identifying factors in suicide attempters will help in formulating a comprehensive response to these issues. Objective: To identify the sub group who are more vulnerable and the factors associated with this group. Setting and Design: A cross sectional observational study of this sub group was carried out. Material and Methods: study was conducted on patients who were referred to the Psychiatry department for attempted suicide. They were assessed to identify those with high suicidal intent and study the factors associated with high suicidal intent. Statistics: Epiinfo by CDC was used to analyze the results. Results: High intent was associated with history of psychiatric illness, history of previous attempts and family history of suicidal attempts. Conclusions: A sub group was identified which had a high intent and possibly higher chance of repeating an attempt.
Aims: To study insight correlates in schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder in remission among o... more Aims: To study insight correlates in schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder in remission among outpatients attending the Psychiatry Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital. Settings and Design: In a cross-sectional, naturalistic study, adult patients with schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder in remission (n = 80; schizophrenia-40, mania-20, bipolar depression-20) were compared on insight measures and clinical correlates. Materials and Methods: Scale to Assess the Unawareness of Mental Disorders (SUMD) was used as the main tool to assess current and past measures of insight. Hogan's Drug Attitude Inventory was used to assess the drug attitude and compliance. Positive and Negative Symptom Scale for Schizophrenia, Young's Mania Rating Scale, and HAMD were used to rate psychopathology. Clinical Global Improvement was used as a screening tool for remission. Statistical Analysis: For comparison of the three clinical groups, analysis of variance and Chi-square test were used. In the post-hoc analysis, the Ryan-Einot-Gabriel-Welsch test was used to find the group difference. Results: About 40% in the schizophrenia group were unaware of their mental illness as against none in the bipolar group. The awareness of mental disorder for the current period, the awareness of the achieved effects of medications, and the awareness of social consequence was better in the bipolar group. The drug attitude (compliant positive attitude) increased as the SUMD item scale decreased or in other words, as the insight improved. Conclusions: Insight, both current and retrospect, showed significant differences between the schizophrenia and bipolar patients. Insight is significantly correlated with the observed compliance and drug attitude of the patient groups.
Alcoholism and psychiatry research : Journal on psychiatric research and addictions, 2018
Osmotic demyelination syndromes are often progressive disorders, with clinical features ranging f... more Osmotic demyelination syndromes are often progressive disorders, with clinical features ranging from a mild tremor or dysarthria to a progressive quadriparesis. Although rapid correction of serum sodium is known to be a potent causative factor, additional pathogenic factors exist, which appear critical in predisposing pontine and extrapontine glia to osmotic stress. Interestingly, several cases of osmotic demyelination have emerged where serum sodium was found to be within normal limits and minimal or no correction of a hypo or hypernatraemic state was implemented. Here we report a case of isolated extra pontine myelinolysis during alcohol withdrawal state, with no sodium fluctuation.
Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes (PNS) are a group of rare disorders that occur in people wi... more Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes (PNS) are a group of rare disorders that occur in people with malignancies due to autoimmune mediated mechanisms affecting the central or peripheral nervous system. These effects are not due to the direct or local effects of the primary neoplasm or its secondaries. They are due to cross reaction of antibody or cell mediated immune factors affecting specific cells of the body. Sometimes these even ante-date the clinical presentation of the specific malignancy, there by leading to the search and discovery of the said malignancy. Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration (PCD) is a rare manifestation noted more commonly in breast cancer, ovarian cancer and small cell cancer of the lung. Very few are reported occurring due to uterine carcinoma. Here we report a rare case where Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration was preceded by psychosis in a female patient with uterine malignancy.
International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2017
Background: Schizophrenia is a complex mental illness with multiple etiological factors. Prenatal... more Background: Schizophrenia is a complex mental illness with multiple etiological factors. Prenatal insult to the developing foetus has been implicated as a major risk factor for the genesis of schizophrenia, according to the neuro-developmental model. As the brain and skin are ectodermal derivatives, insult to developing brain is reflected in several dermatoglyphic markers.Methods: Total finger ridge count (TFRC), Total A-B ridge count (TABRC) and ATD Angle of 100 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were compared with 100 age and sex matched healthy controls.Results: Statistically significant differences were observed in the values recorded and compared between healthy controls and schizophrenia patients.Conclusions: This study shows the correlation between abnormalities in dermatoglyphic patterns and development of schizophrenia.
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Papers by Arul Saravanan